How quickly do you need to reply to customers?

[Excalibur]

I'm not a happy bunny. :mad:
NaD enquiry for a wedding in spring of next year, prospective client emails me at 4.37pm a fortnight ago to the effect:

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the quote for our wedding on the 33rd Febroobarb in Much Binding in the Marsh....

Sorry for the late reply, hopefully you are still free on this date?

Just before 7pm the same day, I say I am, and ask for her details, so I can sort paperwork. Radio silence.

I emailed her yesterday to check she'd received that email, and I get back:




Hi Peter,

We have now booked another DJ....

Thanks for your time

best wishes


Normally, I'd send a polite reply wishing her well, but I don't think I can trust myself to. :mad::mad:

[CRAZY K]

I'm not a happy bunny. :mad:
NaD enquiry for a wedding in spring of next year, prospective client emails me at 4.37pm a fortnight ago to the effect:

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the quote for our wedding on the 33rd Febroobarb in Much Binding in the Marsh.....

Sorry for the late reply, hopefully you are still free on this date?

Just before 7pm the same day, I say I am, and ask for her details, so I can sort paperwork. Radio silence.

I emailed her yesterday to check she'd received that email, and I get back:




Hi Peter,

We have now booked another DJ....

Thanks for your time

best wishes


Normally, I'd send a polite reply wishing her well, but I don't think I can trust myself to. :mad::mad:

If we dont get details to set up Contract within 3 days we send a reminder saying we cant confirm booking without a non refundable deposit/booking fee and could we please have the info.

If not forthcoming after 48 hours further reminder.

After that its probably a waste of time so we would take any other booking offered.

We tend to chase people because Angela runs an agency and we cant be messing performers around letting them down, because we would soon get a reputation as a bunch of time wasters and not be able to use them, obviously the time wasters are the customers unfortunately.

On balance this doesnt happen too often but maybe an earlier chase up might help?

No doubt your punter ( not client ) got a cheaper offer and SADLY AS IS COMMON THESE DAYS didnt have the guts to tell you.

We get plenty of that here especially with Rodeo Bulls which is why we tend to chase people.



ALAN
CRAZY K

[ckpr2]

Some customers can get impatient and just book who comes first.

My work used to come in through Yellow Pages and because I am out at work 1pm to 9pm I lost a lot of work that way.
I would get short messages on the answer phone as they put the phone down in frustration at me not being there.
In the end I got a call diversion set up to my mobile phone.

[musicology]

Yellow pages? Phone? 90% of my jobs now come via email. Get a smart phone and check your emails regularly. Do you have a web presence? If not, then it's about time you got on it! It's a different world!

[Excalibur]

Yellow pages? Phone? 90% of my jobs now come via email. Get a smart phone and check your emails regularly. Do you have a web presence? If not, then it's about time you got on it! It's a different world!

Ahem! Once upon a time, many decades ago, the booking process ran thus: Phone rings, customer ascertains you're a DJ, asks if you're free on a date, asks how much, gives you a time and venue, job done. You turn up at the appointed place and time, play music, get paid, go home. Simples. :)

I liked simple. :(

[mattydj50]

Ahem! Once upon a time, many decades ago, the booking process ran thus: Phone rings, customer ascertains you're a DJ, asks if you're free on a date, asks how much, gives you a time and venue, job done. You turn up at the appointed place and time, play music, get paid, go home. Simples. :)

I liked simple. :(

Yes, I remember those days. And often you got paid at the end of the night too. Only once did someone "forget" to pay me. They got the message the next day.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

How quickly do you need to reply to customers?

Well, if I was making an enquiry with someone I'd expect an immediate if not quick response and that's how I tend to do things myself.
I will always try and respond to an email or website enquiry within the hour. It's usually immediate with me because I am at home during the week and if I'm not I can reply via my iPhone quickly enough. Even if I am DJing I will always send a courtesy email or text (I seem to get a lot of texts too), just to say that I have received their enquiry and will get back to them as soon as I can.

On that subject - It does make me laugh when people make enquiries by phone on a Friday or Saturday night. They'll leave a voicemail and I think "Don't you realise that the majority of DJ's will be out working?"

