Post COVID - what's the future going to look like?

[DJ Jules]

In my current job as a supermarket home delivery driver, if the customer isn't in when I knock the door - they have to PAY for a re-delivery (it's a change of contract). It's accepted and is normal to them. Again, this should apply to me.

Before I started Disco's, I hired out Bouncy Castles and I still dry hire lights and PA (including delivery/collection) so when I wrote my current contract, I came at it with first hand experience of how flighty and disorganised Joe Public can be and what that can do to a busy delivery schedule and other customers. Because of this, I have clauses that cover failed deliveries/collections as well as re-delivery and last minute changes and, sadly, I have to use them quite often. I use a payment gateway that holds the card details in a manner that allows me to take additional payments if needed, so enforcing the terms is easy and I've never had an extracharge disputed

I've just updated my contract terms again around rescheduling and cancellations. I noticed that Guides for Brides did a piece earlier this week on micro and 2 part weddings, encouraging venues and suppliers to embrace them with a "you'll get paid twice and couples will want to spend more on the celebration" type message without mentioning the risk of the 2nd part being cancelled if the wedding goes ahead now. I'm sure venues will have covered their backs as their terms are usually the most stringent and they'll probably be sat on full payment for both parts before the first part goes ahead, but other suppliers (like me) will probably be quite exposed.

I've now had 5 of my July/August couples split their weddings and get married and 3 of them have now cancelled the parties, of the other two, one has converted the party into a joint 30th/50th and the other is planning an anniversary party next July. So, personally, I'm not seeing couples want to split the marriage from the celebration and supersize the celebration (some after waiting 6 months+ to get married), they just seem to want to get married and put all of the stress behind them.

Julian

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

I laughed at ppentertainments mentioning the ‘luvvy duvvy’ talk from other wedding suppliers. Some other non-DJ folk in the wedding market I encountered over the years came across as being quite naïve in their attitude from my perspective so I can guess the sort of talk!

Repeat rescheduling

I had a client once who did a bit of repeat rescheduling. I had a term in my contracts about a £10 admin fee for rearranging/variation, which I put in after taking inspiration from how hotels, train operators, airlines, insurance companies etc charge admin fees if you want to change something about a booking. I rarely had a need to ask for it.

However, I‘d agreed to do an end of year school disco for Year 6 children being organised by parents. They’d already been unable to book their usual DJ, who is a friend of mine, as they’d changed the date and he was away on holiday. Well, after booking me and I’d sent out the confirmation and contract they rang to change the date a second time, which was fine because it moved from a Wednesday to a Tuesday in the same week.

In the meantime I had a signed contract returned in the post and a deposit. However, about a week before the gig they rang and asked to change the times. It actually meant I’d have to finish the day job slightly earlier to accommodate, which meant using up some annual leave. Now this was beginning to rattle me so I said, “ok but there’s a £10 admin fee.” The lady got a bit narky but I pointed out she’d changed the booking once before with me and I hadn’t asked for a admin fee as per the contract. I also explained although I could accommodate the earlier start time meant I’d have to finish work earlier and use up annual leave. She said she’d have to speak to the other mothers. A different lady rang back later and said, “I’m sorry we’ve messed you about a bit.”
I ended up getting a tip after that particular gig too.

At the end of the day rescheduling is contract variation and if you get the feeling the client is a bit or could be a bit flaky, I’d try and renegotiate something for you as well.

Ah the good all: PM me hun xxxx brigade.

But I digress. Speaking of constant changing. I'm dealing with a client just now who it would be unfair to call a nightmare but there's been issues fromd ay one

Multiple reschedules - weekdays so not a huge issue.

Paid deposit then asked for half back as he'd gone overdrawn. This was done then explained the booking wasn't secure until it had been restored. This took something like 9 months for him to finally do.


I got an e-mail from him yesterday. Seems like DJEP sent out an automated balance reminder to him from the original date.

The e-mail was quite blunt something like: "This is a mistake surely, we've rescheduled to date x 2021."

I may be over reading it as it's of course difficult to guage intent with text but it kind of ed me off he was that blunt. Surely a "hey man, just checking if this is right or not?" would have been nicer given how much I've bent for them.

