The Demise Of Dj@

[Tommo55 0]

Dan

 

For my ten penneth I would just like to say thakyou for all your hard work and commitment to this forum, it is the first and only forum that I am a member of and have enjoyed many a posting and reading banter between others that has always seemed good natured and never malicious or spiteful.

 

The members have helped me out with many of my problems and issuses as I would hope any replies I have offered have been useful to somebody, even if only to raise a smile :yes:

 

So I raise my glass to you in the hope that whatever situation you currently find yourself in, it does not take too long for the skies to clear and the sea's to calm to enable you to continue your journey.

 

So thankyou once again.

 

David

 

[vokf 0]

For anyone not aware; there was more the DJ@ than PLI;

 

Work like this;

http://www.dj-community.co.uk/blog/?p=22

 

I started in here (DJU) in early 2008;

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/index.php?s=&amp...st&p=200068

 

 

...and then signed up for DJ@ later that year. I found my first email to Dan..

Hi Dan(?),

I'll be pleased to part with £49.00 of my hard-earned.

 

Please yell if you need any webby type help, I'm slowly coming to the end of 2 projects, leaving my spare time... finally spare!

 

Best wishes,

Jason

 

This was pre-PLI, I already had a good deal with DJ Guard, but I agreed with the aims of DJ@. The PLI thing was a dammed good benefit, but there was certainly more to DJ@ than cheap PLI.

 

-Discounted Music (DMC/Mastermix Digital/MixMash)

-Many, many articles (read them whilst you can!);

http://www.djassociates.org/dj_association...tion_guides.htm

-Health & Safety Advice

-Discounted equipment insurance

-Financial info

 

So - I'm carefully looking around for PLI. Dan has provided over 30days notice, and DJ Guard is offering "instant" PLI+Equipment cover, so no need for any panic buying. My PLI cover expires end of Aug, and is fine for my August weddings.

 

This is a sad time, as its is a removal of choice in the market, and also loss an organisation doing things a little different to the others.

 

Jason

Edited July 28, 2010 by vokf

[Raymilkybarkid 0]

I am sorry to read the news and for the first time in years I am lost for words.

All I can say is it must have been one of the hardest decisions to make. Dan has been a tower of strength to me personally during my illness taking time to call and see how I was and the countless offers to help with my commitments.

 

It is what has been written before a truly sad occasion.

[Dukesy 0]

Okay, one member has asked me why DJ@ issued a pro-rata based membership, always running a fixed period from Sept 1st - August 31st annually, and whether the cessation of DJ@ at the end of this policy was in some way pre planned.

 

First of all, having memberships which run alongside the same PLI 'year' is common sense. It's always something of a gamble accepting memberships which guarantee PLI cover entering into a time period which is extending well beyond an existing physical policy period and into a new policy period which, as of yet does not exist, has not yet been purchased and may be several months away from even being (re)quoted by the Broker.

 

This is all well and good if you have the security and financial backing like the MU to cover any additional or unexpected outlay, but if your subscription base is smaller, and you have a physical policy which is valid until 31st August 2010 and you accept a new membership in April 2010 which runs to April of the following year then how can you offer the security and validity of a PLI policy running into the September 2010 to April 2011 which doesn't yet physically exist at the underwriters without some form of risk being attached to those promising the cover? This is a bit like somebody promising that your car insurance premium will be exactly the same as it was the previous year, even though it's still some months until the renewal and anything could happen in the interim, including somebody making a claim or your underwriter suddenly refusing to continue to accept the entertainment fraternity!

 

What would happen if for example, in the meantime, a member had a claim under the existing policy, meaning that any renewed policy from Sept 2010 was significantly increased by the insurer to the point where the revenue from those who had paid the association in advance didn't even come close to covering the actual renewed policy premium?

 

How would the association cover the additional and as yet, unpredicted cost then? Would the various committee members be putting their hands in their collective pockets and making up the shortfall? One would certainly expect so, and somebody has got to stand up and accept accountability.

 

In addition, what would happen if a claim resulted in any offer of a subsequent consecutive policy being refused by the broker or underwriter when it came to renewal time? What redundancy exists in the event of this happening to protect those who are legally contracted to receive cover beyond the expiry of the existing policy?

