Another day of madness!!

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Hi all,

The latter part of last year and the beginning of this year were absolutely mad for enquiries. It was that mad that I almost filled the year up. There have been a couple of occasions where I have had the odd friday off and surprisingly, a saturday too (which I obviously don't like as I am a full-timer so I need to be out) but I simply didn't have enquiries for those dates.

On a seperate note - The "Available South East" etc etc threads that appear every monday...Does anyone or has anyone actually ever received any work from someone else in those threads? When I am free I post that I am free in the South East one but have yet to have anyone offer me anything so I guess that the date in question isn't that popular?

Anyway... The past few weeks have been a bit quiet on the enquiry front with 1 or 2 coming in but nothing special...and then all of a sudden, from friday to today I have had 10 enquiries. Is anyone experiencing the same thing?

Lastly, I had a call on saturday from a couple who weren't exactly making an enquiry but wanted to know if I had heard of or knew of a 'company' (I won't name them but they are local to me) who they had booked to do their wedding disco this coming friday. I hadn't heard of them but did a google search and found their website which wasn't too great in all honesty. Anyway, it seems that the couple have paid a deposit with this 'company' and have not heard anything from them despite many calls and emails and even a visit to their premises. In other words...they were stuck and worried with a week to go until their big day. I called a couple of people but they had never heard of them either and when I showed them the website, they simply laughed.

So, I asked the couple to keep trying to get in contact with them and if they couldn't, I would try to help them out. They called me this morning and said that they were still not having any luck so I said I would check with one of my guys to see if we could do anything. If one of them was available then we would do the function for them. I sorted a price, the couple agreed and then I confirmed everything with both my DJ and the couple and all was well. I then contacted the venue and went to see them today. I explained the situation and told them that my business was now supplying the Disco Entertainment for the function. I arranged a set up time and told them that under no circumstances should they let anyone else from any other 'company' set up should they actually turn up.

I know these situations arise from time to time but it is disgusting in my opinion. This couple are very nice and pretty laid back but rightly so, they were concerned as they had not heard anything back from the 'company' that they had booked with. They are not bothered about losing a £50.00 deposit at the moment as they just want everything sorted. I am sure they'll follow that up once everything is over.

Just after they confirmed with me I decided (rightly or wrongly) to send an email to this 'company' as an enquirer (from my wife's email address). I have yet to hear anything back from them.

Now, do we name and shame these people or do we let them just get away with it? If you look on their website, they have 1 piece of feedback which is 7 years old!
If you were the customer, would you not get alarm bells ringing in your head anyway if you saw that for example?

Confusing.:bang:

[NKR]

Take it offshore to the fee payers and lets take a look at the website.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I'm not a fee payer so can't do that but I can PM you the website if you like?

[NKR]

I'm not a fee payer so can't do that but I can PM you the website if you like?

:eek: £1.00 a month my friend and all in a good cause of keeping the heart of the MDD beating.

Off my patch, but yeah lets have a look as it is never a bad thing to view whats going wrong in the industry as a bench mark for ourselves.

[rob1963]

If you look on their website, they have 1 piece of feedback which is 7 years old!
If you were the customer, would you not get alarm bells ringing in your head anyway if you saw that for example?

Absolutely!

I'm always surprised at the number of discos who have feedback which is a fair few years old on their website.

That suggests to me that they either have a lack of recent good feedback or just can't be bothered to update their website...both of which would put me off.

My own view is that RECENT feedback is the most valuable, the more of it the better, and seeing something on the website confirming the originals are available if required...which proves it's genuine.

I personally wouldn't have ANY feedback on my website for more than a year or so before replacing it.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I arranged a set up time and told them that under no circumstances should they let anyone else from any other 'company' set up should they actually turn up.



I understand the situation Gary but do you actually have the right to do this?

The other company haven't actually been cancelled have they?

[Excalibur]

I understand the situation Gary but do you actually have the right to do this?

The other company haven't actually been cancelled have they?

I'd say technically and obviously no. But if you don't respond at all to the attempts the customer makes to contact you, well haven't forfeited it? :confused:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I'd say technically and obviously no. But if you don't respond at all to the attempts the customer makes to contact you, well haven't forfeited it? :confused:

No.

[CRAZY K]

I understand the situation Gary but do you actually have the right to do this?

The other company haven't actually been cancelled have they?

That did cross my mind--BUT then again if you kop a nice big deposit or get paid in advance who does the client tell to leave the premises--this actually happened many years ago to us--

The answer was the people asked to leave were the ones who had not collected a deposit larger than ours;) because the client would have to pay more;)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Just to put this into context, of course I don't agree with the idiots that Gary is describing, but I don't think he has the right to interfere and tell the venue not to let them set up.

That is between the other disco and the client.

[Excalibur]

No.


Just to put this into context, of course I don't agree with the idiots that Gary is describing, but I don't think he has the right to interfere and tell the venue not to let them set up.

That is between the other disco and the client.

With regard to both of the above posts, I see and understand totally where you're coming from.

I disagree though.

It will be interesting to see if two discos turn up, or just one.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Are you saying that if the other company don't get in touch then they just get cancelled? I'm not sure that would be totally legal and telling the venue to not let someone set up is nothing to do with anyone but the venue or the client.

[Charlie Brown]

I'm not a fee payer

I thought you were!

Garry - it's only a quid a month...come on. :sj: :D

Firstly, well done on the enquiries! That's good going. Do you know where they have all come from? Might help you for the future...Google, Directory's Recommendations etc. Mine have been pretty steady with another confirmed wedding today - slowly filling up September.

Secondly - Setup early in the day. Perhaps you shouldn't have given those instructions to the venue. What's to say the company are on holiday? I have a strong feeling they'l turn up. If they setup before you it'll be a bloodbath!

