Is it just me or ....

[NKR]

.... has this year been really difficult.

I am not talking so much on the credit crunch situation as turn over is up, but I am talking about the actual events.

We have found we have been dealing with a lot more for want of a better word difficult people. I have found half the work has been for the money and clock watching for the night to end as they are just you know, holes of the bottom variaty. (I enter every event like its going to be the best one ever. I don't go in with pre-ideas on people)

Now I know some of my colleagues have had the same experience, just want to get the forum view.

Hoping next year picks up.

[Vectis]

I'm not sure I'd agree ... for me the year so far as a whole is on a par with previous years, but during the sales process I've noticed a little more hesitancy and less willingness to commit.

I expect that what you're seeing is folks who have committed a bunch of money in challenging times; they're perhaps worried about this or life in general and are either carrying this weight around with them, or they're just trying to make sure they're getting every last penny's worth?

Quite a few on the forum predicted that 2009 would be a challenging year. I disagreed, and for me at least I've been proven right. However, I do think (especially after chatting to a couple of venue owners recently) that 2010 might be the hard year. Folks who were married in 2009 by and large would have made the financial commitment to do so in 2008 or even 2007. Folks marrying next year would have had to take the decision this year, and so far the best local venues are seeing numbers down by about 30%.

In response, I've recently pared back my package offerings by taking a lot of the bundled services and making them 'extras' and, where possible & feasible, am offering a pre-booking meeting rather than a post-booking-pre-event meeting. This gives me the face time to upsell, and at the moment my forward bookings for next year aren't down on this time September 08 in quantity or value.

[NKR]

Our bookings for 2010 are so far way up on 2009 and we are winning a whole range of interesting work including some stuff with a Casino, etc. New year 2010 has two people likely to get into a bidding war, so all is good on that front.

What I was talking about was where folks just get wrecked out of their heads and treat you like rubbish and think your gear is some kind of toy. One example is a daft woman who thought that whilst we were loading our kit she would use my road trunk full of lighting as a body board on the dance floor. Also I now won't do one wedding venue as it has nearly resulted in blows with guests on more than one occassion.

We always offer a free consultation before people book. The vast majority of problems have come from agency work, althought the messing with road trunk incident was a friend of one of my familly. Needless to say said member of familly has been told I am not working for your friends again.

I just think some peoples behaviour this year has been pretty bad compared to any time over the last 11 years. Or maybe I have just been unlucky.

[Vectis]

Ah, gotcha. Behaviour.

No, not noticed any difference :)

Mind you, on the whole I tend to work top of the local game, so 9 times out of 10 I get the nicer clients in the more upmarket venues.

Maybe my policy of no 18ths/21st helps on the behaviour management front :o

[NKR]

It's been weddings of all things.

I have been back on the road for 2 and half years after a lay off and having been through clubs and stuff previous to that (mobile prior to that), so its taken time to build it up again.

We have a very good repeat client base including a millionaire business familly who now use us on everything for them and their friends and a Casino group which is quite cool as we just do things like sound light and compere for beauty contests and talent competitions, etc.

The agency work is hit and miss, but at £150 a job I suppose its what you get. But my rig won't build itself and the agency work goes into the Logic Systems, Denon and Martin Mac lighting fund.

Its just frustrating thats all. One night you can have a belter then move onto being abused then next night.

I guess its just my bad luck then. Well as there has only been one respondent so far its hardly an exhaustive survey.

[ppentertainments]

I can see where your coming from, but I think this is more to do with people not wanting to waste money.

This past year has seen me getting more involved and definetly having more meetings before events. People are spending the money, if not more than before, but want to know what they are getting for there money. I have noticed this even more so at the higher end of the market.

I have also noticed, especially speaking to some people, how lower end market suppliers are often hired to work in the upmarket venues. There are many more of the sixty quid sids working at nice venues and expensive weddings.

I am not put off by any of this and in fact has helped me to increase my fees. Customers are willing to pay as long as you can provide. I think the problem comes when people say they can provide, then can't.

[NKR]

Agree with all of that PP and we run a nice rig and bookings have been good this year.

I was more talking about have you seen people behaving in a worse manner this year.

We have no issue putting loads of time into peoples events so they feel they are getting a service.

As I say its been more the agency work that has been an issue.

[rob1963]

Most of my work comes in 6-9 months in advance and the wedding season doesn't start until April, so at this point in the year I usually have a couple of bookings in the diary for the following year, but as things stand I already have eight...the most ever at this point by an absolute mile. I've even fully booked for every Saturday in April.

If this is anything to go by, 2010 will be my best year yet.

[ppentertainments]

Most of my work comes in 6-9 months in advance and the wedding season doesn't start until April, so at this point in the year I usually have a couple of bookings in the diary for the following year, but as things stand I already have eight...the most ever at this point by an absolute mile. I've even fully booked for every Saturday in April.

If this is anything to go by, 2010 will be my best year yet.
And what relevance does that have to this thread :confused: :confused:

[rob1963]

Most of my work comes in 6-9 months in advance and the wedding season doesn't start until April, so at this point in the year I usually have a couple of bookings in the diary for the following year, but as things stand I already have eight...the most ever at this point by an absolute mile. I've even fully booked for every Saturday in April.

If this is anything to go by, 2010 will be my best year yet.


And what relevance does that have to this thread :confused: :confused:

Probably about the same relevance as the OTHER posts in this thread which talk about 2010.

Any reason why you didn't mention THEM?

:shrug:

[mike8863]

I have noticed lately that for some reason, despite requests for requests from the off, we get nothing until the last hour. We may have a full floor but then the requests flood in and i feel uncomfortable as i prefer to play as many as i can, and i don't get round to playing them all.
Thats guests for you.............!!!!!:p