Deposits & Booking Fees

[Ricesnaps]

Does anyone else have problems extracting booking fees from clients?

It seems all my latest clients are struggling to realise that I can't confirm there booking unless I have there fee paid. I always state that a booking is only confirmed when I recieve the fee (and paperwork I hope) and that if someone else requests the date and pays before them they loose it. I am even very very generous and offer them 7 days grace where i will turn away work and keep the date for them.

However I was on my third round of emails this morning chasing up clients who haven't paid. Why on earth is this and how do the rest of you get over this?

[spin mobile disco]

Never had this problem myself, I have had a problem with an agency based in midlands who still hasnt paid me money owed after 6 weeks ( i mention no names) But with clients I always put on contract that payment of deposit is required in 2 weeks to confirm booking or date will not be held.

[Danno13]

I give 14 days grace.. but if i were to ever get another enquiry i'd call the origanal booker just to make sure. I recon 7 days might be a bit short, a lot of wedding bookings take a while to decide the first dance and other music request which make up sections of my booking form, so sometimes it takes longer than 14 days for the forms to come back.

Only once have i never had a contract come back.. this was a year or so ago and i didn't have the guy's number to chase it up.. taught me a lesson though!

On the contracts i've been sending out for weddings next year, i've changed the terms to ask for full payment two weeks before rather than just cash on the night. I'll be interesting to see how hard this is to make work. Also, i accidentally used one of the new revised contracts for a booking in November, the client just sent a cheque for the whole amount back with the booking form!

[Corabar Entertainment]

Similar to you Rice, if they make a provisional booking we will hold the date for a set period but after that period the date is released.

You will always get some who make a provisional booking who don't go on to confirm, and there are always a couple who take a little more time than they should, but the vast majority sort themselves out in time! :teeth:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I don't take provisional bookings.

People either book or they don't with me.

It saves a lot of chasing around too.

I take apporoximately 25% advance payment and then the balance is payable a minimum of 7 days before.

I do find that a lot of people just send the whole amount if the booking is within a couple of months of me confirming.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Never had this problem myself, I have had a problem with an agency based in midlands who still hasnt paid me money owed after 6 weeks ( i mention no names)

You won't be giving them an A+ for quick payment then, will you.

This maybe of use to you.

[Corabar Entertainment]

I don't take provisional bookings.

People either book or they don't with me.

It saves a lot of chasing around too.

I take apporoximately 25% advance payment and then the balance is payable a minimum of 7 days before.

I do find that a lot of people just send the whole amount if the booking is within a couple of months of me confirming.

Darren - so how do you take the bookings as I know you don't take debit / credit cards?

For example - someone phones up, says they would like to book, you send them paperwork. The following day, someone else phones up & wants the same date (let's assume you only have one 'slot' left). By the very nature of the beast, the caller who phoned yesterday cannot have paid their deposit and sent you the paperwork, so they have not 'booked'.... so do you tell the 2nd caller that you are booked already? (in which case you are treating the 1st caller as a provisional booking)

Not being awkward.... genuinely interested :teeth:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Darren - so how do you take the bookings as I know you don't take debit / credit cards?

For example - someone phones up, says they would like to book, you send them paperwork. The following day, someone else phones up & wants the same date (let's assume you only have one 'slot' left). By the very nature of the beast, the caller who phoned yesterday cannot have paid their deposit and sent you the paperwork, so they have not 'booked'.... so do you tell the 2nd caller that you are booked already? (in which case you are treating the 1st caller as a provisional booking)

Not being awkward.... genuinely interested :teeth:

Verbal agreement.

When people are interested, I ask them whether they would like to book and for me to take all the details and then send them the contract.

This comes back within two weeks from the client confirming the booking.

Other bookings that come in are always filled - I've never got to the point where I run out of DJs.

People who ask me to hold the date are told that I wil only pencil them in the diary and need to confirm within a couple of days.

As I said, I just don't do the 'provisional' thing unless it's a regular Hotel etc

So, it's fairly black and white with me. People who have had a contract sent are 'booked' as such 'cos as I mentioned, I very rarely have had people not sending them back.

I do impress on the people if they are being sent a contract it's not just to have a look at and then decide - it's to confirm the booking.

This stops people messing about and wasting my time etc.

I know you'regoing to say that until they sign the contract and send it back, that it's not really binding, but as I've mentioned, I don't think, certainly in the last 10 years that I've not had one come back.

Clear as mud? :teeth:

[Ricesnaps]

Verbal agreement.

When people are interested, I ask them whether they would like to book and for me to take all the details and then send them the contract.

This comes back within two weeks from the client confirming the booking.

Other bookings that come in are always filled - I've never got to the point where I run out of DJs.

People who ask me to hold the date are told that I wil only pencil them in the diary and need to confirm within a couple of days.

As I said, I just don't do the 'provisional' thing unless it's a regular Hotel etc

So, it's fairly black and white with me. People who have had a contract sent are 'booked' as such 'cos as I mentioned, I very rarely have had people not sending them back.

I do impress on the people if they are being sent a contract it's not just to have a look at and then decide - it's to confirm the booking.

This stops people messing about and wasting my time etc.

I know you'regoing to say that until they sign the contract and send it back, that it's not really binding, but as I've mentioned, I don't think, certainly in the last 10 years that I've not had one come back.

Clear as mud? :teeth:

This is exactly what we do - someone phones, asks to book, we say no problem, fill out the forms - now available to download from our website in a vain attempt to speed things up and then wait for the deposit. The very problem I have is that I am not getting the deposits in a timely fashion. Not taking provisional bookings at all, simply being fair and giving the client time to return the fee and the paperwork. But lately not getting it in time - what do you do, take another booking should it come in?

[Shaun]

I've never had a problem with booking fees, I guess I've just been lucky?. I don't offer a 'grace' period either. Potential clients are always informed that without a signed contract and booking fee then the date is available to the first person that books (returns signed contract and fee). Usually it's enough to hurry them along if they are serious about booking.