Again, I think it is all down to customer service and this may well be another thread to be honest but I like to be as helpful as possible but sometimes I wonder why I bother.
Actually, yes....I think it is a different thread so I think I'll go start one.

[Nakatomi]

I always try to respond as quickly as possible. My phone tells me I've got email, so I get right in the case if I have a few minutes.

The other weekend I had a text asking me if I was available that night. I rang them as soon as I could to say no, but try these people.... She wasn't half taken aback. Heh.

If I need to check my diary no problem. Put them on speaker, go into my phone calendar. My phone syncs every ten minutes or so, so in theory I'm not likely to lose track.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

During business hours, usually an hour or so. Over the weekend it's longer.

Early bird gets the worm and all that...

[CRAZY K]

I think Peter was talking AFTER the gig has been acquired and agreed.

Anyway as the thread has expanded ---we try to use landlines as much as possible because we get hacked off with bad reception:daft:

Mobiles are great for texting and photos--but phone calls that's a different problem.

E mail enquiries come on Marc's excellent responder and we try to quote immediately--but hasten to add it doesn't always mean much--last enquiry I replied with full quote in 10 minutes--from here in EGYPT--customer can't afford it -ANOTHER charity job.

We never give out an email address---people just never give enough info for us.

All the time wasters who used to ring on Yellow Pages just use the Internet now Peter!!!!!!!

IM sitting in a nice Hotel in EGYPT right now and can send quotes out very quickly on my I pad so it's not all bad news not being in the UK 😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄

Ah well back to the Belly Dancing 😜

CRAZY K

[Shakermaker Promotions]

Apologies, I got confused....It was far too early on a Monday morning. I didn't realise it was after the booking has been confirmed.

Well, I reply immediately and ask for all of the information so that I can issue their booking forms.
I have had and enquiry today that was probably the quickest confirmed booking I have ever had (excluding friends and all that).
The customer enquired, I replied instantly as I was at my laptop and they confirmed around a minute or two later.

[CRAZY K]

Another one here--9th Jan likely to be popular.

Booked over phone a few days ago, no reply to email confirmation asking for full gig details.

E mail sent giving 24 hours or unable to hold date.

Phone call tomorrow to see what the ..... is going on.

I get bad vibes, probably got it cheaper and hasnt got the guts to advise us.

CRAZY K

[saduffy1]

Another one here--9th Jan likely to be popular.

Booked over phone a few days ago, no reply to email confirmation asking for full gig details.

E mail sent giving 24 hours or unable to hold date.

Phone call tomorrow to see what the ..... is going on.

I get bad vibes, probably got it cheaper and hasnt got the guts to advise us.

CRAZY K

It's a sad sign of the times that people just don't have the good grace to reply and let you know whether they still need the date or not.

I think your approach to making further attempts to contact people and remind them that you can only hold the date for so long is admirable, by the way.
I used to occasionally ring people once if they said they wanted to book but the booking fee/deposit hadn't been sent as agreed to remind them, but that was it.

If I couldn't get a confirmed booking during the initial conversation I'd say, "that's the quote. You're welcome to try and call back if you wish to take it up but I can't guarantee the date will still be free." That would be it from me: thinking back I may have put a few people off, but I can live with that!! :p

Back in the good old days when the majority of enquiries were telephone based, I had an answerphone message left at 5pm and I got back home a mere 5 minutes later, rang them straight back. They'd booked somebody else! Frankly I thought returning a call within say 6 minutes was more than sufficient.

[CRAZY K]

Another one here--9th Jan likely to be popular.

Booked over phone a few days ago, no reply to email confirmation asking for full gig details.

E mail sent giving 24 hours or unable to hold date.

Phone call tomorrow to see what the ..... is going on.

I get bad vibes, probably got it cheaper and hasnt got the guts to advise us.

CRAZY K

Ah well got a confirmation back so shows its worth chasing quickly.

[CRAZY K]

It's a sad sign of the times that people just don't have the good grace to reply and let you know whether they still need the date or not.

