Pli Pat Produb

[Shaun]

Now forgive my ramblings, I'm not long in from spending the afternoon in the pub, and I really shouldn't post whilst sozzled.

But....whilst I'm (and the MDD in general is) all for promoting best practises with regards to produb, PLI & PAT, it seems like all the DJs (mine included) websites and marketing is saturated with references to being PLI, PAT & Produb certified. Most businesses as standard have PLI & PAT (where necessary), but apart from our industry I can't think of any others that so forcibly promote that fact on their marketing/websites/literature? Has this come about because of the need to distance ourselves from the cowboys, or just because it's another tangible thing we can state to try sell our services? Why does our industry market those points more than any other service/industry I've came across?

Discuss!

[Vectis]

They're tangibles and therefore can be easily compared.


Punters switch off to the PLI, PAT etc. acronyms. Mention that you're insured, safety tested and can provide all the certificates that the venue might require and you're speaking their language.

[Shaun]

Punters switch off to the PLI, PAT etc. acronyms. Mention that you're insured, safety tested and can provide all the certificates that the venue might require and you're speaking their language.

I completely agree, but do we really need to mention we are insured, safety tested and have certification? My brother is an electrician and although he has all the relevant certification/certificates and all that goes with it, he's never advertised any of those facts to gain work? The fact that he has all the relevant documentation is a given because he runs a professional business.

Maybe it has more to do with the fact that our industry is so poorly regulated compared to others? I can't help feeling that when every DJ and their dog mentions that they have PLI/PAT etc, it just saturates the message and becomes a 'mute point' as far as the client is concerned?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

The fact that he has all the relevant documentation is a given because he runs a professional business.


It is a given in many industries. Unfortunately, we are still being perceived badly in general and not as professional as other industries which is why we have to work harder to prove that, actually, we are.

This is the reason we have places like this forum, to promote better practise and therefore in turn raise the bar and the general public's perception of us.

[TONYTIGER]

I see Shaun,s point i do a lot of work with Bands booking and promoting and very rarely is there any mention on there sites re PLI & PAT over hyped in the mobile sector IMHO even £60 Sid can get PLI for under £ 50 same as most of us . Has anybody on the forum ever had a big claim on there PLI i just wonder.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Alot of other industries have a charter/standard that the professionals sign up to...Corgi...Gassafe etc...that does the same job as is telling our clients but we dont have a badge we can stick on the van/website to show it...

[Shaun]

It is a given in many industries. Unfortunately, we are still being perceived badly in general and not as professional as other industries which is why we have to work harder to prove that, actually, we are.

This is the reason we have places like this forum, to promote better practise and therefore in turn raise the bar and the general public's perception of us.

All that I completely understand. To me it just seems that the message is overly saturated when everyone (good DJs and bad) use it a a selling point to appear more professional than the next guy. Even the cowboys round my way have started using PLI & PAT as a selling point (whether they even have it or not). The main reasons we started advertising those aspects seem to be getting more and more diluted as time goes by.

[Jason]

I try not to throw too many acronyms at clients. They don't want to hear it - I too simply say I am insured, and have the required paperwork.

Some DJ's do appear to hide behind these bits of paper, when clients really want to see if they can actually do the job.
Spending £30 on PLI, £100 on PAT, and optionally a few hundred quid on ProDub does not make a great party!

Sadly the DJMark type schemes are only really certifying basic business practices, they won't come and test your Mic or Mixing skils.
Its not practial to view DJ's at work most of the time, as we're mainly working ourselves!
So.. these schemes are worthless (IMO), and anyone can make their own badge with a few tick-boxes.

I do understand those that do like this kind of thing, there isn't a formal "dj" qualification - and we're a mix (sorry..) of club, pub, Karaoke, Wedding, and bedroom DJ's, all doing our own thing.
Even if there was a recognised qualification, the cowboys would still exist - look at the photography community, they also have to deal with very low-end operators with sub-par gear and low skils.

So for me, I try to represent the DJ community when I get a call or enquiry.
When I get the "our dj has let us down" calls, I try to get involved and help out and explain that its not normal and DJ's don't do this. One lady had a few hours - I was booked but offered to dry-hire & set-up one of my systems if she couldn't find anyone. I got a call back the following day thanking me for caring, and they managed to find someone 1hr before.

The price hunters get a little less sympathy, but I'm happy to chat even if I can't help. I've converted a few enquiries into bookings at a rate that I'm happy with. One was a £150 max, that turned into a £330..

I guess I'm echoing Darrens comments about Forums helping DJ's to up their game. Only "we" can improve the perception of DJ's.
Plastering the website/emails with acronyms will only confuse and scare clients. Focus on the service and what they gain from booking YOU.

[NKR]

Alot of other industries have a charter/standard that the professionals sign up to...Corgi...Gassafe etc...that does the same job as is telling our clients but we dont have a badge we can stick on the van/website to show it...

And that is the nail on the head - dead centre too.

That is why we push this stuff as Cowboys in other industries soon get found out. Nobody dies or has a perceived tangible loss from a bad disco. Hence no need to regulate for the greater public good. Such is life, which is why those of us trying our best self regulate and try to educate (okay I am rapping by mistake now, so I will stop).