Easy money

[rob1963]

I don't currently work on Sundays, and one of my friends got a disco booking, so I convered his Sunday quiz for him.

I got set up nice & early, but everyone was outside. By the time I was due to start, only one team had turned up, so the boss suggested I waited half an hour to see if anyone turned up, which they didn't.

He told me to call it a day, and then said I'd earned easy money. When I asked what he meant, he told me that I would still get paid...which I wasn't expecting!

I thought "Result!"

Has anyone else gone to do a quiz night or disco, got set up, then ended up not doing the gig for some reason...but still got paid?

[BeerFunk]

That was a result, Rob! :beer1:

If it were one of your own quizzes, you would have expected to be paid, wouldn't you? I take it you thought you wouldn't have got paid because you were covering, which would therefore make it an issue between you and your friend?

I've never had this happen to me, although I've had some early finishes, where I've been spared from the nightmare of playing to the 3 guys sitting at the bar! Actually, it used to happen a lot when I used to play monthly at a rugby club. The players would either stay for the night, or get a minibus into town - but wherever they went, everyone followed! So it was either busy until 1, or the place is emptied by 10 :rolleyes:

[rob1963]

If it were one of your own quizzes, you would have expected to be paid, wouldn't you? I take it you thought you wouldn't have got paid because you were covering, which would therefore make it an issue between you and your friend?

No Beerfunk, if this happens I DON'T ask to be paid, as the pub are more likely to cancel the quiz if they have to start forking out for a quiz...even when I don't do one.

I just put it down to experience, because it's not a problem, as it only happens a few times a year...and I do at least 200 quizzes a year.

I'm now waiting for lots of posts saying that I should always charge, even if I can't do a quiz because nobody turns up!

:rolleyes:

[BeerFunk]

No I think that sounds very logical actually, and from my experience, a good understanding with the landlord of a regular venue is better for you in the long run! :)

[Danno13]

I'm now waiting for lots of posts saying that I should always charge, even if I can't do a quiz because nobody turns up!

I wouldn't want to dissapoint.. :D

Do they not pay their bar staff if its a quiet night then? Same thing in my book... perhaps accept a scaled down fee for not being there as long would be a more realistic option. Otherwise you've done all the setting up/packing away for nothing, and you've said previously that this is the main part of your work have you not?

[Sam]

Nice one.

I would expect payment however.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I have to agree. The thing is Rob, I know where you are coming from as a cancelled residency is no good in the long run but at the end of the day mate, even if you are there and no'one turns up, you should STILL be paid as you could well have turned down another booking on that night. As has been said already, bar staff will still be paid and even if they are told to leave early.

Obviously you have an understanding with the landlord which is a good thing but also in another way it's not because they may think that they have you over a barrell because you know deep down inside that you want to keep them happy and not lose the night.....they know this and you do too. It's happened to me in the past but at one of my regular nights they would pay me even if the pub was dead simply because of the fact that I have turned up when I could be somewhere else and at the end of the day, I am there and it's not my fault if on that particular night no'one wants to go out.

[A1DL]

Why would you expect NOT to be paid, Rob?

You have turned up to work, as per a contract (I assume), which carries a cancellation clause (I also assume) which would typically entitle you to full payment if cancelled after arrival

[rob1963]

I'm now waiting for lots of posts saying that I should always charge, even if I can't do a quiz because nobody turns up!



No I think that sounds very logical actually, and from my experience, a good understanding with the landlord of a regular venue is better for you in the long run! :)

:thumbsup:


Do they not pay their bar staff if its a quiet night then? Same thing in my book...

In my opinion it's NOT the same thing. The bar staff are still there regardless of how busy or quiet it is & how many customers they serve.

However, in my case I packed away & left early, rather than having to be there until at least 10.30, like I would have done if the quiz had gone ahead.


Why would you expect NOT to be paid, Rob?

You have turned up to work, as per a contract (I assume), which carries a cancellation clause (I also assume) which would typically entitle you to full payment if cancelled after arrival

A1DL, this was a pub quiz night I was covering for a friend, and (like mine) his regular weekly quiz nights do NOT have any form of contract.

Therefore there is no cancellation clause.

In reality, I round down my prize payouts to the nearest fiver. Therefore, if I take £48 in quiz entry money, I'll pay out £30 for the first prize, £15 for the second prize and keep the other £3 in a kitty.