I think your approach to making further attempts to contact people and remind them that you can only hold the date for so long is admirable, by the way.
I used to occasionally ring people once if they said they wanted to book but the booking fee/deposit hadn't been sent as agreed to remind them, but that was it.

If I couldn't get a confirmed booking during the initial conversation I'd say, "that's the quote. You're welcome to try and call back if you wish to take it up but I can't guarantee the date will still be free." That would be it from me: thinking back I may have put a few people off, but I can live with that!! :p

Back in the good old days when the majority of enquiries were telephone based, I had an answerphone message left at 5pm and I got back home a mere 5 minutes later, rang them straight back. They'd booked somebody else! Frankly I thought returning a call within say 6 minutes was more than sufficient.

I actually got a confirmation over the phone which these days is worthless--but always email a confirmation asking for the contact details to avoid any misunderstandings or mistakes in taking down information.

Back in the really good old days the 60s we didn't even have signed Contracts.

People took their obligations a lot more seriously then I think.

My word is my bond and all that--not anymore I have people trying to avoid paying currently with a signed Contract.😬


CRAZY K

[yourdj]

I think the speed of getting back to a client depends on them really, what they expect from you and how much they want to book you? I have a phone call with someone in 4 minutes. She initially enquired on Friday, sent a brochure request yesterday and I have only just responded today. Not my usual slick way of doing things but I have had the busiest week this year. As luck would have it her photographer worked with me Sunday and was notably impressed, so was promoting me on all the stupid Facebook "recommend a DJ' posts (tagging her name). She is keener than ever as i have oppoligoed for taking 4 days to respond, but she knows I have been stacked. I think I should get the booking, budget allowing. Another client, with more options and less of a tolerance with response would have immediately written me off. :)

[CRAZY K]

Ah well got a confirmation back so shows its worth chasing quickly.

Think this ones gone bad on me, despite my original optimism, can't get this person to pay the deposit so threatened to pull the gig if not paid by XMAS Eve.

Maybe the early signs were there---not responding to e mail asking for information, then not paying deposit/ booking fee in time scale requested.

I really have better things to do than waste time on :muppet:.:

CRAZY K

[ckpr2]

Asking for a deposit does help sort the wheat from the chaff.

If they cant pay/afford a deposit then they certainly wont be able to pay the rest on the night.

[CRAZY K]

Asking for a deposit does help sort the wheat from the chaff.

If they cant pay/afford a deposit then they certainly wont be able to pay the rest on the night.

True enough, its now got worse.

After ignoring us all day yesterday 2 calls and an email I lost it last night at about 11pm and wrote a fairly robust note saying pay up or lose your booking.

A miracle occured minutes later( well it is Xmas week) the punter suddenly sprung into life immediately, so probably was deliberately ignoring my phone calls, saying they dont like the tone of our approach

ie you need to pay this money NOW:rolleyes:

We have now insisted on full upfront payment by Xmas Eve at the latest but also sent a link of one of our competitors for them to contact if they dont like it.:daft:

I have ANOTHER situation where the only way to get peoples attention was to threaten them--really not good--whats wrong with people.????

[Benny Smyth]

Asking for a deposit does help sort the wheat from the chaff.

If they cant pay/afford a deposit then they certainly wont be able to pay the rest on the night.

I don't take booking fees/deposits, and yet I have found that all my clients can afford to pay me.

[funkymook]

True enough, its now got worse.

After ignoring us all day yesterday 2 calls and an email I lost it last night at about 11pm and wrote a fairly robust note saying pay up or lose your booking.

A miracle occured minutes later( well it is Xmas week) the punter suddenly sprung into life immediately, so probably was deliberately ignoring my phone calls, saying they dont like the tone of our approach

ie you need to pay this money NOW:rolleyes:

We have now insisted on full upfront payment by Xmas Eve at the latest but also sent a link of one of our competitors for them to contact if they dont like it.:daft:

I have ANOTHER situation where the only way to get peoples attention was to threaten them--really not good--whats wrong with people.????

Not that I'd put a supplier in that position but if I got a shirty communication like that I'd cancel.

