Last Minute Enquiries - What Would You Accept?

[Dukesy 0]

Have had a few last minute email enquiries leading up to NYE, have replied to all - most were looking for best price.

 

One enquiry for a full disco setup which came via an agent said that the smartly dressed DJ would be required for 6 hours work for £300 but for me, to get to the hotel location would take around 2-3 hours. So this is a 5 - 6 hour round trip journey, getting home (hopefully) before 6am!

Rounded off, around 12 hours work.

 

The guest numbers are 100, all paying around £65 per head, meal, etc.

 

In very basic terms, the £300 payment could be broken down to around £25 per hour which is considerably higher than the minimum wage.

However, if I were to add a tank of fuel into the equation, this then comes down to around £235, or approx £19 an hour. Again, still higher than the minimum wage. No other considerations have been equated.

 

Would you do it?

[Liscio 0]

No, not worth my time on NYE! Would be looking for £500+

[andyw 0]

prefer to be closer to home nye, so wouldn't do it for that price

[Kingy 0]

I would ask the agent what the top line is.

 

If he were to disclose it (which he legally should, by the way, if he is claiming to be working on a commission basis) I would haggle for the fee I wanted, which would be way above £300.

 

I am willing to bet the agent is making a pretty penny on this one, perhaps he should wave his commission to look after his client.

[Dukesy 0]

Good point Kingy!

 

I guess that the agent is taking upto 25% for this one (NYE) but I could be well wrong. Would be interesting to know!

Edited December 30, 2008 by Dukesy

[spinner 0]

No.

 

What's the relevance of the minimum wage?

[Bouncy Dancefloor 0]

as for the minimum wage comment, i dont know any DJ's out there who have thousands of pounds worth of equipment and thousands of song tracks built up over 10+ years, who would even compare their prices with minimum wage

 

I Dj because i enjoy it

I DJ Fulltime because i can manage my own spare time (there is paperwork to do and other stuff) I can do all this at 3am or 12 midday, the difference is that i choose this

 

Any agent who is offering such low money is probably targeting the wrong markets, going rate around here is £500-600 for a standard show, although there are of course alot who dont have the balls to charge so much. Its entirely possible this agent is charging alot more and keeping the difference!!

[Dukesy 0]

What's the relevance of the minimum wage?

 

See recent discussion here

[Kingy 0]

Literally just had the following conversation with the manager of a local private members sports club regarding a DJ for NYE tomorrow:

 

MGR: We have been let down for tomorrow night and have had you before & wondered if you could help us out with a DJ. ( I can't remember working there!!)

 

ME: I have one DJ who is suitable and free, it will cost you £XXX

 

MGR: That is £200 more than we had been quoted by another guy.

 

ME: Why has your DJ dropped out?

 

MGR: He is going on holiday

 

ME: When ? Today?

 

MGR: Yes, he is going as a stand in when a mate has dropped out!!!

 

ME: So, will you be enforcing his contract?

 

MGR: We dont use contracts, theres no need usually.

 

ME: Well perhaps we could discuss your needs for the next years functions and come to some sort of arrangement.

 

MGR: No, he will be back by then.

 

ME: What sort of budget do you have for NYE?

 

MGR: Double rate, £240

 

We parted company after this comment.

 

I have no idea where he had my number from, I know the venue but have not worked there. Membership is expensive yet their idea of "double fee" is only £240.

 

I give up.

[McCardle 1]

I think Kingy's post sums up exactly how it is in some areas, and if the trend of clubs and pubs closing continues at the rate that we are seeing at the moment, then this time next year there will probably be about 8 DJs and 6 bands competing for each and every license premises which are still open. Work out what that will do to prices.

 

Hopefully it won't happen and continue its current downward spiral and i pray that it doesn't, but if it does...well we'll see in the fullness of time, however there will always be areas which will fair better than others.

Edited December 30, 2008 by McCardle

[DiscoandKaraoke 0]

£300, 2 to 3 hours away? I would have told him (very politely, of course) to shove it.

 

I can get £400 on NYE locally with absolutely no effort. If I was to turn down my regular NYE job for next year and hold out for £500+ elsewhere, it would be worth a gamble. I'm 75% sure I'd get that.

 

I wouldn't take a job for £300 on NYE under any circumstances.

 

[McCardle 1]

To be fair though, £300 for a booking may be attractive for a DJ who lives 1/2 mile away, and its not the fault of the venue that the agent chose to to outsource the requirement to DJ's who live many miles away and to whom the fee is not viable nor logistically attractive.

 

This is probably the reason why we, when as customers ourselves we choose to contact local plumbers when our pipes need work and take our cars and vans to local garages for servicing. I mean, if you live in London, you don't take your car to a Garage in Inverness do you, no matter how good they are or how many awards the've won. tongue out icon and why?, because its not economically viable nor convenient.

 

Of course any DJ who travels well outside of his or her local area, is going to want to earn more than they would have got for working on their doorstep, and its not a crime for them to want substantial renumeration for their additional expenses, fuel, traveling time and general inconvenience to do so.

 

Sadly, some of our clients and also some agents it seems, need to work that one out. :scared:, but the again there will always be cheeky chancers and probably no shortage of those daft enough to encourage them, by agreeing to it :ads: .

Edited December 30, 2008 by McCardle

[D.X 0]

MGR: We have been let down for tomorrow night and have had you before & wondered if you could help us out with a DJ. ( I can't remember working there!!)

 

ME: I have one DJ who is suitable and free, it will cost you £XXX

 

MGR: That is £200 more than we had been quoted by another guy.

 

ME: Why has your DJ dropped out?

 

MGR: He is going on holiday

 

Idiot. There's a reason why the other DJ is £200 cheaper, he lets you down at the last minute to go on a jolly with his mates. And they're going to take him back afterwards. What marvellous business sense.

 

Let them get on with it, no doubt he'll find some mug to do it.

 

[Andy Westcott 0]

I wouldn't accept the work, even if local, and that's with my pricing structure!

 

I would politely suggest they enquire elsewhere, or give them 'Arris's number.

[andyw 0]

 

 

I would politely suggest they enquire elsewhere, or give them 'Arris's number.

 

problem with that is arris would then phone you give you £25 to do it, and you would owe him a drink