 

Take the time to check your membership to see what guarantees exist in the event of something like this happening. If they are not stipulated then ask them to put this in writing, you have a right to know, especially as you are effectively investing into something which doesn't as yet, physically exist in the form of a blanket pli policy document in force to at least the date of your membership expiry.

 

In addition, should the Association be dissolved at any time for whatever reason, with memberships all expiring at various times, it would be impossible to voluntarily cease the association at an organic renewal time convenient to everyone and give an adequate notice period in the run up to that date. It would also have to refund - pro-rata all of the membership payments for those who still had a remaining period of valid membership / pli, meaning a logistical nightmare for 'somebody' and refund fees levied by any merchant service provider.

 

DJ@ did not plan its cessation date months or years ago, and no, this wasn't a deliberate or predicted exercise. Having a given date when everybody's' membership expires and is renewed en-masse is far easier to handle and maintain than keeping tabs on the individual expiry dates of many, many memberships. This philosophy may be okay if you pay wages to admin staff or have a very small membership smile icon , however, when you have a database as large as DJ Associates it is more of a challenge, and I don't apologise for running an association in a way which means the minimum of admin work and expenses, the chances of individual renewals being overlooked are naturally actively minimised and the protection of offering a PLI policy for a period that exists and is actively reflected for exactly the same period on an actual policy document which is fully underwritten for the period as indicated on every members membership card and online pli documention and which doesn't extend into an unknown and as yet unchartered fantasy island.

 

Whilst others have the right to run their associations as they choose, I chose to protect both myself and the members with a membership and PLI period backed by a physical underwritten pli policy in actual existence, and of which could be physically produced rather than take advance payment for a policy, part of which will have to be renewed at a date sometime in the future at a renewal fee which, as yet, hadn't been negotiated with the broker and may of course be subject to increases or additional restrictions.

 

I assume that those associations are just expecting the renewal fee for 2011 to be similar to that paid in 2010, but we all know that insurance companies are unpredictable, premiums increase and any subsequent claim(s) may be made in the meantime meaning a significant premium increase or even a renewal refused!

 

Obviously, people are finding DJ@'s membership policy to be slightly different to the norm, but I would suggest that they are common sense in an unpredictable and ever changing economic climate, and protect both its members and the association to the best of its ability. For example, if we had of continued into 2011, and found that our PLI policy was to be significantly increased in the run up to its renewal on September 1st, then we could plan and notify our members of any increase in our membership fees in order to cover the difference accordingly and therefore continue to make our association model viable, cover the cost of the annual pli on the renewal date and continue to 'exist'. However, if we had taken a large percentage of advance memberships whose pli policies extended into the new policy period at the old rate, expecting the premium to be the same and found that it was £1500 a year more, then we may end up either being financially embarrassed and having to make up the shortfall personally, which I'm sure various committee members elsewhere will be more than happy to do, should the hat be passed.

 

The same would apply if we shopped around for a new policy at the renewal date and changed underwriters, we would then have half of the membership with documents relating to the old policy which may no longer be valid and would therefore have to send out new policy documents containing the new policy number, terms and paperwork to those members. Any differences in policy terms or stipulations would also have to be notified in advance. Far easier and more workable to just move everybody onto a renewed policy en masse on exactly the same date.

 

This advance model is all well and good and completely workable if you have the subscription base to financially support any change in premium - whatever it may be. However, for the smaller independent association, it may become a sticky wicket if they become the test case in any of these scenario's! After all, if they have promised you a policy running between two dates then they are contractually obliged to provide that policy come what may, which will be interesting should the additional renewal premium be no longer financially viable or a policy renewal flatly refused, I wonder how the consecutive aspect of the insurance cover would then be assured and how it would be obtained and at whose cost?

[UKHero 0]

Okay, one member has asked me why DJ@ issued a pro-rata based membership, always running a fixed period from Sept 1st - August 31st annually, and whether the cessation of DJ@ at the end of this policy was in some way pre planned.

 

First of all, having memberships which run alongside the same PLI 'year' is common sense. It's always something of a gamble accepting memberships which guarantee PLI cover entering into a time period which is extending well beyond an existing physical policy period and into a new policy period which, as of yet does not exist, has not yet been purchased and may be several months away from even being (re)quoted by the Broker.