You can't judge a DJ/Company by a dodgy website/lack of feedback.

Thirdly - See you on the dark side! :approve: :beer1: No excuses. :p

[Excalibur]

Are you saying that if the other company don't get in touch then they just get cancelled? I'm not sure that would be totally legal and telling the venue to not let someone set up is nothing to do with anyone but the venue or the client.

Reason in all things. Have the clients made reasonable attempts to make contact? From Gary's account, they've done all that and more.

I can't dispute the truth in what you posted above, because you are absolutely correct. I still agree with Gary's course of action, however, even though through no fault of my own, I've been on the wrong end of exactly that scenario.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Darren, I spoke to the couple and asked them first of all if they would like me to do that. I advised them that if they were now booking me and they had no way of contacting the other 'company' and they just happened to turn up, it could get a bit awkward. They said that they would continue to try and contact the other 'company' and let them know that they are now cancelled.

Whether that's a right or wrong thing I don't know? If they have just paid a deposit/booking fee and they lose it...that's up to them. If there are cancellation fees (something just tells me that these guys don't operate in a professional manner so I doubt it but that's just a guess), then that's up to them to sort out. All I have done is helped someone out of the doo dah. as I said, I spoke to the venue having advised the couple first what my intentions were. The guy who was at the venue didn't have any details for them (I asked) and said that the venue had been booked by the customer and the Disco was arranged by them too. He didn't seem to know much to be honest.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Reason in all things. Have the clients made reasonable attempts to make contact? From Gary's account, they've done all that and more.


Sorry, but that doesn't make any difference. If they turn up on the day they have fulfilled the contract. Just because you can't get hold of someone doesn't mean they aren't going to turn up.

I am not saying I agree with it though....

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Darren, I spoke to the couple and asked them first of all if they would like me to do that. I advised them that if they were now booking me and they had no way of contacting the other 'company' and they just happened to turn up, it could get a bit awkward. They said that they would continue to try and contact the other 'company' and let them know that they are now cancelled.

Whether that's a right or wrong thing I don't know? If they have just paid a deposit/booking fee and they lose it...that's up to them. If there are cancellation fees (something just tells me that these guys don't operate in a professional manner so I doubt it but that's just a guess), then that's up to them to sort out. All I have done is helped someone out of the doo dah. as I said, I spoke to the venue having advised the couple first what my intentions were. The guy who was at the venue didn't have any details for them (I asked) and said that the venue had been booked by the customer and the Disco was arranged by them too. He didn't seem to know much to be honest.


I understand and know you are doing your best Gary, but you cannot tell a venue not to let someone else set up and get involved with that side of things.

[NKR]

Sorry, but that doesn't make any difference. If they turn up on the day they have fulfilled the contract. Just because you can't get hold of someone doesn't mean they aren't going to turn up.

I am not saying I agree with it though....

The devils advocate is in fact correct, but he has caveated by the fact that they are not in the right to be missing.

Do they have a contract with these folks?

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Sorry Charlie, just seen your post.
Firstly, someone give me the details and I'll happily sign up, no problem.
Secondly, I ask all my enquiries where they got my details from. Most of them say that they did a Google Search / Yell.com search and were directed to my website. Saying that, one particular venue (an independent one) has passed tons of stuff my way this year. Some people just say "I found you on the internet" which isn't much help.

Thirdly, The venue is local to me and I always try to set up early whenever I can. I like everything to be perfect. There will be no bloodbath should the worst come to the worst.

Lastly, and probably more importantly.... I have a couple of options. Should the couple do a U-Turn if the other 'company' get back to them then that's fair enough from my point of view. I haven't sent the booking forms as yet and I am not that bad that I will screw them for a booking fee as I am working already remember. The guy I have doing the job knows the in's and outs and all the details and I have told him everything. I plan to go and see the couple either wednesday or thursday unless I hear differently and then I will let him know the score. If he ends up getting cancelled then he's cool with it as he wasn't originally working anyway. Obviously I would get him a few beers for wasting his time but he's cool.

I hope that clears up a few things.

[Excalibur]

Sorry, but that doesn't make any difference. If they turn up on the day they have fulfilled the contract. Just because you can't get hold of someone doesn't mean they aren't going to turn up.

I am not saying I agree with it though....

Been there, done that, got the T-Shirt. Didn't get paid though. :( Like I said, I've been on the wrong end of this scenario. Might recount my experiences one day.

That one too. :o :o :o :o :o :o ( In the old days)

[StarZSoundS]

.
Firstly, someone give me the details and I'll happily sign up, no problem.


I thought it was going to take about 20 mins Gary.It was over in 2 mins.

Its worth it just to read the old posts....and what the Supporters really thought of us 6 months ago....:devil: :devil: :devil:

Its much more relaxed...draw up a chair and light a cigar!!;) ;) ;)

I think its on your User CP somewhere!!

[ppentertainments]

I understand and know you are doing your best Gary, but you cannot tell a venue not to let someone else set up and get involved with that side of things.

I agree. This has happened to me twice in the past. As the full fee has already been received I simply let the client know the situation and tell them to contact me with their decision.

I had one time where the other DJ came in ranting, raving and swearing at me. I managed to keep my cool, told him I was going to inform the groom, who made the booking, then let him decide. At the end of the day I have been payed so doing the gig or not is not really too much of an issue.

(I would be interested to know who this 'company' is, just cause I am a nosey :Censored: :D :D :D )

[Corabar Steve]

On a seperate note - The "Available South East" etc etc threads that appear every monday...Does anyone or has anyone actually ever received any work from someone else in those threads?
Yes, I wouldn't do it every Monday for 5 years if nobody was benefiting from it

Firstly, someone give me the details and I'll happily sign up, no problem.
http://www.forum.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5104