Hotel Residences

[soundmaster mobile disco]

Looking for advice here as i have been asked if i would participate in the "package offer" at a hotel that i do regular work in.

The hotel takes the bookings and gives disco,hall hire,buffett,flowers,table decorations ,photographer ect.

My question is do you get the name and contact details of the person whos booked the package and send them out your booking form and request a deposit along with a signed copy of your terms & conditions,or do you just take the booking from the hotel and contact the person to introduce yourself as the hotel will be paying you and not the person whos party it is.

Also do you offer a better price to the hotel to reflect on the ammount of work that you get?

If a cancellation occurs who then is responsible for paying the dj?

[DeckstarDeluxe]

I'd ask the hotel but sounds like you invoice the hotel rather than the bride/groom?

The idea I think is they charge a normal rate but you give them a discount rate because of "all" the work they will throw your way.

If your quiet it may be worth doing. Its security (or as secure as it gets in this industry)

[visualdjmax]

I'd ask the hotel but sounds like you invoice the hotel rather than the bride/groom?

The idea I think is they charge a normal rate but you give them a discount rate because of "all" the work they will throw your way.

If your quiet it may be worth doing. Its security (or as secure as it gets in this industry)

Totally agree. It is more than likely that the hotel will be acting like an agent, so may or may not want you to talk directly to the end client.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

You may also have to wait some time after the event to be paid. Might be monthly invoices etc.... I would make sure your happy with all the details, you may not be allowed to wear any "uniform" display any banners or give give out your buisness cards. What happeans if someone rings you wanting an disco for "your" price rather than the price the hotel may be paying you?

Personally I try and stay away from them and mainly because at the moment Im the only Dj on the books and I cant see it changing soon either and all the hotels/clubs/pubs will not pay "my" prices. Either way make sure theres a contract and that it works for you.

[JTRS]

I would think it varies.

Some hotels might want a resident DJ so they can offer it as a service to the customer, ie they can recommend a reliable decent DJ. In that case it could either be booked direct (ie the hotel give your details to the customer), or they might want the booking to go through them and they book you.

Other hotels however may want you to work for them and give the best possible price you can (ie discounted because of the volume) and then they charge you out at a higher rate to the customer, in which case the hotel is booking you NOT the customer.

As for who pays you if it's a cancellation, I would have thought that would depend on who actually booked you, so in the latter example it would be the hotel, who would presumambly pay you out of the cancellation charge they levied against the customer.

I currently have two venues who 'recommend' me, in both cases the managers have said they don't want the hassle of having a resident DJ because if something goes wrong with the disco then they get the flak, but they like having someone they can recommend when a customer books the function room and asks if they have a DJ.

JTRS

[rob1963]

I'm not in favour of being the recommended disco at a particular venue & therefore doing a lot of my work there.

The main reason is simple...

...If at some point the hotel replace you with someone else who undercuts you, you lost most of your work - and therefore most of your income at the drop of a hat.

It's a really bad idea to have all your eggs in one basket.

Just my view.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

If you have another decent dj to call upon then it could be useful. If you dont have any other shows out then you can do it. If someone wants a show you can do it and send your "back up" dj. Then like when Rob says they go for another cheaper dj then its your back up dj losing work rather than you?

[visualdjmax]

Or even if you have a good relationship with the venue, get a contract with the venue drawn up, say for example every 6 months, so that they aren't able to shop around and drop you for Billy Brite Liite (Please say that there is nobody on here called that????????)

[JTRS]

I'm not in favour of being the recommended disco at a particular venue & therefore doing a lot of my work there.

The main reason is simple...

...If at some point the hotel replace you with someone else who undercuts you, you lost most of your work - and therefore most of your income at the drop of a hat.

It's a really bad idea to have all your eggs in one basket.

Just my view.


Interesting viewpoint

I like the idea of being the recommended DJ for just that reason, I am not tied to that venue so customers who book a function there are given my card and the weight of the recommendation from the venue, they ring me and if I am not otherwise booked I will take the booking, however if I am booked elsewhere I simply tell them that.

Since the venues are not concerned about my price there would be no advantage to them in getting a cheaper DJ, and if they get a resident in (or even start recommending another DJ) then I haven't ever had all my eggs in one basket (I see that more the pitfalls of a residency).

