Cancellations

[soundmaster mobile disco]

Just had a phone call tonight informing me that my gig for the 14th March is now cancelled due to not getting enough numbers to attend.This will be my 3rd Cancellation this year.

Is anyone else having the same problem?

[Andy Westcott]

Not yet.

It must be you... :)

[rob1963]

Not here either.

I rarely get cancellations...certainly much less than one a year.

I've probably got the busiest March ever...more bookings than I'd expect to have in any of the summer months...and the wedding season hasn't even started yet!

:shrug:

Edit: April's dead, though!

[Shaun]

Just had a phone call tonight informing me that my gig for the 14th March is now cancelled due to not getting enough numbers to attend.This will be my 3rd Cancellation this year.

Is anyone else having the same problem?

Gary,

Does your contract protect you from late cancellations?. Any cancellations within 28 days or less and I invoice them for full payment of the balance.

No cancellations so far this year, I had only one last year. I guess I've been lucky.

[Penfold42]

Any cancellations within 28 days or less and I invoice them for full payment of the balance.

I have it in my contract......never had to invoice them for the full payment...as i've never had a cancellation...only 1 to date...so kept his deposit. (bit more greener then)
Even if i did what are the chance's of getting it.....slim i would say.....:(

[Shaun]

I have it in my contract......never had to invoice them for the full payment.
Even if i did what are the chance's of getting it.....slim i would say.....:(

Why slim?. I've chased up payments twice and both paid up. If they didn't there's always small claims court. Once they sign your contract they're agreeing to abide by the terms and conditions.

[rob1963]

I have it in my contract......never had to invoice them for the full payment...as i've never had a cancellation...only 1 to date...so kept his deposit.

Same here...although with a cancellation I hold their deposit against any future booking.

I think this is fair, as they can avoid losing the deposit by booking me in the future.

:)

[Penfold42]

Why slim?. I've chased up payments twice and both paid up. If they didn't there's always small claims court. Once they sign your contract they're agreeing to abide by the terms and conditions.

Oh, i hear what you say....I've never tried it...and i hope not to get in that position.

The term blood and stone come to mind......maybe just the way i think...:)

[ppentertainments]

I used to take a small deposit and got a couple of cancellations. Now I take a larger deposit non-refundable if cancelled 28 days prior to the event. Touch wood, I have had no cancellations since changing. I think if a big deposit is taken more people are incline to 'push on ahead' and go through with the booking.

[Penfold42]

Same here...although with a cancellation I hold their deposit against any future booking.

I think this is fair, as they can avoid losing the deposit by booking me in the future.

:)

:agree:....I do this as I consider it to be fair.:)

[rob1963]

Oh, i hear what you say....I've never tried it...and i hope not to get in that position.

The term blood and stone come to mind......maybe just the way i think...:)

Tony,

It's never happened to me, either, but I know exactly what you mean, as I feel pretty much the same way.

It's probably silly, as it IS in our terms & conditions, but somehow I'd just feel awkward about requesting full payment for a gig which I now wasn't going to do.

[ppentertainments]

Good idea, may adopt that !!

[Penfold42]

It's probably silly, as it IS in our terms & conditions, but somehow I'd just feel awkward about requesting full payment for a gig which I now wasn't going to do.

:agree:....but it does open a can of worms!

I do invest time into every gig - phone calls, music, pre-visits - etc.
It would depend on how much of this was carried out, as too - should i submit a full invoice....(ease the guilt so to speak)

As i've said...not been there...so don't know...:)

[Shaun]

Why feel guilty though?. I do understand where you're coming from....but business is business. The T&C's are there for a reason. It'd be difficult to re-fill a date that's cancelled on such short notice, which is why the clause is there in the first place. If you have a late cancellation clause in your contract but would feel guilty about enforcing, then why have it in your contract? :)

[ppentertainments]

agree with elite DJ. You are running a business at the end of the day. I know a few DJ's who keep the deposit if they do not fill the night which was cancelled which I think is fair but however think it can be tricky doing this. If you have it in your T&C 's you have nothing to feel guilty about.

[rob1963]

Why feel guilty though?. I do understand where you're coming from....but business is business. The T&C's are their for a reason. It'd be difficult to re-fill a date that's cancelled on such short notice, which is why the clause is there in the first place. If you have a late cancellation clause in your contract but would feel guilty about enforcing, then why have it in your contract? :)

That's fair comment, Shaun.

