Vows Awards (Scottish Wedding Industry Customer Service Awards)

[leelive]

Just had the phone call.
I have been nominated for the 6th year in a row for the Vows Awards (Scottish Wedding Industry Customer Service Awards)
Winners will be announced at the end of November in Edinburgh.
I hope I win it again!!

[soundmaster mobile disco]

Good luck with the awards ceremony lee

You must have many clients who you got to vote for you. What I disagree with is you can be just an average dj but have many people vote for you and be nominated just by the number of votes. Its nothing to do with how talented you are or how good a dj you are.

To me it would mean so much more if there was a panel of judges who came out to some of our gigs and saw for themselves our high level of service we provide our clients plus judge us on how the night went, in regards to us reading the crowd, keeping the dancing going.

I'm not having a go at you lee because you must be good if you go in for this every year, you are probably like myself and so much better than the average dj.

How can someone be called the best dj in Scotland if they are only taking bookings in say the Edinburgh & surrounding area,? Surely if you were the best dj in Scotland it would have to mean that you travel round Scotland with your bookings, and not just one area.

[leelive]

Good luck with the awards ceremony lee.

You are probably right. It has nothing to do with talent as a DJ. It is purely Customer Service.

You would need to be a full time DJ to get the number of votes required to be in with a chance. They tell me you need over 20 for my category so if you did that many gigs and everyone voted for you then you would in with a chance.

I suppose it is slightly unfair in some categories... such a cake makers. One independent who can only make 40 cakes a year cannot compete with a large company that makes 1000s.

I stick the tag line The Best Wedding DJ in Edinburgh on my website because I think I am. That is not an independent review. .... and I do travel the full length of the country doing gigs. Most of them are with 60 miles of Edinburgh though.

All the best

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

My maw says I'm the best DJ in the world :D

Congratulations Lee. Stuart @ Fresh got a nod this year too.

Gary I've got my own thoughts and feelings on the VOWs and there's plenty of it that I think could be improved upon [articularly with regards to DJs going up against bands who could have several line ups out on the one night or (heaven forbid) various members getting fake nominations ad so on but it is what it is.

I was never too into the idea of chasing it but I've recently been suggesting brides check it out. You've not got much to lose in the way of going for it (unless you come across as desperate)

You can say that it only really applies to high volume suppliers of any type but if you bake 300 cakes a year or have 3 weddings a week in your venue and they're all rotten you'll not have a chance.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Have you got to pay to be involved with this one Lee?

I noticed with some of the 'National' wedding awards you have to pay a registration fee...

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Have you got to pay to be involved with this one Lee?

I noticed with some of the 'National' wedding awards you have to pay a registration fee...

No mate. Unlike the sketchy "BEST WEDDING DJ IN THE UNIVERSE 2013!!!" type deals, the VOWs is pretty legit. Brides can nominate 4 (I think) of their favourite suppliers, the VOWs draw up a shortlist and then wedding industry folk sit on a panel and pick the best of them. Or something like that. They have a proper event in a nice venue and so on.

It tends to be bands that win the music category (and some rotten ones at that ;) ) that win it so I'm hoping Lee or Stuart win as aside from giving themselves a nice little promotional boost, it goes some way to selling and legitimising profesisonally minded wedding DJs across the board.

[ukpartydj]

To me it would mean so much more if there was a panel of judges who came out to some of our gigs and saw for themselves our high level of service we provide our clients plus judge us on how the night went, in regards to us reading the crowd, keeping the dancing going.

X Factor for Mobile DJ's ... now that is something I WOULD watch :)

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Good luck with the awards ceremony lee

You must have many clients who you got to vote for you. What I disagree with is you can be just an average dj but have many people vote for you and be nominated just by the number of votes. Its nothing to do with how talented you are or how good a dj you are.

To me it would mean so much more if there was a panel of judges who came out to some of our gigs and saw for themselves our high level of service we provide our clients plus judge us on how the night went, in regards to us reading the crowd, keeping the dancing going.

I'm not having a go at you lee because you must be good if you go in for this every year, you are probably like myself and so much better than the average dj.

How can someone be called the best dj in Scotland if they are only taking bookings in say the Edinburgh & surrounding area,? Surely if you were the best dj in Scotland it would have to mean that you travel round Scotland with your bookings, and not just one area.

The thing is Gary is that it's the customer service that they're looking for which for me means from your initial enquiry right through to the follow up not just the night itself and it's the same for every supplier.