Just my viewpoint

JTRS

[JTRS]

Or even if you have a good relationship with the venue, get a contract with the venue drawn up, say for example every 6 months, so that they aren't able to shop around and drop you for Billy Brite Liite (Please say that there is nobody on here called that????????)

Oooh I personally don't like that idea, a contract would more than likely tie me to the venue so they would expect me to be available for all their bookings which would tie me to them and then if they do replace me I have lost out.

JTRS

[visualdjmax]

Fair comment. I guess it goes back to having another guy or group of guys onboard that you could place at a moments notice then?

[rob1963]

You also lose out financially when doing lots of work at the same venue, as they'll probably expect a discount, or maybe a freebie on the staff Xmas party.

Apart from that, I just find it more interesting working at a variety of different venues, rather than the same one most of the time.

[JTRS]

Fair comment. I guess it goes back to having another guy or group of guys onboard that you could place at a moments notice then?


Yeah I guess that would be a big factor.

In my case I am a solus operator, so I don't have the luxury of having anyone else to place in the venue.

I'm obviously looking out for myself here and not wanting to place all my eggs in one basket, hence why I wouldn't want to take the risk of a residency.

JTRS

[Twinspin]

Ive been a resident dj for a 4 star hotel, Portland Hotel and. I will now put it down to a mistake working for them as a resident dj. They never paid their invoices on time. Also they will expect you to work for a ridicilously cheap. Ive been there and done that and it wasnt worth it.

Id recommend going out as a recomended supplier instead of resident.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

if you put your foot down from day one and state what your conditions are then you shouldnt be too bad. I dont expect payment any later than the start of the performance apart from my local where I do the first sunday of every month but thats because I know the owner. No way would I do monthy invoices for anyone!

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Right, here goes.....

As many people will know on here already, I have a hotel residency. It's not the best residency in the world that's for sure. I have had problems with payments in the past but that's sorted now and I have lost count of the number of conference and banqueting managers that have come and gone since I've been there. I am the hotel's supplier of Disco Entertainment and I have a contract to do all of their weddings and functions...unless the person booking wants to bring in their own DJ...fair enough.

I am yet to get a booking this year and we are half way through the year! It doesn't bother me at all because I know that there will be plenty of work at christmas and not just that...I see the hotel work as a bonus because I don't have to advertise as they recommend me....hold on, I've just remembered, I have 3 bookings with them...One on the 6th November and Two on the 7th November...Anyway...I received a call from them some time last week and it was from the new conference and banqueting manager (let's see how long this one lasts eh!)...She said that the hotel was doing a big advertising campaign and that they were advertising £1000 weddings!! She asked if I could supply Disco Entertainment at well below my usual fee (which..I might add, is cheaper than my usual fee because of the continued work...ahem well...there isn't a lot of work at the moment is there!)...I actually said that I wasn't prepared to drop my price further (at the end of the day, how would I know that the wedding is a cheap one?? They could say it is just to make more money couldn't they!). She then said that she had found someone that would do it for the cheaper price but she would still recommend me for everything else....(yeah...likely!). I say "Yeah likely" but to be fair, shortly after that she gave me the 3 bookings for November. My contract says that I supply all of the Disco Entertainment but I suppose their way round that and to avoid breach of contract, is to just say that the booking is bringing it's own DJ and I wouldn't know any difference. I also suppose that they could do this when it comes to christmas...I don't think they will but they could do. As I said, it is no big deal to me and when they do call up and say they have a booking for me, well it's like an extra to me as I haven't had to advertise anywhere to get it if you know what I mean. If they call up and I am booked then I have a regular DJ who covers me and they are happy with them. If, on the rare occasion they aren't available...I have other options and I have used them and they are happy with them too.

Ever since the venue was re-furbished and the bar was moved out of the room, I have seen bookings go down. I had an enquiry for a 30th the other day and the girl said she was looking to stage the party at the hotel. I told her that I was the resident there and that she should re-think. She went and saw the place (didn't mention me) and then came back to me and agreed totally so we are doing it at another venue.

[Excalibur]

Looking for advice here as i have been asked if i would participate in the "package offer" at a hotel that i do regular work in.

