Another Timewaster!

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Had call last friday from a guy that was panicking. He had been given the task by his missus to get a DJ for his daughters 11th Birthday in a venue about 8 miles away from me. I told him not to worry as I had a cancellation and I could do the Disco for him. I gave him a cheap quote as it was only a 2 hour Disco. He said that he thought it would be a bit cheaper and I explained that because it was a saturday night and (7pm - 9pm) I would be committed to his daughters party and not be able to take on anything else.

He tried to barter with me with reference to the price and I told him to go away and think about it. After 10 minutes he came back to me and agreed to go with the booking. I did the booking forms for him and rather than post them, I delivered them. He wasn't in so I put them through the door and emailed him, texted him afterwards to say that they had been delivered. He texted back to ask for Bank Details so he could transfer the money...no problem.

Checked on tuesday and nothing, yesterday was the same. Since then I have had another enquiry for this saturday which I turned down. I've just had a call from the guy saying that he has now decided not to go ahead with the party. He didn't give a reason so I am guessing that it was the price thing again and he's probably found a £50.00 Fred somewhere? This is an absolutely pain in the backside. I just called the other enquiry back and they have now found someone else too so I am back to not working saturday.

Not all bad because I have 2 well paid jobs on Friday and Sunday but it is another classic case of timewasting.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Card payment machine Gary.

No payment, no booking.

[paulg]

Not all bad because I have 2 well paid jobs on Friday and Sunday but it is another classic case of timewasting.

Or just a case of you asking for more money than the customer was willing to pay? Did you ask how much they were going to pay the DJ who let them down? It's generally a good guide to decide if you are well out of someones price range and hence you are likey to get messed about.

Personally, when this happens I always ask how much they were going to pay. If it's within reason (and by that I mean I'll go as low as £85.00 for 2 hours!) if it is at a venue I've never been to, I'll usually match the price. It gets your foot in the door it can be a worthwhile loss leader.

[Megamix]

He tried to barter with me with reference to the price

That would indicate to me an iffy booking - but its annoying I agree

[simon1969]

I would have got the cash of client a.s.a.p otherwise no booking..

[Shakermaker Promotions]

PaulG - I didn't say that he had been let down by another DJ. He had left it late by his own admission.

Darren - The card machine is something I have thought about and I have had 2 people ask me this week if they can pay by card. I guess that if they pay instantly then they either have to go with the booking or if they want to cancel, they will then notice the terms & conditions regarding cancellations.

Livewire - Totally agree with you and I actually said to the missus, if I don't hear from him by such and such a time then I won't do the booking. I know I am contradicting myself because I'm annoyed he was a time waster but he called me on friday night just before I was due to go out the door and do a wedding. I said to him not to worry and called him back onn saturday morning before I went and set up for another wedding. All seemed well at the time.

I had sympathy because he seemed to be in a state because it was a party for his daughter that was less than a week away. It just goes to show that even when you are on your guard and ready for things like this, they can still catch you out sometimes.

What I should of maybe have done is arrange to meet him asap to get the forms signed and a booking fee. Oh well...it won't happen again!

[simon1969]

PaulG - I didn't say that he had been let down by another DJ. He had left it late by his own admission.

Darren - The card machine is something I have thought about and I have had 2 people ask me this week if they can pay by card. I guess that if they pay instantly then they either have to go with the booking or if they want to cancel, they will then notice the terms & conditions regarding cancellations.

Livewire - Totally agree with you and I actually said to the missus, if I don't hear from him by such and such a time then I won't do the booking. I know I am contradicting myself because I'm annoyed he was a time waster but he called me on friday night just before I was due to go out the door and do a wedding. I said to him not to worry and called him back onn saturday morning before I went and set up for another wedding. All seemed well at the time.

I had sympathy because he seemed to be in a state because it was a party for his daughter that was less than a week away. It just goes to show that even when you are on your guard and ready for things like this, they can still catch you out sometimes.

What I should of maybe have done is arrange to meet him asap to get the forms signed and a booking fee. Oh well...it won't happen again!

Ive done it before with these last minute people and lost out but you learn don't you?
My booking fee is my deposit aswell if you know what I mean so that if they pull out they will think twice about cancelling...

[Corabar Entertainment]

Just a word of caution about taking the money without the contract... if they haven't had the opportunity to look over the contract and your T&Cs before making payment, then they could ask for the deposit back

[simon1969]

Just a word of caution about taking the money without the contract... if they haven't had the opportunity to look over the contract and your T&Cs before making payment, then they could ask for the deposit back

Do you mean before signing the contract?
Their problem if they havn't read it......

[Corabar Entertainment]

Their problem if they havn't read it.........and your problem if they haven't SEEN it!

(I'm talking about people who take payment over the phone on the spot when they have an enquiry)

[simon1969]

...and your problem if they haven't SEEN it!

(I'm talking about people who take payment over the phone on the spot when they have an enquiry)

I see, but I wouldn't be able to take payment over the phone though shakermaker can't either.
So hopefully it would work out like this, take contract to their home they sign.
They give you cash,I might even ask for 75% of payment seeing as it is so last minute and usually do in these cases now.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Ideally, that's what should have happened.
Late booking, forms signed in person and either booking fee paid or full amount paid there and then.
If they decide to cancel then they lose out unfortunately.