This kitty is used firstly to bump up the prize money on quiet nights when I haven't taken much money and secondly to make up for the lost earnings from the few quiz nights I don't do each year & therefore don't get paid for.

I don't want this thread turning into a discussion about whether we should charge for gigs we don't do, so lets get back on topic please.

Have any of you gone to do a gig, set up all your gear, but then ended up not doing the gig but still getting paid?

A few years ago, I was booked to supply an early evening disco in a wooden building next to a field where they'd had some kind of sports day.

I had just finished setting up when the guy came in & told me they had finished their sports, but nobody had told them about the disco, so they'd all gone home...and so I wouldn't be needed.

He said how sorry he was, and still handed me the cheque (it was a gig I was covering for my friend's agency).

I packed away & was soon home, but just wished he'd come & told me the news BEFORE I'd finished setting up!

[CRAZY K]

I once covered a very upmarket function in a Manor House in Kent and after one dance was told--thats absolutely fabulous thank you--were now going on to the Disco!!!!!!!!!!

I never did work out if they thought I was rubbish or employed as a one trick pony--either way I got fully paid.

Easy money;) ;) ;)

CRAZY K

[rob1963]

I once covered a very upmarket function in a Manor House in Kent and after one dance was told--thats absolutely fabulous thank you--were now going on to the Disco!!!!!!!!!!


:jawdrop:

[Penfold42]

I found £40 on the pavement the other day......does that count....:D

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I'm now waiting for lots of posts saying that I should always charge, even if I can't do a quiz because nobody turns up!

:rolleyes:

Why would you be rolling your eyes at that?

I'd certainly be charging for it. I'd taken time to write and prepare it, load the van, travel etc etc, so I'd be expecting to get paid.

[UltraBeat Entertainment]

Whats the chances:eek:

Late last week i took a booking for my first quiz night in a back street, small scale pub near my town that wanted to try something new.

After spending many hours during the week creating the quiz, designing the posters, answers sheets, picture quiz, snowball question i arrived an hour before i was due to start and the pub was dead with about 4 people in! so i set up and was ready with 30mins to spare so i waited... and waited... and waited and 7pm came (original start time) and i had 1 team of 3 players. so i waited again until 7:30. at that point the landlord came up to me and said he doesnt think a quiz night will work in this kind of place, thanked me. payed me in full and was back home with tea on my lap for 9:30pm

I didn't complain:)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

and was back home with tea on my lap for 9:30pm


I would have expected a plate....:D :taxi:

[UltraBeat Entertainment]

I would have expected a plate....:D :taxi:

Thats abit posh for round here.:D

[rob1963]

I'd certainly be charging for it. I'd taken time to write and prepare it, load the van, travel etc etc, so I'd be expecting to get paid.

The thing is, I HADN'T taken the time to write & prepare it...my friend had!

:D

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

The thing is, I HADN'T taken the time to write & prepare it...my friend had!

:D

But it was still your time, travelling to and from the pub and fuel expenses. (And you know what I meant you facetious git!)

[Corabar Steve]

I'd say more facetious than flippant

[rob1963]

But it was still your time, travelling to and from the pub and fuel expenses. (And you know what I meant you facetious git!)


I'd say more facetious than flippant

Steve,

I'm assuming the reason for your post not making sense is that Darren edited his post to change the word flippant to facetious?

:confused:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Steve,

I'm assuming the reason for your post not making sense is that Darren edited his post to change the word flippant to facetious?

:confused:

Correct. ;)

[rob1963]

Correct. ;)

Thank gawd for that...for a minute there I thought I was losing it even MORE than normal!

:eek:

[flatliners]

the way i look at it if you are not in need of the money then dont charge

[Penfold42]

Did i ever tell you I found £40 on the pavement the other day.......:p

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

the way i look at it if you are not in need of the money then dont charge

And how many people would that apply to?

[rob1963]

the way i look at it if you are not in need of the money then dont charge

Looks like I'll be doing 75% of my work for nothing from now on then!

:rolleyes:

[theoloyla]

I agree with Rob it can sometimes work to your advantage not to charge a full cancellation fee from a regualr client if circumstances prevent the booking going ahead but it needs to be for a good reason and not too often. If they are mucking you about or ignoring your advice then charge them the full fee.
I have had a few early finishes and also remember turning up at a hotel where I did a lot of work to do a wedding reception to be told by the manager they had made a mistake in booking me as the b & g had their own disco. Again as the hotel gave me a lot of work and I had not even set up I didnt charge them the full fee.