 

This is all well and good if you have the security and financial backing like the MU to cover any additional or unexpected outlay, but if your subscription base is smaller, and you have a physical policy which is valid until 31st August 2010 and you accept a new membership in April 2010 which runs to April of the following year then how can you offer the security and validity of a PLI policy running into the September 2010 to April 2011 which doesn't yet physically exist at the underwriters without some form of risk being attached to those promising the cover? This is a bit like somebody promising that your car insurance premium will be exactly the same as it was the previous year, even though it's still some months until the renewal and anything could happen in the interim, including somebody making a claim or your underwriter suddenly refusing to continue to accept the entertainment fraternity!

 

What would happen if for example, in the meantime, a member had a claim under the existing policy, meaning that any renewed policy from Sept 2010 was significantly increased by the insurer to the point where the revenue from those who had paid the association in advance didn't even come close to covering the actual renewed policy premium?

 

How would the association cover the additional and as yet, unpredicted cost then? Would the various committee members be putting their hands in their collective pockets and making up the shortfall? One would certainly expect so, and somebody has got to stand up and accept accountability.

 

In addition, what would happen if a claim resulted in any offer of a subsequent consecutive policy being refused by the broker or underwriter when it came to renewal time? What redundancy exists in the event of this happening to protect those who are legally contracted to receive cover beyond the expiry of the existing policy?

 

Take the time to check your membership to see what guarantees exist in the event of something like this happening. If they are not stipulated then ask them to put this in writing, you have a right to know, especially as you are effectively investing into something which doesn't as yet, physically exist in the form of a blanket pli policy document in force to at least the date of your membership expiry.

 

In addition, should the Association be dissolved at any time for whatever reason, with memberships all expiring at various times, it would be impossible to voluntarily cease the association at an organic renewal time convenient to everyone and give an adequate notice period in the run up to that date. It would also have to refund - pro-rata all of the membership payments for those who still had a remaining period of valid membership / pli, meaning a logistical nightmare for 'somebody' and refund fees levied by any merchant service provider.

 

DJ@ did not plan its cessation date months or years ago, and no, this wasn't a deliberate or predicted exercise. Having a given date when everybody's' membership expires and is renewed en-masse is far easier to handle and maintain than keeping tabs on the individual expiry dates of many, many memberships. This philosophy may be okay if you pay wages to admin staff or have a very small membership smile icon , however, when you have a database as large as DJ Associates it is more of a challenge, and I don't apologise for running an association in a way which means the minimum of admin work and expenses, the chances of individual renewals being overlooked are naturally actively minimised and the protection of offering a PLI policy for a period that exists and is actively reflected for exactly the same period on an actual policy document which is fully underwritten for the period as indicated on every members membership card and online pli documention and which doesn't extend into an unknown and as yet unchartered fantasy island.

 

Whilst others have the right to run their associations as they choose, I chose to protect both myself and the members with a membership and PLI period backed by a physical underwritten pli policy in actual existence, and of which could be physically produced rather than take advance payment for a policy, part of which will have to be renewed at a date sometime in the future at a renewal fee which, as yet, hadn't been negotiated with the broker and may of course be subject to increases or additional restrictions.

 

I assume that those associations are just expecting the renewal fee for 2011 to be similar to that paid in 2010, but we all know that insurance companies are unpredictable, premiums increase and any subsequent claim(s) may be made in the meantime meaning a significant premium increase or even a renewal refused!

 

Obviously, people are finding DJ@'s membership policy to be slightly different to the norm, but I would suggest that they are common sense in an unpredictable and ever changing economic climate, and protect both its members and the association to the best of its ability. For example, if we had of continued into 2011, and found that our PLI policy was to be significantly increased in the run up to its renewal on September 1st, then we could plan and notify our members of any increase in our membership fees in order to cover the difference accordingly and therefore continue to make our association model viable, cover the cost of the annual pli on the renewal date and continue to 'exist'. However, if we had taken a large percentage of advance memberships whose pli policies extended into the new policy period at the old rate, expecting the premium to be the same and found that it was £1500 a year more, then we may end up either being financially embarrassed and having to make up the shortfall personally, which I'm sure various committee members elsewhere will be more than happy to do, should the hat be passed.