Of course, in that situation I would explain to them about cancelling.

[Jonathan Ford]

Or just a case of you asking for more money than the customer was willing to pay?

The customer had already agreed the price, and indicated his willigness to go ahead. That's the frustrating thing, when clients do not do what they say they will do.

[simon1969]

The customer had already agreed the price, and indicated his willigness to go ahead. That's the frustrating thing, when clients do not do what they say they will do.

Happens a lot though but that's another thread!!

[andyw]

i know it's frustrating for gary especialy seen he hand delivered the quote(hopefully he was in that area and didn't go out of his way to do it) but it could be a case of the guy was panicking not having a dj for the party and agreed gary's price but on reflection(or more likely talking to the other half) came to the conclusion they could not afford to go ahead with the booking. we all get enquirries we don't convert and they are not all time wasters just not our customers.

[DAVESOUNDS SERVICES]

Or just a case of you asking for more money than the customer was willing to pay? Did you ask how much they were going to pay the DJ who let them down? It's generally a good guide to decide if you are well out of someones price range and hence you are likey to get messed about.

Personally, when this happens I always ask how much they were going to pay. If it's within reason (and by that I mean I'll go as low as £85.00 for 2 hours!) if it is at a venue I've never been to, I'll usually match the price. It gets your foot in the door it can be a worthwhile loss leader.


Im the same!
sometimes we just have to drop a bit
cheers

[Vectis]

It gets your foot in the door it can be a worthwhile loss leader.

There's no such thing in this game as a 'worthwhile loss leader'.

Put yourself out there as an £85 DJ and all you'll get is £85 jobs.


Gary - it's at times like this when having a simple PayPal payment page on your website comes into its own - even if you have to suffer the 3% commission. 2 questions - amount and reference. Click, click, dosh, booking.

No dosh - no booking.

[rob1963]

There's no such thing in this game as a 'worthwhile loss leader'.

Couldn't agree more.

We're not Supermarkets, you know!

:D

[Charlie Brown]

Personally, when this happens I always ask how much they were going to pay. If it's within reason (and by that I mean I'll go as low as £85.00 for 2 hours!) if it is at a venue I've never been to, I'll usually match the price. It gets your foot in the door it can be a worthwhile loss leader.

Couldn't disagree more!

[JTRS]

There's no such thing in this game as a 'worthwhile loss leader'.



I'm sorry but I disagree with that.

My usual rate for a childrens party is £145 for a 2 hour event, (prizes included), at just about every party other parents come up and ask for a card and usually ask the price, (to be honest it's a non-selling job, they've seen what they get so I don't have to sell anything, I just mention that the price includes all the prizes).

In all honesty I don't advertise that I do childrens parties, so any enquiry is either word of mouth or someone that was there on the day, and on a few occasions I've done childrens parties for close friends or colleagues from my day job and I do them for a much lower price, but I always tell them what the real price would have been and if they are asked how much they paid then they quote my normal rates.

I've had quite a few bookings from people who have seen me at one of these 'loss leaders', and all subsequent bookings have been at full price, so to me it's a win win situation, my friends / colleagues got a 'mates rates' deal and I get to showcase what I can do to parents who wouldn't have otherwise seen me and would have booked someone else.

JTRS

[yourdj]

Not all bad because I have 2 well paid jobs on Friday and Sunday but it is another classic case of timewasting.

Look at it on the bright side - you have a night with the misses (she was in the wedding industry the last time i saw her - years ago)

Go do something you would not normally do.
I have Fri/Sat off now - working Sun so actually going somewhere tomorrow as i have not had a weekend to myself for ages!

Its my mums with Ania but i hardly every see her (my mum) so really looking forward to it! :)

[Vectis]

I'm sorry but I disagree with that.

My usual rate for a childrens party is £145 for a 2 hour event, (prizes included), at just about every party other parents come up and ask for a card and usually ask the price, (to be honest it's a non-selling job, they've seen what they get so I don't have to sell anything, I just mention that the price includes all the prizes).

In all honesty I don't advertise that I do childrens parties, so any enquiry is either word of mouth or someone that was there on the day, and on a few occasions I've done childrens parties for close friends or colleagues from my day job and I do them for a much lower price, but I always tell them what the real price would have been and if they are asked how much they paid then they quote my normal rates.

I've had quite a few bookings from people who have seen me at one of these 'loss leaders', and all subsequent bookings have been at full price, so to me it's a win win situation, my friends / colleagues got a 'mates rates' deal and I get to showcase what I can do to parents who wouldn't have otherwise seen me and would have booked someone else.

JTRS

Loss leader, yes.

Successful loss leader, maybe.

Worthwhile? I really don't see how sub-£145 gigs generating £145 gigs can be described as worthwhile, sorry.

[yourdj]

Worthwhile? I really don't see how sub-£145 gigs generating £145 gigs can be described as worthwhile, sorry.

