Mistakes (the honesty thread)

[Shaun]

Ok, following on from Charlie's recent thread. I thought I'd post this topic and see if any other members will be honest enough to tell us about times they have made a mistake. It might be with a booking procedure, a missed gig, or something completely different?





I'll start, this happened some time back. This might get a little confusing, I'm still confused by it all to this day..

It's kind of similar to Charlie's experience, in the sense that I obviously didn't have rock solid booking procedures at the time, I thought I did but it soon became apparent that it wasn't the case.....





Somehow my wall-planner stated that I was booked for a date, and that documentation had been sent and the gig was almost finalised, I was just awaiting the return of the booking forms. The way my details (or lack of) for the gig read was that a payment had been taken and paperwork sent out to them. Now, the only thing was I couldn't find any record. All my email records are easy to backtrack and check but I couldn't find a thing in relation for the date in question. There was however a missing window of emails when I had 2 major HDD malfunctions and lost a lot of data. So it's possible that what I was looking for was contained in the lost data.

I then thought perhaps they contacted me by phone. At the time I handled keeping a record of phone records a little differently to how I do it now. It could have been that I just mislead the phone enquiry form.

Anyway,

I double check back through all contracts and other paperwork trying to find the documentation on my PC for the date in question. I couldn't find a thing. Checked back all payments received through cheque/paypal & BACS, couldn't find a thing relating to that date. I then start thinking have I personally met with the client and received a deposit payment in cash, and then mislead the paperwork? All sorts running through my head. But the details (on the wallplanner) stated paperwork sent but not returned so I couldn't have met in person. All I knew is that the date was marked off, and the check-box ticked that stated "payment taken - forms sent".

Now...with the lack of any other documentation or trail that would lead me to the client could mean another thing - a simple clerical error on my part. At the time my planner was made up of several check-boxes that I could tick to state what action I had taken and what stage of the booking or enquiry was at. Right next to the check-box I had ticked was another check-box that stated "Enquiry - quote provided". This whole mess in all likelihood was just me being an idiot and ticking the wrong box!! .

I had no way of knowing if I'd just done something as simple as ticking a wrong box, or if all the fail-safes I had at the time had completely screwed up and it was a major malfunction by myself (lost payment details, lost emails lost phone contact forms). It was highly unlikely that so many things had screwed up, and the most likely thing was I'd been a prat and ticked the wrong box. I honestly spent days and days going through everything several times. In the end I couldn't be sure so I didn't take on another booking for that date (despite having several enquiries for it). I had no contact details for the client (if there was one) so I prepared myself for the gig. Loaded the van, dry-cleaned the suit...even paid the roadie to be on stand by. And I sat all day by the phone awaiting a call from a bride asking where was I? I might have been late for her event if she called, but I would have been there whatever it took!


Well, no call came. I then spent a day or two worrying that I might be one of those "no-show" DJs we all rant about. I waited and waited for a call over the next few days from an irate bride blaming me for ruining her wedding. No call ever came., which leads me to believe that I just ticked the wrong box as I presumed!!. Everything pointed to that but I just couldn't have been 100% sure. I still believe I did everything in my power to ensure I was prepared to do the gig if the call came.

That whole episode left a bitter taste in my mouth and forced me to re-think the way I respond to enquiries and implement bookings. I won't make the same clerical error mistake twice. And it makes me shudder to think what could have been. I know there are many DJs out there (none on this forum hopefully) that would have just shrugged it off and taken a booking for the date, but I just couldn't on good conscience even contemplate that if there was even a 1% chance that there could be a client expecting me to show.




So, what's the point of this thread? Well a few of us came down hard on Charlie about his mistake. We are all human though, and all prone to mistakes.l I truly believe it's how you handle yourself when in the middle of those mistakes that determine your morals and your business ethics.







So......anyone else care to share their mistake stories?

[DJ Paulie]

I was asked by another DJ to cover a corporate gig. He said the price was €300 and I would pay him 10%. I agreed and turned up at the gig only to find I hadn't put my mouse in. I also didn't have a stylus to use with my 00DJ. (I used a mouse as I found it easier than my fingers, more precise) I managed to find a biro and used that while the mrs went to a friend's place just down the road and borrowed a mouse.

When the client came to pay me, she said 'Brian said we could pay by card' to which I relplied 'I can't do that, cash or cheque please' She wasn't very happy but went off and managed to get cashback from reception or somewhere. She asked what the price was and I was so flustered about my gear and what they must think of me & Brian, I said €350. She paid this without question and asked for a receipt. I said I would have to email one as I didn't bring any. (thought was all sorted by brian)

Well when I called Brian and told him they paid me €350 he said the price was only €300, but not to worry as they never contacted him, they never contacted me for a receipt either ! It was a very expensive gig, free bar, 5 course meal, and towards the end the manager told me to tell them to go into the residents bar to use up the rest of the bar tab as they had only used half of it ! This was for about 30 people. The reason i was worried about the gear was I was set up next to one of those hanging partitions, the dancefloor was in front of it and everythime they got a bit rowdy they would bang into it and knock the table of delft set up for coffee !

[Excalibur]

Are you watching Charlie? One of the side effects of age is that you've had plenty of opportunities to make mistakes. The clever bit is learning from them.