 

The same would apply if we shopped around for a new policy at the renewal date and changed underwriters, we would then have half of the membership with documents relating to the old policy which may no longer be valid and would therefore have to send out new policy documents containing the new policy number, terms and paperwork to those members. Any differences in policy terms or stipulations would also have to be notified in advance. Far easier and more workable to just move everybody onto a renewed policy en masse on exactly the same date.

 

This advance model is all well and good and completely workable if you have the subscription base to financially support any change in premium - whatever it may be. However, for the smaller independent association, it may become a sticky wicket if they become the test case in any of these scenario's! After all, if they have promised you a policy running between two dates then they are contractually obliged to provide that policy come what may, which will be interesting should the additional renewal premium be no longer financially viable or a policy renewal flatly refused, I wonder how the consecutive aspect of the insurance cover would then be assured and how it would be obtained and at whose cost?

 

 

It is stuff like this that I never think about but when you read it you think of cause. I wonder what other associations are thinking when they read the above post. Maybe they should take note before it is to late and a test case is proven at a great cost to its committee...

 

Nik

[MintyDave 0]

It is stuff like this that I never think about but when you read it you think of cause. I wonder what other associations are thinking when they read the above post. Maybe they should take note before it is to late and a test case is proven at a great cost to its committee...

 

Nik

 

Some of the above was in a recent email to the nadj. Am still weighing up my options, DJ@ will be a hard act to follow IMO. Im not after cheap, a good reliable service is foremost

 

Once again thanks for all the extremely usefull information Dan.

 

Dave

[UKHero 0]

Some of the above was in a recent email to the nadj. Am still weighing up my options, DJ@ will be a hard act to follow IMO. Im not after cheap, a good reliable service is foremost

 

Once again thanks for all the extremely usefull information Dan.

 

Dave

 

Really? Would have loved to see the reply

 

Just an idea would a facebook or something be a viable thing should DJU go? I dont know much about FB but I am willing to try to set it up if there is interest?

 

Should I start another thread on this?

 

Nik

[vokf 0]

Plenty of time left, I've;

-checked out MU and NADJ

-made an enquiry to SEDA

-checked a few commercial insurers out

-got a quote from DJ Guard

 

 

Current thoughts, in no particular order;

MU offers some great benifits - but if you're looking simply for check PLI, their membership rates are ~£150.

For that, you get lots.

 

NADJ is also a strong consideration. Its currently £75 for their membership.

 

Nothing back from SEDA yet. This is not currently something they offer - so are not expecting too much.

 

Commercial insurers are offering some interesting things, so its worth checking your Van insurers.

 

DJ Guard... If you enter £30 into the equipment cover, they'll provide a quote of £36. Now, this will need confirming with DJ Guard (if you've got £5K of gear and have a PLI claim, you may find yourself uninsured..), and perhaps they could offer a competitve PLI with no equipment cover?? Why pay more for less! :joe: lol

Could be worth a call?

 

I do think there is no rush - I've got other things to worry about, and currently, PLI is down the list :-)

Other organisations may come out with similar offerings, and I'll keep my eyes open.

 

Jas

[Dukesy 0]

There is nothing wrong with either model, provided the infrastructure exists to cover the cost of an increased premium and an alternative solution is in place should the policy originally sold not be renewed or refused at renewal. But I'm sure that it will be fine, as I'm sure that alternative policies with other insurance companies have been purchased and exist which can be quickly switched too in order to provide the seamless cover which they have been sold, if the original policy plans go belly up on the renewal date.

 

DJ@ evaluated the various risks which each model carried and decided to opt for one which carried the fewest risks, and the one which offered the best level of both cover and peace of mind - common sense with anything surely? And also should be some indication that our own association model was strong, had not been rushed into or ill thought out.

 

After all, DJ@ felt more confident providing (current policy) benefit of PLI cover running from September 1st 2009 to August 31st 2010, because that was the exact date which also appeared on our own insurance documentation, and more importantly, it was also the cover period which was bought and paid for in advance and could be proven by way of a receipt. In short, we were not promising insurance cover to our members which hadn't already been secured and purchased, and a policy which was already in force for the FULL DURATION of their paid for membership.

