Kinda hard to have a reputation when you hardly ever perform.
Local DJ being taken to court
- Thread starter Ron
- Start date
Kinda hard to have a reputation when you hardly ever perform.
Waiting until after the event is over is not smart biz sense. It will invite people to file false complaints, in order to try and get a discount. If also puts you in the position of collections, in the likely case that they'll spend all the money they can get their hands on. The best rule of thumb is to take payment when you can get it. Don't ever turn down money.
These cases are 100% the DJ's fault. You guys are willing to fleece a client 30 or more days out but work for another company or an agency and get paid whenever. When another outfit wants to book you it isn't because they feel bad for you they NEED you. Negotiate the terms and if they don't like it walk away from them. It's a lesson I learned long ago I had that very problem once...More than once it isn't a problem anymore it's a habit
My question is if you allow payment the day of how do you allow the client to pay ? By cc, check, money order or cash ?
Using the term "fleece" is a inflammatory and offensive. There's nothing wrong with doing basic business diligence, especially in this line of work. In terms of getting paid, you get paid where and when you can. If it's a one-off client, you'd better get your money up-front. If it's a repeat customer, then some people will find it acceptable to be paid, after the fact, in exchange for the work. Requiring payment up front from a one-off is in no way to "fleece" anyone.
What's there to laugh at ? It's about protecting your bottom line and that is getting paid the full amount of money due to you. I learned that lesson from having a few times of either getting paid part of the money or not at all .
I didn't think anyone here was that sensitive my apologies. Lets change "fleece" to "Collect up front" and keep the sentiment the same
The point was there are those that are willing to "collect up front" on a bride yet complain about having to wait to be paid form another DJ company or an agency for days or weeks. Why not "collect up front" there too?
I do agree with the never turn money down policy
Most of my clients pay by check, but I can accept credit cards too using Square. Cash is obviously, and always accepted as well. Are money orders still a thing?
I received one for a deposit earlier this year, so I assume Some people still use money orders.
The local Drug Store advertises in the paper the fact that they haven't changed their money order charge fee for like 11 years or so in the paper...they charge 75 cents a money order. ...I have heard some low income people complain that is high because "Save A Lot" does money orders for 39 cents LOL. I worked in a Liquor Store...they charged $1.25 for a money order, and I remember people complaining it was high...Of course, it's a convenience thing...they can walk 15 feet into the store and get one made QUICK, where at Wal Mart of some Grocery store it's a further walk and they could be waiting in line for 10+ minutes at the customer service desk.
I picked up a check tonight for the wedding that I did. The bride came around, and had one for me and the photographer (They had a 2 person team for photography)....She didn't have a planner, and I guess she didn't have the best man, or one of the parents drop it off in a envelope.
Because when you agree to work with another DJ company, no matter if you stipulate or demand payments up front, they will operate how they normally conduct business. If they are a DJ company with a payment processing center that does their payroll...They will have the cut check from the payment processing center the next payroll date after the event. ...That is how ALL OF THEM operate. You are thinking that the other DJ companies are also Solo Ops like yourself. While there is a owner, they have their businesses set up just like a regular employer. One company does payroll on the 1st and 15th of each month, and that's it. ...If you did a job on the 15th or 16th...you would be waiting until the 1st of the next month for payroll, then because they held the check longer, you don't receive the check in the mail until after the 10th...And that is how the 3 week wait easily happens.
What sucks is they often get the check made, then let it sit in their office for days, or over a week before they actually drop the check in the mail.
Last year I worked a job through an agent that booked me at a Casino. It took me 5 1/2 weeks to get paid. Nothing I could do but wait on the agent. He had to bill the Casino AFTER I did the work, then it took forever for him to cut me a check. ...What would have been fair is if he could have written me a personal check, so I can get paid, and wait on the money from the Casino since he has been working with them for 15 years, you would think that would be fine right...he knows they are good for the money...I am the one who is worrying because I haven't dealt with them before? ...Nope....I guess the Agent doesn't have money just sitting around. This was also after he told me I would originally be paid by the 10th (10 days after the gig to allow time for payroll from the Casino).
There are many people out there who just don't conduct business in a fair, and professional manner. I'm busy enough at this point that I don't need to associate myself with people like that. Again, other DJ companies, and Agents I don't already have an established partnership with...they can send me their client to book direct. If they NEED me that much, then they will agree to doing that.
Because when you agree to work with another DJ company, no matter if you stipulate or demand payments up front, they will operate how they normally conduct business. If they are a DJ company with a payment processing center that does their payroll...They will have the cut check from the payment processing center the next payroll date after the event. ...That is how ALL OF THEM operate. You are thinking that the other DJ companies are also Solo Ops like yourself. While there is a owner, they have their businesses set up just like a regular employer. One company does payroll on the 1st and 15th of each month, and that's it. ...If you did a job on the 15th or 16th...you would be waiting until the 1st of the next month for payroll, then because they held the check longer, you don't receive the check in the mail until after the 10th...And that is how the 3 week wait easily happens.
What sucks is they often get the check made, then let it sit in their office for days, or over a week before they actually drop the check in the mail.
