Silver
16-02-2011, 12:11 PM
Okay attention grabbed http://planetsmilies.net/tongue-smiley-8861.gif Now the story ............ However, before I go on I don't want any 'told you so's, you should have done this or that'. This is simply my personal experience of something that has happened to me to make me change my business practise.
Up until a couple of years ago I worked predominately in the pub trade around Wimborne, busy every weekend, with the flexibility if I was offered an outside gig I could take it if I got a dj in to fill my regular spot. Things have changed though, I now no longer do the pubs as the atmosphere in them has changed and I ended up working solely for the cash and not the buzz (plus the cash!)
I now do private gigs in different venues for different clients, until now, as I have stated on here before without the use of contract/t&c's.
My view has changed over the last couple of weeks and this is why ...
In the space of a week I lost two bookings, due to very strange reasons that have anoyed me.
1. This one is a tad complicated so I'll try and keep it as simple as possible. I was recommended by a friend to do an 18th birthday party. I rang the birthday girl's mum last November, fee agreed, times etc. everything ticketyboo. I had asked her to provide me with a twenty or so song playlist. The party was for a Saturday in February and by the Wednesday prior, I had not heard from the girl's Mum. I rang her and asked where it was and she said ........... "But you've cancelled!" .... My stunned shock, I replied "No I haven't!" ... "Yes you did on Sunday on FACEBOOK!!!" "Err no, I have never chatted to you on Facebook, we are not even friends, what are you talking about"
Conversation goes on for about half an hour, getting pretty much nowhere :D During it she said, I had asked for an extra £50 as the gig was going past midnight, which it wasn't and I had never asked for a fee increase. I asked her who the facebook message was 'signed' by and she said Simon (My name!) I'm now thinking somebody has cancelled the gig using my name, trying to stitch me up but apart from my mate and the Mum nobody knew I was doing it. I then asked her what is the name of the person who sent it, wait for it, she said SIMON CARLTON!!!! My name! http://planetsmilies.net/not-tagged-smiley-10364.gif My brain cell is working overtime in attempt to fathom this out.
Anyway, she by then had booked somebody for the gig (who I know doesn't use t&c's) and I had lost the booking.
What happened was .......... I am 99.99999999999% certain she went on Facebook, searched Simon Carlton and came up with a dj who lived in Christchurch, that's about 15 miles away and now lives in Winchester, 50 miles away and became friends with him. He was happy as he got a booking from nowhere, looked at the distance and went for the extra cash. :D
Now how bizarre is that! http://planetsmilies.net/confused-smiley-17488.gif
2. Simpler but just as annoying. Gig booked for months for the 14th May, easy. In the same week as above the lady client rings me to say she has mucked up the dates, it should be the 7th, I mean it's only her husband's birthday! So can I now do the 7th instead of the 14th. I can't as I have a wedding to do so I have lost that one too! Silly person! http://planetsmilies.net/angry-smiley-7992.gif
So there you have it, two lost bookings through wierd circumstances. I've had the odd cancellation in the past, couples splitting up, change of venue that have their own dj, regular reasons. These I have just taken on the chin and got on with life. The two above though got to me for some reason and has made me change my outlook.
T & C's for DJ Silver is the new watch word/s!
So there you have it, fun hey!? http://planetsmilies.net/not-tagged-smiley-10090.gif
Up until a couple of years ago I worked predominately in the pub trade around Wimborne, busy every weekend, with the flexibility if I was offered an outside gig I could take it if I got a dj in to fill my regular spot. Things have changed though, I now no longer do the pubs as the atmosphere in them has changed and I ended up working solely for the cash and not the buzz (plus the cash!)
I now do private gigs in different venues for different clients, until now, as I have stated on here before without the use of contract/t&c's.
My view has changed over the last couple of weeks and this is why ...
In the space of a week I lost two bookings, due to very strange reasons that have anoyed me.
1. This one is a tad complicated so I'll try and keep it as simple as possible. I was recommended by a friend to do an 18th birthday party. I rang the birthday girl's mum last November, fee agreed, times etc. everything ticketyboo. I had asked her to provide me with a twenty or so song playlist. The party was for a Saturday in February and by the Wednesday prior, I had not heard from the girl's Mum. I rang her and asked where it was and she said ........... "But you've cancelled!" .... My stunned shock, I replied "No I haven't!" ... "Yes you did on Sunday on FACEBOOK!!!" "Err no, I have never chatted to you on Facebook, we are not even friends, what are you talking about"
Conversation goes on for about half an hour, getting pretty much nowhere :D During it she said, I had asked for an extra £50 as the gig was going past midnight, which it wasn't and I had never asked for a fee increase. I asked her who the facebook message was 'signed' by and she said Simon (My name!) I'm now thinking somebody has cancelled the gig using my name, trying to stitch me up but apart from my mate and the Mum nobody knew I was doing it. I then asked her what is the name of the person who sent it, wait for it, she said SIMON CARLTON!!!! My name! http://planetsmilies.net/not-tagged-smiley-10364.gif My brain cell is working overtime in attempt to fathom this out.
Anyway, she by then had booked somebody for the gig (who I know doesn't use t&c's) and I had lost the booking.
What happened was .......... I am 99.99999999999% certain she went on Facebook, searched Simon Carlton and came up with a dj who lived in Christchurch, that's about 15 miles away and now lives in Winchester, 50 miles away and became friends with him. He was happy as he got a booking from nowhere, looked at the distance and went for the extra cash. :D
Now how bizarre is that! http://planetsmilies.net/confused-smiley-17488.gif
2. Simpler but just as annoying. Gig booked for months for the 14th May, easy. In the same week as above the lady client rings me to say she has mucked up the dates, it should be the 7th, I mean it's only her husband's birthday! So can I now do the 7th instead of the 14th. I can't as I have a wedding to do so I have lost that one too! Silly person! http://planetsmilies.net/angry-smiley-7992.gif
So there you have it, two lost bookings through wierd circumstances. I've had the odd cancellation in the past, couples splitting up, change of venue that have their own dj, regular reasons. These I have just taken on the chin and got on with life. The two above though got to me for some reason and has made me change my outlook.
T & C's for DJ Silver is the new watch word/s!
So there you have it, fun hey!? http://planetsmilies.net/not-tagged-smiley-10090.gif