Another Dilemma-ish type situation

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Hi all,

Apologies for another topic but hey...isn't that what this place is all about..? Helping eachother out with advice etc..

Ok, here goes : My Hotel Residency.

In October the conferencing and banqueting manager that I had been dealing with in my time at the hotel....left for pastures new. The hotel still haven't got a replacement so the sales manager (who has been there for a year and does a really bad job in my opinion) has been throwing her weight around, bossing everyone about and generally being a pain in the backside. Now, that may sound out of order but if you speak to anyone at the hotel they will all say the same about her and if you met her you will know what I mean. I put a DJ in there over christmas to cover one of my christmas parties as I was doing my Indie night and the guy came back to me the next day and didn't have a good word to say about her....anyway, that's just a background to the topic.

Just before the C&B Manager left, we had a conversation regarding the staff christmas party (last 3 years it's been on a sunday) and we made a VERBAL agreement that IF I was available to do the christmas party for the staff then I would do it for FREE as a gesture of goodwill on my part for the continued business the hotel had given me throughout the year. Now, despite them cancelling numerous christmas parties, I would have still stuck to my word....BUT...

....Today the 'lovely' sales manager calls me and reminds me of the VERBAL agreement I made with the C&B Manager. I confirmed everything and re-iterated that IF I was free then I would of course do it for free.
She then said..."Well, it's NEXT FRIDAY!!!"...
I explained to her that I am already booked on that date and my other DJ is also booked. The other guy I use now and then will be on holiday so on this occasion I wouldn't be able to help out. She was her usual charming self and asked "Well, what am I going to do now?". Once again I explained that it was a verbal agreement which I was quite happy to honour but with less than a weeks notice and on a different day to the usual day then surely she may have had an 'inkling' that I could be booked? She sounded flustered and then (probably the wrong time to bring it up) I asked her when she was likely to get the new Terms & Conditions and contract signed and back to me as the first wedding at the hotel is in 4 weeks and I have no details as yet...hahaha.

Her reply was "Come and see me on friday and we'll get it sorted"

Now, the reason I post this topic is because I want your views as I think I am in the right here. I do feel slightly guilty but on the other hand...I shouldn't be...should I?

The C&B Manager obviously told the other staff about our verbal agreement and that's fine as I meant everything I said but it was NOT a written agreement. It could have been if they had asked and I would have kept the date free but unfortunately, they surely can't expect me to turn down other work or jump through hoops for them with a few days notice? Had it been on the sunday like it usually is, then there would have been no problem at all, I would've done it gladly for them.

I have a feeling that on friday I may get stitched up (I'll keep you updated) but if I am honest, and I've mentioned it before...I can kind of take it or leave it with the place as sometimes it's more hassle than it's worth (it's just the sales manager who I shouldn't really see to be honest, that just gets my back up and she's the one I have to see on friday).

Your thoughts please....and thanks in advance!

[PropellerHeadCase]

Verbal agreement or not, you said "if you're available" which she's confirmed was the basis of the agreement... you're not available, end of story.

That said, I have no doubt that said Sales Manager will use this fact to bully you into lower prices or other onerous considerations on your terms with them.

Given your long-standing relationship with the hotel and the fact that the Sales Manager is well outside her jurisdiction is there someone higher up you can go to if it goes pear-shaped?

[mikeee]

You shouldn't feel guilty, technically it's not your problem, but, if you have been there a while and you have a "good working relationship" (excluding the young lady), then I would try and sort it out, it can only make you look good / better.
1st job, find a good realible DJ that you can trust.
Then either swap around yours, or put him in to the hotel. Slip him / her a couple of hundred for doing you a favour, as it's better than the hotel finding an "outside" DJ, who they might look favourable on later in the year / next christmas.
The money can be earn't back later in the year.

My 2p worth.

[Dragonfly]

don't feel guilty if she wanted a freebee she should have checked your availability first ...... not your fault at all .

[groovy-nights]

Mikeee
Is right is it worth running the riskof someone else going in doing a good job and then you losing the hotel.For the sake of paying someone £250 to do it for you

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I'm sure it will be fine to be honest but I just don't trust this young 'lady'.
I held my breath when she asked "What is this you are playing?" when I had christmas music on as the guests sat down at their tables. I held my breath when she asked me to "Play some RnB and upbeat stuff" about 10 minutes later. I think it will be ok once the replacement C&B Manager is in but as I understand it, she is looking over the contract BUT...as you say, Yes I do have a good working relationship with the hotel. I would say 50% of the staff have been there for over 15 years and for the past 10 years I have been in there DJing whether it's been for me or for someone else and those members of staff (including some management) think highly of me.

'She' is a typical case of... 'Use what you have' etc which may sound a bit sexist (apologies) but she really makes the most of it and is a bit of a 'looker'. I've heard that she has the GM wrapped around her finger so if it does go 'Pete Tong' then I doubt if I'd have a fair chance but....we'll see on friday won't we. My new contract is offering fixed prices for 2008 AND 2009 so you never know.

[spin mobile disco]

A verbal agreement is only binding with the person you made it with. Now the managment has changed it is no longer binding. And as you agreed for it to be on a sunday as well and she changed the day then it was already her problem not yours.
Sounds like she's trying to rattle her sabre a bit.

[Have a disco]

Sounds like she's on a power trip and is liable to fall to earth with a bump. I Would stick to your guns as you can always bypass her by going to higher manager. Not your fault the other manager has gone and left

[theoloyla]

If the hotel know you are a successful dj then it would be stupid of them to expect you to be available on a Friday night at short notice. Stick to your guns - you are not being unreasonable but do your best to help them (and yourself) by offering in writing (cc the general manager) to do it for free on another more convenient date or arrange for an alternative dj to do it at a knockdown price.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

She called today to say that the contract has been signed but we have had to re-schedule out meeting for next week. They've sourced a DJ from elsewhere now for their staff party but I did mention that the verbal agreement still stands between us so if it's next christmas or in the summer then that's cool with me (and them).

[rob1963]

Gary,

Your verbal agreement was that you'd do their xmas party for nothing IF YOU WERE FREE.

It's been on a Sunday in previous years...which would have been fine for you, but this year they've suddenly changed the night...and they've changed it to a prime disco night.

Not only that, but they also gave you very little notice.

In the circumstances, I see no reason for them to be surprised or annoyed by the fact that you can't do the gig.

You have no reason at all to feel guilty.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Cheers Rob! (and everyone else for your comments).