The hotel takes the bookings and gives disco,hall hire,buffett,flowers,table decorations ,photographer ect.

My question is do you get the name and contact details of the person whos booked the package and send them out your booking form and request a deposit along with a signed copy of your terms & conditions,or do you just take the booking from the hotel and contact the person to introduce yourself as the hotel will be paying you and not the person whos party it is.

Also do you offer a better price to the hotel to reflect on the ammount of work that you get?

If a cancellation occurs who then is responsible for paying the dj?

You must have a contract you're happy with. Residencies can be a two edged sword. ;) :(


I'm not in favour of being the recommended disco at a particular venue & therefore doing a lot of my work there.

The main reason is simple...

...If at some point the hotel replace you with someone else who undercuts you, you lost most of your work - and therefore most of your income at the drop of a hat.

It's a really bad idea to have all your eggs in one basket.

Just my view.
Recommended isn't as tying as resident. Also you're dealing with the customer, not the venue, so your price is only relevant/expensive if the customer thinks so. Normal gig.


Ive been a resident dj for a 4 star hotel, Portland Hotel and. I will now put it down to a mistake working for them as a resident dj. They never paid their invoices on time. Also they will expect you to work for a ridicilously cheap. Ive been there and done that and it wasnt worth it.

Id recommend going out as a recomended supplier instead of resident.
Been elsewhere, done that, got the t-shirt. ;) ;) ;) Technically I'm still the resident there, cos they never told me I wasn't. :eek: ( Just didn't give me any work. :( )
If you're a resident, watch out that they're not charging the punters double what they're paying you. ;) Some punters wised up to this when I was a resident, and booked me direct. :D :D


Right, here goes.....

As many people will know on here already, I have a hotel residency. It's not the best residency in the world that's for sure. I have had problems with payments in the past but that's sorted now and I have lost count of the number of conference and banqueting managers that have come and gone since I've been there. I am the hotel's supplier of Disco Entertainment and I have a contract to do all of their weddings and functions...unless the person booking wants to bring in their own DJ...fair enough.

I am yet to get a booking this year and we are half way through the year! It doesn't bother me at all because I know that there will be plenty of work at christmas and not just that...I see the hotel work as a bonus because I don't have to advertise as they recommend me....hold on, I've just remembered, I have 3 bookings with them...One on the 6th November and Two on the 7th November...Anyway...I received a call from them some time last week and it was from the new conference and banqueting manager (let's see how long this one lasts eh!)...She said that the hotel was doing a big advertising campaign and that they were advertising £1000 weddings!! She asked if I could supply Disco Entertainment at well below my usual fee (which..I might add, is cheaper than my usual fee because of the continued work...ahem well...there isn't a lot of work at the moment is there!)...I actually said that I wasn't prepared to drop my price further (at the end of the day, how would I know that the wedding is a cheap one?? They could say it is just to make more money couldn't they!). She then said that she had found someone that would do it for the cheaper price but she would still recommend me for everything else....(yeah...likely!). I say "Yeah likely" but to be fair, shortly after that she gave me the 3 bookings for November. My contract says that I supply all of the Disco Entertainment but I suppose their way round that and to avoid breach of contract, is to just say that the booking is bringing it's own DJ and I wouldn't know any difference. I also suppose that they could do this when it comes to christmas...I don't think they will but they could do. As I said, it is no big deal to me and when they do call up and say they have a booking for me, well it's like an extra to me as I haven't had to advertise anywhere to get it if you know what I mean. If they call up and I am booked then I have a regular DJ who covers me and they are happy with them. If, on the rare occasion they aren't available...I have other options and I have used them and they are happy with them too.

Ever since the venue was re-furbished and the bar was moved out of the room, I have seen bookings go down. I had an enquiry for a 30th the other day and the girl said she was looking to stage the party at the hotel. I told her that I was the resident there and that she should re-think. She went and saw the place (didn't mention me) and then came back to me and agreed totally so we are doing it at another venue.
It was Entertainment Manager no7 who saw me off. :( :( :( ( Git didn't last five minutes after that anyway. :D :D )

We also had the cut price functions as well. ;) Great idea. ( Not. )

Don't think I'm qualified to give you advice, but " Be alert " ;) ;) ;)

[CRAZY K]

Ive been a resident dj for a 4 star hotel, Portland Hotel and. I will now put it down to a mistake working for them as a resident dj. They never paid their invoices on time. Also they will expect you to work for a ridicilously cheap. Ive been there and done that and it wasnt worth it.

