What would you do?

[Chris G]

A customer has agreed via e-mail to book me for a works party in the next 2 weeks. Have now had to send a reminder despite being told twice that deposit would be paid on 2 separate days.
I am tightening up my booking arrangements including putting together Terms and Conditions so hopefully this will help stamp this out in the future but what would you do with this one - would you give it a few more days to see if they pay the deposit or let them know that as they have not paid they no longer have a booking?

[hammy]

Just send a friendly reminder and also add that they have so many days to get booking fee in as someone else is interested in you on the same day but your giving them preference.

[Danno13]

Anything less than 30 days notice needs full payment at the time of booking for me. At that kind of notice I don't want to be messing around so if I had another enquiry I'd give them the original enquirer the rest of that day to either pay by card or arrange a instant bank transfer, or I'd take the other booking. Although, it does of course depend on what your enquiry rate is like and how likely you are to fill the date.

[DiscoMagic]

I agree with Hammy, especially if you have other enquiries coming in for the specific date.

[goldensounds83]

personally I have zero tolerance on this they have 7 working days from the provisional booking to complete and return the booking form and with the booking form I require a 25% deposit I make it clear in my terms and conditions that no booking is made implied or promised until the booking from and the deposit is returned and I reserve the right to cancel any provisional booking if I don't get this in 7 days.

In the past 15 years I have only actually cancelled two provisional booking because the client did not comply.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

personally I have zero tolerance on this they have 7 working days from the provisional booking to complete and return the booking form and with the booking form I require a 25% deposit I make it clear in my terms and conditions that no booking is made implied or promised until the booking from and the deposit is returned and I reserve the right to cancel any provisional booking if I don't get this in 7 days.

In the past 15 years I have only actually cancelled two provisional booking because the client did not comply.

Pretty much what I do. Enquirers are told that due to previous issues I no longer hold a date though if anyone comes in for the same date as them, they will be informed and at that point the 1st one to pay the deposit and sign the contract secures the date.

I used to hold dates but you get people dicking around with paying a deposit and I've had clients enquire in October, come back in March to book and moan that someone else had taken their date!!!