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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
No, not the performer but the customer. I ran into diffrent situations when the customer wanted me to wait later to start my performance. The most offen is when she/he want the kids to eat the pizza before it gets cold because the pizza deliverer arrived close to the same time as my performance time. Another reason is because all the kids have not arrived yet. Another reason is because another entertainer was booked by the customer close to the same time as mine.
What would you do? |
Bridgewater Regular user North Carolina 184 Posts |
For any of us to be successful, customer service has got to be our stock in trade. If I client's event is running late, I will do whatever I can to accomodate the client, short of making myself late for another show.
If, to keep my schedule, I have to cut short my performance because a client was running late, I would not be willing to accept a reduced fee. Even customer service has its limits.
"Don't run with those..."
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RicHeka Inner circle 3999 Posts |
Bridgewater:I agree 100% ! Best.
Rich |
donsmagic Loyal user 258 Posts |
I tell the people that are hiring me not to have me start right when the party starts. If the party begins at 2:00, I'll tell them to have me start at 2:30. It has been my experiences that people always coming late.
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flourish dude Inner circle from ? But I know where I am going! 1195 Posts |
Put in your contract that you have to start on time. Also when you book the show tell them they have to start on time becuase of later bookings so make sure to time it right. Then when you do your preshow call remind them that the show will start at X.
Nothing of the same will bring any change, take action today!
Just taking a step, is a step in the right direction because when you stop working, your dream dies. www.magicalmemories.us |
Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
GRrrrr... I was hired to do a holiday party for a big software company, okay the biggest software company.
Between the agent and the client I had to wait TWO HOURS before I could do my show. Luckily (?) I didn't have anything booked after so I did the show. For me it is about disappointing the 300 people that brought their kids and were expecting to see a magician. If it was just the person who booked me or the agent I would have walked (even though my agent is a great guy. You don't hear that much). To top it off I was treated like a second class citizen by the people running the show. I told my agent to book somebody else for it next year. I agree with Bridgewater on the subject no matter how much it might burn me up at times. Because for me the bottom line is no matter how I am treated it should not change how I treat them. I am a professional. That is about me and not about them. The only time I have ever walked on a show is when I showed up at a house and they tried to pay me half of what had been agreed upon BEFORE I had even done the show! When I said, "good day" and walked they said they would pay the full amount. At that point I trusted them about as far as I could bowl them and said no thanks. I still feel like a jerk for leaving a house full of little kids without a magician. It wasn't their fault. But as my dad used to say, "Life is hard, get a helmet." The good news is there are a ton of great people out there too. I had a couple not too long ago pay me twice the agreed upon fee because they were so shocked (in a good way) by the quality of my show and booked me for another family gathering at that price just a few months later. Unfortunately, and I do not know why this is, I always seem to remember the dastardly jerks a lot longer that the really fantastic folks that it is my privilege to work for. That being said I always try and temper a post like this one with a story about the up-side of our business. Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
charliemagic Special user 545 Posts |
Try doing a search on contracts.There were examples of paragraphs having penality clauses if a performance is delayed etc etc..
Charlie |
Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
Dynamike -
This problem, for birthday parties at least, can be solved at the point when booking the show. Act the role of a party consultant, not merely a performer. Make suggestions, not demands, and give logical reasons to back up your suggestions. First off, suggest that they have your show a half-hour into the party, in case guests are running late. And recommend an alternative activity for the parent to do at the party during that time. And also recommend that they have their food after the show. There are several reasons for this, but one is you don't want kids with sticky hands handling the props. Another reason is that the kids get excited because of your show, and the best way to calm them down / bring them back into focus, is to follow the show with the food. (Another reason, you don't need to necessarily mention, is of course, in case the food delivery / cooking / eating is running late.) The other thing you can do, when booking the show, and setting a time, is to let the parent know that you have a busy schedule that day, and will need to start on time, and finish on time, in order to get to the next show. Explain that you will be there early to set up, but that you will need to start on time. Also, cover this ground again when making the confirmation / reminder call, a few days before the show date. (Of course, the show time should be covered in your confirmation letter / contract, but very few will remember the contents. This is why it is good to verbally communicate it, too.) Hope that this helps. - Donald
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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Starrpower Inner circle 4070 Posts |
If I can delay I will, within reason. But there are times when I can't, and the client has to know that. Ultimately, I expect the buyer to start at the agreed upon time. A delayed start may result in a shorter program. I state that in the contract, and explain it to the client upon booking, and during the confirmation call.