There's plenty of good DJs out there (let's be honest, what we do isn't rocket science) who can ram a dance floor all night long but fall on their arse doing weddings because they're not organised enough, don't have the attention to detail or the level of professionalism when dealing with clients to deserve a shout at this kind of thing.

Unfortunately too many of us, and I don't just mean the sids, think you don't need to do much else for a wedding compared to a party gig except take a note of the first and last dances and add a bunch of money onto your prices.

[soundmaster mobile disco]

No mate. Unlike the sketchy "BEST WEDDING DJ IN THE UNIVERSE 2013!!!" type deals, the VOWs is pretty legit. Brides can nominate 4 (I think) of their favourite suppliers, the VOWs draw up a shortlist and then wedding industry folk sit on a panel and pick the best of them. Or something like that. They have a proper event in a nice venue and so on.

It tends to be bands that win the music category (and some rotten ones at that ;) ) that win it so I'm hoping Lee or Stuart win as aside from giving themselves a nice little promotional boost, it goes some way to selling and legitimising profesisonally minded wedding DJs across the board.



Jim if the bands are rotten why do they win it? and why are they nominated for it in the first place?

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Jim if the bands are rotten why do they win it? and why are they nominated for it in the first place?

I've got my own theories on that I'd rather keep to myself as I may be way off the mark but as with all award type things, the good doesn't always will out. I don't see us as being in direct competition with bands so I don't lose sleep over the bands that get the shout for it either.


What I will say is that from our point of view, it's great to see Stuart and Lee getting nominations as they promote a positive image of wedding DJs. It's good for them on a personal level business wise but it's also good for the rest of us who provide a professional wedding DJ service.

[leelive]

Just sent off my VOWS Awards business review form online. It was so hard to do. That was the 6th one I have completed. Difficult not to repeat myself. But think I have been honest with my answers and given a reasonable reflection of what I have done to maintain high levels of customer service again this year. Keeping my fingers crossed. Now waiting for the mystery shopper.... (that makes me very nervous)

[leelive]

Well done to T-Junction Wedding Band (http://www.t-junctionweddingband.co.uk/) on winning the VOWS Awards last night.
I must work harder next year

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Well done to T-Junction Wedding Band (http://www.t-junctionweddingband.co.uk/) on winning the VOWS Awards last night.
I must work harder next year

No joy Lee. I was rootng for you and Stuart. Definitely think there should be a seperate DJ section - they're not going to stick photographers and photobooths in the same category but I digress.

I'll bite my tongue as far as possible but I think a band that plays along to backing tracks, and from what I gather get most of their work through agencies, doesn't really tie in with the idea of providing an excellent service from the initial enquiry right through to follow up...

Still great to get a nod though - we need more guys like you Stuart and Chris flying the flag and raising the standard across the industry so brides realise that we're not all Johnny Gumtrees.

Before I forget, I think it might have been on the SWD forum but I remember you mentioning a more rocky ceilidh CD you use when calling. I can't for the life of me find the post - you couldn't tell me what it is could you?

[leelive]

No joy Lee. I was rootng for you and Stuart. Definitely think there should be a seperate DJ section - they're not going to stick photographers and photobooths in the same category but I digress.

I'll bite my tongue as far as possible but I think a band that plays along to backing tracks, and from what I gather get most of their work through agencies, doesn't really tie in with the idea of providing an excellent service from the initial enquiry right through to follow up...

Still great to get a nod though - we need more guys like you Stuart and Chris flying the flag and raising the standard across the industry so brides realise that we're not all Johnny Gumtrees.

Before I forget, I think it might have been on the SWD forum but I remember you mentioning a more rocky ceilidh CD you use when calling. I can't for the life of me find the post - you couldn't tell me what it is could you?

Thanks. The one category for all Music also makes it hard for daytime performers. I wanted the Capella Quartet to win it.

I think Bands will be winning the Awards every year until the judges change. One of them posts pictures on her facebook account of all the live bands she loves going to see.

Here is the info I posted on the SWD forum.

The best that I have worked with is Ceilidhdonia.
https://www.facebook.com/ceilidhdonia.kickassceilid
They play at T-in-the-park each year too.
Their verson of the Gay Gordons on this CD is super... have a listen (itunes linked)
http://ceilidhdonia.co.uk/
They have a great cover of Young at Heart on that CD too.

All the best
Lee

All the best