OK, here's a few. Now I've never had a booking system which was highly regimented, and many venues would ring up, and it went in the diary. Some friends were granted similar status. A lad who used to work for me, told me he had got me a wedding booking, on a certain date for a work coolleague of his. No worries. Then he returned home down South, so the customer panicked, having lost contact with him, and booked another disco. I of course turned up, as I had promised to do, and we had two discos. I was not booked directly, so I ended up leaving.

A local Golf Club worked on a similar basis, and I turned up for a booking there to find I wasn't expected. They had no records of a booking, enquiry, or anything on that date. I had it written in my diary. Still don't know what happened.

Now probably the best one. Beware making assumptions. I took a booking for a Cricket Club who I'd done a string of bookings for. I took another one, and wasn't really listening to the details, so thought it funny when they asked if I knew the way. I turned up as arranged, and was surprised to see another disco there. I maintained that I was booked by the Club, so the other one decided they'd have a night off, and left. A little further investigation revealed that I had been booked by a Committee member, but not for a Club function. It was in fact a private function, about two miles down the road, at a WMC I'd never played at! Oops.

There you go, that should hold you for now, if I remember a few more, I'll post 'em.

[JAMdisco]

Luckily for me, I've not had any Disco / DJ related problems but when I was a solo vocalist & guitarist (to backing tracks), I used a couple of agents who would call me and tell me where and when, followed by a confirmation letter.

On one occasion I was booked last minute at a WMC in Hull (so no official paperwork) so off I went! Now this is where the confusion lies, I had played at this particular venue before and there was also a venue 100m or so on the same road with a very similar name.

I got to the venue, set up and was just doing a sound check when a guy walked in with a guitar
I was in discussion with the guy when my phone rang.... yep it was my agent asking where I was

You guessed it, wrong venue, anyway I did the quickest pack down ever (mostly just chucked in the back of the car) and went to the correct venue which luckily as I said, was about 100m away.
Got set up fairly quick as most of the gear was only partially disassembled. I had a bit of a sweat-on but all was good in the end.



On another venture i had a booking at another venue in Hull (or so I thought). Got to the street address only to find a kind of run-down industrial estate. I rang the agent who then said "why are you in Hull, it's in Bridlington" a good 40-50 minutes from Hull. Oops.
Anyway, I had no sat nav so just headed in the rough direction of Bridlington and luckily stumbled upon the correct venue (almost by mistake). I was only about 20 mins late as I always set off nice and early (still do to this day) and the manager was a very nice and understanding guy and he had a good laugh at my expense.

So a couple of major blunders that I swore at the time, I would NEVER make again.

As has been said, mistakes can and will happen (we're only human) but the big thing is to LEARN from them and not make the same one again.

[Javlingames]

I did a wedding where i had a list of 'do not plays', one of which spandau ballet true was on it. I had a lapse of concentration and for the very last song i played true. I didnt hear anything on the night but my agent got a letter of complaint. I said i was awfully sorry, true is a song i always played at the end and i just went onto auto pilot as its a song i always play etc. Never heard anymore bit in their initial letter they wanted a few quid knocking off.

[rossken]

Almost exactly a year ago I was doing a primary school's Valentines Disco. As I was packing up the organiser said:

"And we'll be in touch about the summer disco - it will probably be the first Friday in July"

I have done quite a few discos at this primary school and always get a phone call to book me.

I'm sure you can see where this is going, but it was a nice sunny Friday in July and I was outside having a barbecue with my family when the phone rang. It was the organiser of the primary's disco wondering where I was!

I apologised, explained there was no booking as far as I was aware, but not to worry as I will just stick the gear in the car and be there in 20 minutes. She told me not to bother as they had already sent all the children home.

It turned out that the organiser had completely messed up. Not only did she not book the disco, she also forgot to go and buy the juice and crisps!

They booked me for their Halloween disco last October so they must have understood that I wasn't totally to blame.

[deltic]

couple of quick ones for you

sent a guy to do a kids party,two villages with the same name about 30 miles apart,yep he went to the wrong one,however give the guy his due he contacted the customer explained he was in the wrong place, and that there probably wasn't enough time to get there for the party,but offered to do her a free party to make amends.
ironically the correct venue was only a couple of miles from his house.



i dropped a real clanger,fortunately it broke the ice and was a good night.

went to do a wedding for a girl my wife works with,my mrs sent me with a bottle in one of those sort of bottle carriers and a card,so i just put the card in with the bottle and handed it over when i got there.

got all set up ready for the first dance realised i knew the brides name but not the groom, so i went over to the bar and innocently asked the best man the grooms name without hesitation he said "james",great back over to the disco to start the first dance

ladies and gentleman please welcome emma and james for their first dance, the whole room was silent and everybody just looking at me,"who's james?"
apart from the best man who couldn't contain his laughter and was bent double.
yes the groom was called philip.

won't make that mistake again always written down and double checked now.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Calling 2 guys getting married, the bride and groom...

Turning up a whole year early for a wedding....

[sonicdj]

I hadnt long had my CDJ200's and was busy dusting them while waiting for the Bride & Groom to do their first dance. The song was already cued.

Unbeknown to me I had accidentally knocked the lever on the deck and put it in reverse mode. Yep the first few seconds of their first dance played backwards

Luckily the B&G saw the funny side and so did the other guests. Well it was my sons wedding....and he still thinks I did it on purpose.

[Excalibur]

Calling 2 guys getting married, the bride and groom...

Turning up a whole year early for a wedding....

You always have to go one better, don't you? Classic mate, absolutely classic. Cracked me up.