Once I send a client a contract they have two days to confirm with a deposit, once that date is past they're politely reminded the date is now open to other bookings as per the T&C's (I then downgrade it to an enquiry so don't even think of it as a firm booking that's being messed around).

That way the date isn't blocked off for more than 48 hours and I'm in no danger of losing work.

For the sake of your blood pressure I think you need to have a simple, professional process in place to handle this type of situation.

[Excalibur]

I don't take booking fees/deposits,

Interesting. :confused: How do you deal with cancellations? At least if you're already holding a worthwhile fee, it's not a total loss. I'd expect many clients who cancel to be reticent about paying anything to you.

[Benny Smyth]

Interesting. :confused: How do you deal with cancellations? At least if you're already holding a worthwhile fee, it's not a total loss. I'd expect many clients who cancel to be reticent about paying anything to you.

In lieu of a booking fee, I have cancellation fees on a sliding scale starting from six months before the event.

[Excalibur]

In lieu of a booking fee, I have cancellation fees on a sliding scale starting from six months before the event.

That's roughly as I expected. I'm assuming that your minimum cancellation fee roughly equates to other folks' booking fees, and that you rely on the signed contract to persuade clients to pay. If it works for you, fine, but I can't see myself adopting it exclusively* myself.

*Certain regular customers, and certain types of customers are afforded the privelege of payment in full, eg Young Farmers and the like, where my fee is often raised from ticket sales.

[CRAZY K]

Not that I'd put a supplier in that position but if I got a shirty communication like that I'd cancel.

Once I send a client a contract they have two days to confirm with a deposit, once that date is past they're politely reminded the date is now open to other bookings as per the T&C's (I then downgrade it to an enquiry so don't even think of it as a firm booking that's being messed around).

That way the date isn't blocked off for more than 48 hours and I'm in no danger of losing work.

For the sake of your blood pressure I think you need to have a simple, professional process in place to handle this type of situation.

I do thanks, my confirmation and Contract specifies time scales and consequences as you sensibly suggest.

Unfortunately in this brave new world for some people thats a problem ( apparently)

Interesting that you only allow 48 hours, we historically allow 7 or 14 days according to proximity of gig date.

I guess that sorts out the time wasters, ie if they cant get their act together are they worth bothering with?

Corporates can be more difficult in our experience due to Invoicing systems.

Might be my New year resolution now:beer1::beer1::beer1:


Interesting. :confused: How do you deal with cancellations? At least if you're already holding a worthwhile fee, it's not a total loss. I'd expect many clients who cancel to be reticent about paying anything to you.

We currently have a problem with someone who signed a contract on behalf of a Charidee clearly showing there was a penalty if cancelled ( which it was)

They appear to be claiming blindness as cant see why they should pay up the penalty, they will be appearing in a Small Claims Court near you sometime soon.


ALAN

[funkymook]

I do thanks, my confirmation and Contract specifies time scales and consequences as you sensibly suggest.

Unfortunately in this brave new world for some people thats a problem ( apparently)

Interesting that you only allow 48 hours, we historically allow 7 or 14 days according to proximity of gig date.

I guess that sorts out the time wasters, ie if they cant get their act together are they worth bothering with?

Corporates can be more difficult in our experience due to Invoicing systems.

Might be my New year resolution now:beer1::beer1::beer1:

That’s where the issue is, you give up to 14 days, so you can’t take another booking for that date and it’s easy for it to slip the clients mind (if they’ve read the T&C’s in the first place). Do you quote for other enquiries whilst waiting for the contract to be signed anyway and ask them to wait to see if it becomes available?

My contract only goes out when I’ve got a firm ‘yes please can I book you’ which usually follows on from several emails or phone converstations (so a good relationship has already been built). My contracts can be signed on-line which is why the 48 hours works, they’re usually signed and deposit transferred within hours.

If they don’t confirm within 48 hours I’m not on their case straight away unless another enquiry comes in, I’d leave it a week before politely checking if they had received the contract and reminding them the date is now available so could be booked by someone else. So far, touch wood, I’ve never sent a contract out that hasn’t been signed, so for me the process works.