Id recommend going out as a recomended supplier instead of resident.

Sounds very realistic--Im not particularly into this kind of arrangement very much but have recently found that you can have your show seriously disrupted and made to look less than professional by the shortcomings of the venue which are beyond your control DESPITE being 100 per cent professional in your own business.

I agree with Rob its nice to move about on different gigs--- thats what I do--- however you would get different people to work with each week I assume at the same venue :D

Still, I guess playing Dancing Queen every week could get a bit tiresome:bang:

CRAZY K

[CRAZY K]

Right, here goes.....

As many people will know on here already, I have a hotel residency. It's not the best residency in the world that's for sure. I have had problems with payments in the past but that's sorted now and I have lost count of the number of conference and banqueting managers that have come and gone since I've been there. I am the hotel's supplier of Disco Entertainment and I have a contract to do all of their weddings and functions...unless the person booking wants to bring in their own DJ...fair enough.

I am yet to get a booking this year and we are half way through the year! It doesn't bother me at all because I know that there will be plenty of work at christmas and not just that...I see the hotel work as a bonus because I don't have to advertise as they recommend me....hold on, I've just remembered, I have 3 bookings with them...One on the 6th November and Two on the 7th November...Anyway...I received a call from them some time last week and it was from the new conference and banqueting manager (let's see how long this one lasts eh!)...She said that the hotel was doing a big advertising campaign and that they were advertising £1000 weddings!! She asked if I could supply Disco Entertainment at well below my usual fee (which..I might add, is cheaper than my usual fee because of the continued work...ahem well...there isn't a lot of work at the moment is there!)...I actually said that I wasn't prepared to drop my price further (at the end of the day, how would I know that the wedding is a cheap one?? They could say it is just to make more money couldn't they!). She then said that she had found someone that would do it for the cheaper price but she would still recommend me for everything else....(yeah...likely!). I say "Yeah likely" but to be fair, shortly after that she gave me the 3 bookings for November. My contract says that I supply all of the Disco Entertainment but I suppose their way round that and to avoid breach of contract, is to just say that the booking is bringing it's own DJ and I wouldn't know any difference. I also suppose that they could do this when it comes to christmas...I don't think they will but they could do. As I said, it is no big deal to me and when they do call up and say they have a booking for me, well it's like an extra to me as I haven't had to advertise anywhere to get it if you know what I mean. If they call up and I am booked then I have a regular DJ who covers me and they are happy with them. If, on the rare occasion they aren't available...I have other options and I have used them and they are happy with them too.

Ever since the venue was re-furbished and the bar was moved out of the room, I have seen bookings go down. I had an enquiry for a 30th the other day and the girl said she was looking to stage the party at the hotel. I told her that I was the resident there and that she should re-think. She went and saw the place (didn't mention me) and then came back to me and agreed totally so we are doing it at another venue.

Interesting Gary, when I worked at the Castle Hotel Tamworth the very helpful Duty Manager told me they were on this £1000 Wedding wheeze and taking a huge number of bookings--BUT the staff had been reduced in numbers, they worked massively long hours and no doubt the resident DJ had his price slashed as well, which would have been pretty low to start with judging by the reaction to a quote I gave them for myself:D

All to put more money in the owners already large pocket:eek:

You obviously dont need to work harder, longer and for less just to please them;) theres plenty of other work for you.

CRAZY K

[visualdjmax]

Wow £1000 a wedding! I will have to get married again. How can they do that? Who is doing the catering Iceland? Are they getting an iPod to DJ?