Last year I worked a job through an agent that booked me at a Casino. It took me 5 1/2 weeks to get paid. Nothing I could do but wait on the agent. He had to bill the Casino AFTER I did the work, then it took forever for him to cut me a check. ...What would have been fair is if he could have written me a personal check, so I can get paid, and wait on the money from the Casino since he has been working with them for 15 years, you would think that would be fine right...he knows they are good for the money...I am the one who is worrying because I haven't dealt with them before? ...Nope....I guess the Agent doesn't have money just sitting around. This was also after he told me I would originally be paid by the 10th (10 days after the gig to allow time for payroll from the Casino).
There are many people out there who just don't conduct business in a fair, and professional manner. I'm busy enough at this point that I don't need to associate myself with people like that. Again, other DJ companies, and Agents I don't already have an established partnership with...they can send me their client to book direct. If they NEED me that much, then they will agree to doing that.
What happens when a bride says she doesn't operate on those terms?
But that isn't how ALL of them operate there is always room to negotiate with anyone you are doing business with. It's simple they don't work on my terms I don't work for them. I've worked for other multi-ops and I've worked for sole proprietors. The ones I know I will wait until the next day the ones I don't pay me up front I'm not chasing anyone for money
You don' t work for them you are a contractor you shouldn't be dealing with a payroll department it should be accounts receivable/payable department. It's a business to business relationship.
I also run a multi-op and generally I pay the next day. If it was asked of me I would be glad to pay the day of.
I had an agency that I had never worked with from out of province call me last year they wanted audio and lighting for a trade show booth for 3 days. I gave them a price and they agreed. When I discussed terms they started to balk they wanted net 30 and I wanted to be paid by the start of setup. I have done net 30 many times with corporate clients but I hadn't worked with this crew before and reviews were mixed on them so I went this route.
They decided that wasn't the way they do business so I wished them well. Three days later they called and agreed to my terms. I didn't ask but I would be probably safe to assume they couldn't find anyone else willing to agree either that could do the job.
I've also lost work by my policy but I don't need to bend at this point
The thing about working for someone else like a multi op is it's 2 sides to the story. There is the part of the multi op where they will look to hire a DJ and unless they know the DJ personally, how do they know they can trust that DJ? How do they know if that DJ will keep their word and show up to do the job or be a no show. How does the multi op know that if they pay in full ahead of time to the DJ that they won't get burned with a no show DJ leaving them with a bad look to clients?
The flip side of that is how do you work for someone and they tell you that you will be paid after the event is over? Some say just get paid up front to avoid not getting paid. That would be great if every DJ did what they were supposed to do. The problem is that out there are these tacky DJs who will get paid ahead of time and not show up to do the work. If everybody was on the up and up and didn't do such a thing it would be no problem with the DJ getting paid in advance. Same thing goes with a multi op. Some are legit and will see to it that DJ gets paid in full. Then there are those multi ops that are shady and will run off with the money and not pay the DJ. On both sides how do you know who to trust? What research do you do in such cases where either you plan to work for somebody or you plan to hire somebody to work for you so these issues don't become a problem? Has anyone had a situation where they have a signed agreement with a client and something came up where they couldn't make the event to do the job? I thank God and I guess it's luck as well I have never had that happen in my 29 years as a DJ. I can't lie and say I don't worry about it from time to time because of my age. I'm 58 years old and I do have some health issues. So I do worry from time to time. So far so good.
The flip side of that is how do you work for someone and they tell you that you will be paid after the event is over? Some say just get paid up front to avoid not getting paid. That would be great if every DJ did what they were supposed to do. The problem is that out there are these tacky DJs who will get paid ahead of time and not show up to do the work. If everybody was on the up and up and didn't do such a thing it would be no problem with the DJ getting paid in advance. Same thing goes with a multi op. Some are legit and will see to it that DJ gets paid in full. Then there are those multi ops that are shady and will run off with the money and not pay the DJ. On both sides how do you know who to trust? What research do you do in such cases where either you plan to work for somebody or you plan to hire somebody to work for you so these issues don't become a problem? Has anyone had a situation where they have a signed agreement with a client and something came up where they couldn't make the event to do the job? I thank God and I guess it's luck as well I have never had that happen in my 29 years as a DJ. I can't lie and say I don't worry about it from time to time because of my age. I'm 58 years old and I do have some health issues. So I do worry from time to time. So far so good.
It's one-off versus repeat. If an agency hands you 20 dates per year, it puts them on a stronger negotiating platform than a bride who will only hire you once. If a company is filling half your book and they want to pay after the fact, it's left to your negotiating skills to determine who wins that argument.
When I used to sub out gigs, after you did five gigs for me with zero issues I would pay up front if you wanted me to, up to 24 hours before the gig, On gigs with a deposit they were also paid a portion of the deposit when it was made
I trust my DJs, but there is one main reason why I hold the deposit until the event date.
- If something were to happen to the DJ I booked, and I can't find a substitute, then I would need to refund that deposit. If I already paid a portion of the deposit to the DJ, then I would be out money if this situation arose.
Sure, it's rare, but anything could happen. My DJs know I will cut them a check the next day after the gig if they stop by my house the next day.
yet you ask your clients to trust you by making a deposit, you could be killed in a car accident on the way to a gig or abducted by aliens then what happens to their deposit or more importantly their event
Doesn't anyone have a form they use in conjunction with a credit card payment laying out the details of a payment schedule and once signed, gives you the OK to charge the card per said schedule?
I really disliked going to a client at the end of any event and waiting for a payment....awkward...
I really disliked going to a client at the end of any event and waiting for a payment....awkward...
I collect prior to the event also, but if you think about it is it any different than the waiter asking you to pay after you've finished a meal