If it had been me, I don't think I would have waited 2 hours to start, regardless of the client. That's unreasonable and unprofessional. Perhaps it could be stated in contracts that you can collect $x for every 30 minutes of delay. |
chris mcbrien Inner circle Chicago 1235 Posts |
I have to agree with starrpower 100% on this....
Clients need to respect our time! Chris |
Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
Starpower,
When I book the show and write the contract that is the way it is. I also work for several booking agents. These guys all have a different set of obligations and I am usually aware of none of them. In my situation they are a necessary evil. I have been a full time pro for the past year. This is all I do. Until I have paid my dues and have a client list that can keep me working all year I am at the agents beckoned call. I don't like it but that is life. If I want to continue working regularly there is a lot of give and take. I am also more than likely to wait two hours if the money is right. This was not a small job. I am not making excuses I am just clarifying the way it is for me. I am also not complaining. You can not wake up one morning walk out your front door and be a full time entertainer without paying some dues. It is no different than any other trade. You learn your craft, You start at the bottom, and if you are any good you will progress to the point you make the rules. If you are lucky (and talented). I look forward to reaching that point. Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
triadsong Regular user Long Island, NY 170 Posts |
This happened to me recently. Private house Birthday Party. All set up I advance, spoke to the Mother two days prior. Party guests were told to arrive at 3 pm. I was going to start at 4pm. I arrived early to set up to find no one had arrived yet.
I informed the Mother of my schedule and said we could wait a short time. I had been interacting with the Birthday girl and her brother since I arrived so I did balloons for them and the two cousins who did arrive. The hosts kept offering me food which I politely declined and finally we started at 4:30. People kept arriving until I was finished at 5:10. When I left the Mother thanked me profusely for being kind and professional and even added to my fee to say thanks and sorry. Here, unless she had misinformed me, it was not her fault but folks who took for granted that it was fashionable to be late. It's not fashionable - it's rude. I told my booker about the events and he's changed his practices to make sure all details are CLEAR and CONCISE. Vinny |
Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-01-19 18:31, Danny Hustle wrote: Did you receive a deposit or anything at all? Quote:
On 2006-01-20 12:03, Donald Dunphy wrote: Wow, Donald. You should be a booking agent. I will be glad to be one of your entertainers. |
Kent Wong Inner circle Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 2458 Posts |
Yup, it happens. I'm doing a show this weekend where I have been forwarned by the client that it might happen. You see, the kids are all gathering at a nearby restaurant for a pizza lunch. Then they'll return to the house for the magic show and cake. She indicated at the time of booking that she may be a little late depending on the kids. I told her it wouldn't be a problem. After all, she phoned to book the show well in advance and gave me a heads-up warning about the possible timing difficulties. If only they were all that considerate.
She did appreciate my suggestion that I could perhaps show up at the restaurant and just do the show there. That would save a whole lot of running around and stress. However, she thought the kids would enjoy the show a lot more if it was at the house. Kent
"Believing is Seeing"
<BR>______________________ <BR> <BR>www.kentwongmagic.com |
rossmacrae Inner circle Arlington, Virginia 2475 Posts |
"That'll be just fine, ma'am ... pay in advance, and I leave at [X:00pm] whether you got there in time or not."
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-01-20 18:19, Dynamike wrote: Thanks for the compliment, Dynamike. I'm not an agent, nor do I play one on TV (hehehe!). In fact, in all of my years, I've rarely worked with one, so I can't really relate to what it is like to work with one. I book 99.9% of my own shows directly with my customer (I maybe get approached by an agent once every year or two, out of the hundreds of calls). At least, that's been my experience with performing in my area. I've never even had a deep desire to act as an agent on another performer's behalf. I do believe in offering clear communication and great customer service. That just comes out of being a little perfectionistic in nature, mixed with a hunger for growing as a business person, combined with the real-world experience of professionally performing thousands of shows over the past 25+ years. Something must be working right -- at least I have found what is effective for me. Keep up your search of what will work right for you. - Donald
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-01-20 18:16, Dynamike wrote: No on the deposit...anything at all...hmmm.. I left with a really bad headache. Does that count? You live and learn. Anything I book personally now requires a deposit. It is a process and I am trying not to repeat mistakes. The unfortunate thing is that 99% of people would not be a problem. It is just that one in 100 that is always trying to get something for nothing or refuses to ever pay "retail". For the record these people were VERY wealthy. The house had to have gone for over a million bucks and the cars in the driveway cost more than most folks make in a year. I have always found that the people with the most money are almost always the last to pay, worst tippers, and treat service people like garbage. If you see somebody with a lot of money that treats people well they know what it is like to be broke or made their money in a service industry. There are exceptions of course but in my experience they are few and far between. Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
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