[Vectis]

I've had similar "invitations" from a number of local venues over the years and have turned each one down because

1. I don't want to end up in the "eggs in one basket" position;

2. I would lose the relationship-building aspect of my service and wouldn't be comfortable turning up and gigging blind, particularly for a wedding as the vast majority of these functions would be;

3. I don't want my diary to be block-booked, turn away other work, and then have dates released;

4. All of other technical reasons above ie. contracts, delayed payments, "dealing with head office" yada yada.


Instead I have a great working relationship with a few venues here who will recommend me for no financial gain other than the knowledge that I'll also recommend them and I'll do them a good deal on staff parties and the like. Works well for me.

In my day job until recently I wore a corporate hat and now positively refuse to be bullied by the big boys. I'd rather go out cleaning windows for a living than bow down to strong-arm tactics.

But on the flip-side there are thousands of hotels/manors etc. who DO have a resident DJ and therefore for thousands of DJs it's a viable proposition. However, I've yet to experience one that I've personally rated as being anything more than average but then my experience is quite limited. I think I've probably been to no more than about 15 or 20 discos other than my own in my entire life. I'm sure there are some really good ones out there but I've never come across one. It seems to me that long-term residencies is where pondlife tend to settle.

[rob1963]

I'm not in favour of being the recommended disco at a particular venue & therefore doing a lot of my work there.


Recommended isn't as tying as resident. Also you're dealing with the customer, not the venue, so your price is only relevant/expensive if the customer thinks so. Normal gig.

I admit that being the recommended disco at a venue is not QUITE the same as being the resident disco, but it's not really THAT different.

Either way, whether they stop recommending you or stop using you as their resident disco, you still lose a lot of work...so it's still a bit like having all your eggs in one basket.

[Vectis]

Either way, whether they stop recommending you or stop using you as their resident disco, you still lose a lot of work...so it's still a bit like having all your eggs in one basket.

Depends on your fulfillment rate.

There's one particular place locally who recommend me every time yet I only fill about 1 in 4 or 1 in 5 of their requirements because I'm already fully booked. But still they recommend me above others because they know we work well together (venue & entertainer) and they know our capabilities.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I'm not in favour of being the recommended disco at a particular venue & therefore doing a lot of my work there.

The main reason is simple...

...If at some point the hotel replace you with someone else who undercuts you, you lost most of your work - and therefore most of your income at the drop of a hat.


Not if you have more than one recommendation.


You also lose out financially when doing lots of work at the same venue, as they'll probably expect a discount, or maybe a freebie on the staff Xmas party.


One of my clients gave me over £8K of business in December last year. Do you think I mind doing their functions slightly cheaper and giving them a free staff party?


Also they will expect you to work for a ridicilously cheap. Ive been there and done that and it wasnt worth it.


No, they expected you to work ridiculously cheap. That was your fault for taking the bookings on at such a low price.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I know my reply on this thread was a bit long-winded (as usual) but did anyone not take note of the fact that I said that I see my residency as an 'extra'?

I can see where some of you are coming from with reference to proper full on residencies...ie: Hotels that are busy week in, week out and cover every single weekend from (example)... April to September with lots of functions. Would I do that? Honestly, yes I probably would because I would be able to get cover too or put someone in there permanantly. Work is work at the end of the day and by having someone else that is reliable that I can use, it's not a problem to me neither is it having all my 'eggs in one basket'.

As Darren says, Christmas time is a good payer (usually)...whether it will be the same this year is another thing. Personally I think it will be just as busy, maybe even busier? I think people will really let themselves go this year after what has already been a dodgy one. My residency has already said that they are planning on doing 2 x Discos every friday and saturday from the last weekend in November to the week before Christmas. That's 16 Discos that should be pencilled in over the next few months so it's worth doing it.

Don't forget, the people that work as DJ's for the extra income would be suited to a residency as it's easy work for them and they know where they are each week and guaranteed the work. Maybe it's ok for them to have all of their 'eggs in one basket'? As I said, I see my residency as an extra because they don't give me lots of regular work.

[Excalibur]

One of my clients gave me over £8K of business in December last year. Do you think I mind doing their functions slightly cheaper and giving them a free staff party?
.

I do hope that was a rhetorical question. ;) Otherwise I'd guess you had tears in your eyes as you typed the invoices. :D :D :D

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I do hope that was a rhetorical question. ;) Otherwise I'd guess you had tears in your eyes as you typed the invoices. :D :D :D

.....and this coming from a Yorkshireman! :D