 

For example, if you have signed up for an association in March 2010, and they have taken 12 months advance membership and payment from you, and your PLI and membership now expires on March 2011, what would happen if you asked to see their actual PLI document signed by an underwriter proving that cover does indeed actually exist and is already in place for the full duration of your membership. Could they produce such a document? Would they just produce an existing PLI document which expired on a date before your membership expiry - this is when questions should be asked and security and peace of mind obtained. :yes:

 

So, if you have a legal document for PLI issued by an association which states that you have PLI cover until March 2011, yet the actual policy document produced by the Association on demand states that their existing blanket PLI policy expires on August 2010, and no additional policy covering the August 2010 to March 2011 has yet  been bought or is in force - how does this work then? How can you sell on the promise and security of something which you haven't yet invested in or purchased yourself and of which hasn't yet been secured?

 

Let me put it this way, DJ@ last purchased a blanket PLI policy in advance, running from September 1st 2009 until the Expiry Date of August 31st 2010, this same policy duration was then passed on to the members on their own individual documentation along with the full contact details of the insurer. The policy was fully paid for. So even if DJ@ had vanished overnight at a later date, this policy would still be valid and would still remain in force, and every DJ@ member would still be fully covered by the underwriter for the period of Sep 1st 2009 to Aug 31st 2010, and they would have got what they had paid for, whatever happened to the association during that year.

 

The whole point of insurance is protecting yourself against the unpredictable! smile icon

 

Compare that with the level of peace of mind offered by an association, who has sold you membership and PLI cover running between March 2010 and March 2011, but their existing 'paid for' policy expired in September 2010. Lets assume the worst happens and the Association disappears in August 2010, dis-bands and stops answering its phones and basically ceases to exist. The existing underwritten policy would then expire naturally at the end of August 2010 and since the Association was no longer in existence, it's safe to say that it wouldn't be renewed and the renewal premium paid to the insurer. This would then leave you with a policy which had expired and was basically w o r t h l e s s for the remaining period between September 2010 and March 2011, and you wouldn't be getting for full benefit of what you had paid for. Worse still, if you were not made aware that the Association had disappeared and the policy number on your document had expired and had not been renewed, then you could be operating for that remaining period without any insurance.

 

Personally, I know which 'model' I prefer, and I find it laughable that I'm being asked to 'defend' what I believe is complete common sense and security for my members in an environment filled with highly successful, intelligent business people.

[wizard 0]

I understand DJ@ but why can DJU not continue could someone else not take over the running of the forum together with costs.

 

I run a very similar forum with the same software. In fact I think dukesy might even have been a member just for the record it is not DJ related.

 

the costs are not that high, the costs for the forum I run are completely covered by pay pal donations which are not compulsory.

 

Just a thought.

[UKHero 0]

I understand DJ@ but why can DJU not continue could someone else not take over the running of the forum together with costs.

 

I run a very similar forum with the same software. In fact I think dukesy might even have been a member just for the record it is not DJ related.

 

the costs are not that high, the costs for the forum I run are completely covered by pay pal donations which are not compulsory.

 

Just a thought.

 

I don't think Dan has said DJU is closing its doors... He has just said he need to take a long hard look at it and see what is now in it for him. That is what was said a few posts back. If I have miss quoted then accept my apologies and amend.

 

Nik

[Dukesy 0]

Yes, I am a member of your forum Wizard as we share the same method of transport, however they are subjects in two different areas which are galaxy's apart, and needless to say, isn't plagued by the same drama queens and troublemakers whose entire M.O. is to rile up others and who've come back from the dead more times than soap opera characters.

 

For example, you have a moderating team, who are passionate about the forum subject and who spend a lot of time on your forum 'looking out for it'. DJU doesn't have a moderating team because lets be frank about it, the last one we had collectively did freck all (according to 24 months of moderator logs), even when we had World War 3 brewing.

 

I remember asking for volunteers 6 months ago, to help with DJU as DJ@ was of course taking up a lot of my free time. Not one single person stepped forward to assist, which is why I'm surprised at all of the crocodile tears now.