I just hope I'm not in that situation in the remaining few years before I retire.

:)

[Tom]

I have had a few this year aswell. Not worried about but a little annoyed.




I've probably got the busiest March ever...more bookings than I'd expect to have in any of the summer months...and the wedding season hasn't even started yet!



Dont forget me rob. :) ;) :approve)

[rob1963]

Dont forget me rob. :) ;) :approve)

I haven't, Tom!

:)

[DazzyD]

Hi folks.

I don't think anyone should feel guilty about enforcing a contract. A good contract should protect both the company and the customer. In our contracts, the customer is covered if, for whatever reason, we fail to carry out the booking (and it's our fault). Likewise, we are covered if the customer fails to carry out his side of the booking agreement (namely cancels the booking at short notice without good cause - although we will accept the customers death certificate as good cause!)

I'm pretty sure the customer would have no hesitation in chasing us if we failed to keep our side of the agreement so why should we feel awkward when the customer fails to keep their part? If we are to raise the profile of our profession, then we have be professional about it. Sentiment and good intention is all very well but it doesn't pay the bills and keep the wolves from the door.

I must add that, in nine years, I've only ever had one cancellation. It was a friends wedding and the booking was my wedding present to them. He left her about a week before the big day and called me to say the wedding was off. As it was my booking, I was hardly going to chase myself for the payment though, was I?!?

[Tom]

:Laugh:. :)

[PropellerHeadCase]

I must add that, in nine years, I've only ever had one cancellation. It was a friends wedding and the booking was my wedding present to them. He left her about a week before the big day and called me to say the wedding was off. As it was my booking, I was hardly going to chase myself for the payment though, was I?!?

Judge: So let me get this straight, you, Dazzy D are suing you, Dazzy D, for lost wages due to late cancellation :confused:

[Ace DJ]

Clients do not give it a second thought about cancelling a disco. This is mainly our own fault as this industry is a mixture of full time DJ's and part time DJ's. We are all bunched together and looked upon as ''Only the DJ''
and he will get ''another gig'' !!! We are a business and more especally for us who do this full time. The effort and time and outlay that is put into doing what we do has too be paid for.
It is about time that our industry standardised our attitude and working practices in doing what we say and mean it. A cancelation is a cancellation and has to be paid for.
If your Terms and Conditions and Booking Agreement are written in the grammer and phrasing of a 10 year old school boy. You will be taken for a ride.
Are some of us a soft touch. Feeling guilty on our part is not an option.
That is not to be said when the boot is on the other foot

As a footnote. With the changes made to the 1973 Entertainment regulations a couple of years ago and the word ''Deposit'' is now viewed legaly in a different way to which it used to be seen. That word has been replaced by the majority in the entertainment business now as an '' Advance payment''.

If anybody would like a copy of a constructive T&C which can be altered to suit your own business let me know post your email and I will email you a copy.
ACE

[Danno13]

Ace, why not post it on a new topic in the business section and I can pin it for you, would be helpful for alot of people, i'd imagine :)

[PropellerHeadCase]

If your Terms and Conditions and Booking Agreement are written in the grammer and phrasing of a 10 year old school boy. You will be taken for a ride.

Oh, and the full-stop is incorrect, a dash or ellipsis would've been better but you could have done without any punctuation whatever.

[theoloyla]

SEDA standard disco contract as approved by the Office Of Fair Trading and in use continuosly for over 30 years provides for non refundable deposits and full payment for cancellations. Non carbon triplicate sets are available from SEDA for a small charge.

[blitz]

not so good gary looks like your just having a bad run just now with cancelations, think I might have to have a look at my booking terms they could probs do with a rejig for this senario, anyone got a template etc of there booking terms to give us an idea?

[Dragonfly]

Just had a phone call tonight informing me that my gig for the 14th March is now cancelled due to not getting enough numbers to attend.This will be my 3rd Cancellation this year.

Is anyone else having the same problem?

2 this year already one last thursday morning for the friday night also tonights has been cancelled ...... due to a cheaper option being sourced :bang: :bang: :bang:

last year was the first time i ever had any cancellations with probably about 5-6 being pulled by clients.