Especially on a Fri or Sat night. You could get double that at another function.

[CRAZY K]

PaulG - I didn't say that he had been let down by another DJ. He had left it late by his own admission.

Darren - The card machine is something I have thought about and I have had 2 people ask me this week if they can pay by card. I guess that if they pay instantly then they either have to go with the booking or if they want to cancel, they will then notice the terms & conditions regarding cancellations.

Livewire - Totally agree with you and I actually said to the missus, if I don't hear from him by such and such a time then I won't do the booking. I know I am contradicting myself because I'm annoyed he was a time waster but he called me on friday night just before I was due to go out the door and do a wedding. I said to him not to worry and called him back onn saturday morning before I went and set up for another wedding. All seemed well at the time.

I had sympathy because he seemed to be in a state because it was a party for his daughter that was less than a week away. It just goes to show that even when you are on your guard and ready for things like this, they can still catch you out sometimes.

What I should of maybe have done is arrange to meet him asap to get the forms signed and a booking fee. Oh well...it won't happen again!

We have said this so many times before--the last minute merchants panic--they book you DEFINITELY--until of course they find someone else cheaper at which stage they DUMP YOU.

They become devious, dishonest liars and frankly it brings the very worst out of people.

There you are trying to help and they :Censored: on you.

IF you wish to be involved in this last minute market--remember last weeks post by JTRS ---get yourself a Card facility instant payment as wisely suggested by Darren.

Otherwise make it strictly cash brought round your house.

Cheques--no thanks:eek:

You soon smoke out the wasters.

[CRAZY K]

Just had a--- ive been let down-- quote to do for 2 weeks time.

Our reply was--

Hi thanks for your enquiry.

Crazy K is available due to a cancellation, the standard charge as per website is £ xxx for the evening using recorded music.

To secure the booking we need to know by 6pm this evening otherwise we will let the date go.

We will then need a £100 non refundable booking fee by Tuesday of next week with a signed Contract, we can email documents to you immediately.

If you wish to go ahead confirm today to set up the paperwork---

Should smoke out any wasters and leave the date free again if not taken up.

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Well, thanks for the differing opinions.
I will take it as experience. I am always on my guard but I don't know how I could have really done much more without thinking I would be let down.
Everything seemed ok up until he started trying to do a deal on the price and as I said, I gave the 'take it or leave it' approach because he really was panicking.

As Toby said, it's been a while since me and my missus actually went out and did something so that's what we'll do.

[CRAZY K]

Well, thanks for the differing opinions.
I will take it as experience. I am always on my guard but I don't know how I could have really done much more without thinking I would be let down.
Everything seemed ok up until he started trying to do a deal on the price and as I said, I gave the 'take it or leave it' approach because he really was panicking.

As Toby said, it's been a while since me and my missus actually went out and did something so that's what we'll do.

I think you need to play hard ball with people in this situation by panicking them more by offering ONLY very short term solutions so they dont waste your time.

I know the game--they think they are smart :Censored: booking someone expensive like me ( or you ) for a while and in the meantime desperately ringing around trying to get it cheap and then ditching us.

You dont need to be Albert Einstein to work out that the people who have been let down generally will have booked cheap--so the chances of us getting the biz are unlikely.

I would consider card payments but its not worth it for MY business model for the sake of a few wasters ringing round after they have been let down and are unlikely to go ahead. ;)

[JTRS]

Worthwhile? I really don't see how sub-£145 gigs generating £145 gigs can be described as worthwhile, sorry.

The clue was in the last paragraph of what I said.

JTRS


Especially on a Fri or Sat night. You could get double that at another function.

The £145 fee was for a two hour kids party, you don't usually get kids parties on a Fri or Sat night, the idea of the loss leader been worthwhile was because it filled a saturday or sunday afternoon that you wouldn't have been working and allowed you to showcase what you can do to the parents of other children who were there, which, because I don't advertise for childrens parties is a big advantage for me.

JTRS

[Vectis]

The clue was in the last paragraph of what I said.

JTRS


Tell you what, you carry on working you butt off for peanuts, kidding yourself that discounting £145 gigs is the way to pick up top-drawer functions.

I'll just bow out now because I don't know anything about this market, obviously.

[JTRS]

Tell you what, you carry on working you butt off for peanuts, kidding yourself that discounting £145 gigs is the way to pick up top-drawer functions.

I'll just bow out now because I don't know anything about this market, obviously.

You obviously know your market, but perhaps not all markets are the same.

In my market I don't advertise for childrens parties (that's by choice, the reason been that at £145 a time most people who ring don't want to pay that, however, enquiries from word of mouth or where they have seen what I do have a very high booking rate).

I also have a few friends and colleagues who are not in the best paid jobs in the world and £145 is a lot of money to them. So I'm happy to do it for them, we are talking good friends here as opposed to 'anyone I happen to know'

So, by doing a friends party, on a day when I wouldn't have otherwise been booked at a lower rate than I usually charge I get quite a few bookings that I wouldn't have otherwise got.

That works for me

JTRS