[Excalibur]

My contract only goes out when I’ve got a firm ‘yes please can I book you’

As does mine. Usually, I then take that date off the market, but I may have to review that policy.

48 hours for signing, Martin? Many of mine take far longer.

This area offers much food for thought. :confused:

[Benny Smyth]

48 hours for signing, Martin? Many of mine take far longer.

This area offers much food for thought. :confused:

Interestingly, I don't hold dates at all. By the time they say "Yes, we'd love to book you!", they've already had a ponder about it, probably spoken to other options and had a chat between themselves before making the decision. So there's no real reason to drag their feet after that (unless they want to question every :Censored:ing point of your contract terms!).

Maybe I'm a bit more on the harsher side of things but unless I have a signed booking agreement saying otherwise, the date is available for others to enquire and for me to quote for.

[CRAZY K]

Interestingly, I don't hold dates at all. By the time they say "Yes, we'd love to book you!", they've already had a ponder about it, probably spoken to other options and had a chat between themselves before making the decision. So there's no real reason to drag their feet after that (unless they want to question every :Censored:ing point of your contract terms!).

Maybe I'm a bit more on the harsher side of things but unless I have a signed booking agreement saying otherwise, the date is available for others to enquire and for me to quote for.

Peters post has always been the timescale from definitely agreeing to go ahead to getting a signed Contract and NRBF Non refundable Booking fee.

I dont start the process until people are happy to go ahead.

The problem is getting them to act quickly and pay the deposit so there is no risk of losing out to another potential job that comes along.

I take on board what Funky Mook says although I share Peters concern about timescales.

As it happens this customer has begrudgingly agreed to go ahead (with more sarcastic comments) being thick skinned and only in it for the money ive told him pay the money immediately and everything will be great and run smoothly.:D:D:D

You might think this would occur to people eh?

[funkymook]

As it happens this customer has begrudgingly agreed to go ahead (with more sarcastic comments) being thick skinned and only in it for the money ive told him pay the money immediately and everything will be great and run smoothly.:D:D:D

You might think this would occur to people eh?

I’d be out if that happened, I wouldn’t want to work with anyone if our relationship was like that.

Perhaps it’s all in the way it’s chased rather than the timescales themselves. If someone is delaying signing/paying a deposit then unless there’s another enquiry for the same date then what difference does it make to treat it as an enquiry that hasn’t made their mind up yet rather than a firm booking that is messing you around? And if another enquiry does come along just quote as normal for it and send the first people a polite note saying that someone else is interested and would they like to make sure they don’t lose the date as it’s on a first deposit gets it basis.

I suppose it all comes down to there is no booking until a contract is signed and/or a deposit is paid.

[CRAZY K]

I’d be out if that happened, I wouldn’t want to work with anyone if our relationship was like that.

Perhaps it’s all in the way it’s chased rather than the timescales themselves. If someone is delaying signing/paying a deposit then unless there’s another enquiry for the same date then what difference does it make to treat it as an enquiry that hasn’t made their mind up yet rather than a firm booking that is messing you around? And if another enquiry does come along just quote as normal for it and send the first people a polite note saying that someone else is interested and would they like to make sure they don’t lose the date as it’s on a first deposit gets it basis.

I suppose it all comes down to there is no booking until a contract is signed and/or a deposit is paid.

I agree entirely, unfortunately in my experience lately being Mr Reasonable Nice Guy doesnt seem to work with a few odd people.

Strangely two in the space of a month, normally there are no problems, perhaps its a sign of things to come next year.

Do people no longer care about incurring debts, or the knock on effect it has on a business, or having the decency to respond to reasonable courteous requests, time will tell.:rolleyes:

i have had to threaten one with legal action after acting Mr Reasonable Nice Guy before extracting any kind of acknowledgement.

So playing Mr Nice Guy continued without response and it all went dead again until I announced the Small Claims Court was looming and they re emerged again briefly.

The different current case cited above is in fact for one of our operatives who probably will appreciate a job in early January and is unlikely to get another one, so have hung in there and knowing the operative things will go well, I can always be cast as Mr Scapegoat the nasty credit controller :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D