Anyways. I responded yes it was a mistake that must have slipped through the net when changing the booking details however 50% of his balance was due by the original date as per my rescheduling terms.

Radio silence since, not even a response of acknowledgement. The deadline is due on Monday so it'll be interesting to see how he comes when I do start e-mailing him about money.

[DJ Jules]

Radio silence since, not even a response of acknowledgement. The deadline is due on Monday so it'll be interesting to see how he comes when I do start e-mailing him about money.

Are you taking bets?

Julian

[Imagine]

Two, yes TWO of next year's rescheduled brides have now pulled the plug on me completely (apparently they can't see things being back to how they'd like to celebrate by the time their weddings come around).
I have a feeling there's going to be a proper tsunami of this in the coming months....

[Excalibur]

Two, yes TWO of next year's rescheduled brides have now pulled the plug on me completely (apparently they can't see things being back to how they'd like to celebrate by the time their weddings come around).
I have a feeling there's going to be a proper tsunami of this in the coming months....

Proper little ray of sunshine, aren't you? Everybody else is forecasting wall to wall midweek weddings. Fill your boots time.


However:


I broadly agree with you. What we're likely to get at the moment is a bit of background music and PA for thirty people, or if we're really lucky, a proper function perhaps as a one year anniversary.

Worst case scenario is a realisation that the ceremony for family and close friends is the important part, and the big shindig is a costly luxury, especially when people may have lost significant amounts of their income. I'm sorry, but I don't see a glut of work coming our way, more like a rash of cancellations. Yours, Cassandra.

[Imagine]

And sadly - sudden local lockdowns are going to be a thing for a while to come as well

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53602362

Who'd want to take the risk of organising and paying for a massive party when this could happen the day before it happens?

[DJ Jules]

Add to this that Guides for Brides, Hitched, etc are all pushing mini-monies and live streamed weddings (by phone!) and it feels like 2021's wall weddings might be just a little bit optimistic.

On the plus side, my kit is now all snugly flight cased, should it happen to ever leave the premises again (I've finally got round to finishing the build on proper flight cases for some of my lights).

Julian

[ppentertainments]

Add to this that Guides for Brides, Hitched, etc are all pushing mini-monies and live streamed weddings (by phone!) and it feels like 2021's wall weddings might be just a little bit optimistic.

Julian

Can't see 2021 being much busier than this year if honest. Not being negative, but who in their right mind is going to risk 000's and all that planning, for an event which may not go ahead. At the end of the day being married is not THAT important nowadays and certainly something which can be easily put off for a few years.

Heard many couples saying they are going to have a family then get married rather than the other way round which actually makes sense.

A lot of venues etc are also pushing the 'get married this year, have a party next year' idea - of course by next year the party simply won't happen.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Can't see 2021 being much busier than this year if honest. Not being negative, but who in their right mind is going to risk 000's and all that planning, for an event which may not go ahead. At the end of the day being married is not THAT important nowadays and certainly something which can be easily put off for a few years.

Heard many couples saying they are going to have a family then get married rather than the other way round which actually makes sense.

A lot of venues etc are also pushing the 'get married this year, have a party next year' idea - of course by next year the party simply won't happen.

Sadly, and I'm an eternal optimist, I think you may ne correct.

I'm now 99.7% sure I'm wrapping it in. I wonder where I stand if people start trying to move 2021 dates into 2022 when my last booking is likely to be the end of October 2021.

I suppose as soon as live music is back on the cards in any shape or form at weddings it's a cancellation...

[rth_discos]

Can't see 2021 being much busier than this year if honest. Not being negative, but who in their right mind is going to risk 000's and all that planning, for an event which may not go ahead. At the end of the day being married is not THAT important nowadays and certainly something which can be easily put off for a few years.

I think today's lunchtime announcement has confirmed that, especially from Professor Chris Whitty who confirmed that we have 'reached the limit of what can be opened up'.

And this is during the summer period.

Until a vaccine is found, or the virus mutates itself to something less harmful (which I fear is out best chance out of this), then we are stuck in this situation now.