 

So I would treat anybody considering the donations idea with scepticism. I mean if you can't get people to volunteer their time for nothing and out of goodwill, do you really think those same individuals will put their hands in their pockets and PAY for it?

 

 

[wizard 0]

Yes, I am a member of your forum Wizard as we share the same method of transport, however they are subjects in two different areas which are galaxy's apart, and needless to say, isn't plagued by the same drama queens and troublemakers whose entire M.O. is to rile up others and who've come back from the dead more times than soap opera characters.

 

For example, you have a moderating team, who are passionate about the forum subject and who spend a lot of time on your forum 'looking out for it'. DJU doesn't have a moderating team because lets be frank about it, the last one we had collectively did freck all (according to 24 months of moderator logs), even when we had World War 3 brewing.

 

I remember asking for volunteers 6 months ago, to help with DJU as DJ@ was of course taking up a lot of my free time. Not one single person stepped forward to assist, which is why I'm surprised at all of the crocodile tears now.

 

So I would treat anybody considering the donations idea with scepticism. I mean if you can't get people to volunteer their time for nothing and out of goodwill, do you really think those same individuals will put their hands in their pockets and PAY for it?

 

drama queens.......well I could tell you a few stories about the other forum, but hey you are right in one respect yes they are passionate about their beloved modes of transport, I used to have one but have moved on to a Volvo V70. I do miss the old GX220 tho.

 

Anyway.......is it correct that the Forum will be closing as well ? It would certainly be a shame, and I for one wouldn't mind taking it over, or having a hand in it some way

[UKHero 0]

[quote name='Dukesy' date='Jul 30 2010, 11:13 AM' post='255440'

 

I remember asking for volunteers 6 months ago, to help with DJU as DJ@ was of course taking up a lot of my free time. Not one single person stepped forward to assist, which is why I'm surprised at all of the crocodile tears now.

 

So I would treat anybody considering the donations idea with scepticism. I mean if you can't get people to volunteer their time for nothing and out of goodwill, do you really think those same individuals will put their hands in their pockets and PAY for it?

 

 

I think this is human nature Dan... people are always full of good will but when it comes to doing something about it we just have an excuse such as I don't have the time etc. I am as guilty as others in this. Sorry.

 

I also think some of what you say might be aimed at me and again I am sorry.

 

Nik

 

Anyway.......is it correct that the Forum will be closing as well ? It would certainly be a shame, and I for one wouldn't mind taking it over, or having a hand in it some way

 

I would also be willing to help run it if that would mean it stays open, and perhaps sharing the cost (Wife permitting lol). Although I do know there are members on here more suited than myself.

 

As I have said before I only frequent DJU as it seems to be the only professional forum for DJs around. Other forums are full of inane posts and bad language.

 

Nik

[DJTREV 0]

I think I must have been living under a stone somewhere-drama queens/troublemakers-what have I missed.

 

I wouldn't want to commit to something like moderating and I have to say we do tend to take a lot of things for granted these days and then when the **** hits the fan as in this situation it suddenly dawns on us that there are people out there putting the money time and effort into keeping us all connected.

 

Nik while I respect your opinion it is not really fair to dis the other DJ sites as unprofessional.While they may not be run on the same lines as this one and there may be one or two people on them that you dont take kindly to,believe me they can be just as helpful to the likes of me and you in times of trouble as I have proved only just recently.

Gloss over the bad language and inane comments,there is a wealth of knowledge out ther that I am only too glad to take advantage of.

[UKHero 0]

Nik while I respect your opinion it is not really fair to dis the other DJ sites as unprofessional.While they may not be run on the same lines as this one and there may be one or two people on them that you dont take kindly to,believe me they can be just as helpful to the likes of me and you in times of trouble as I have proved only just recently.

Gloss over the bad language and inane comments,there is a wealth of knowledge out ther that I am only too glad to take advantage of.

 

 

I understand your comments and it was as always just in my opinion. And I stick by them. There is no need for a forum to sink to the lows of some of the posts I have witnessed in the past, but that is another story. I have even seen threads dissing this very forum and naming it but you would never see that on DJU that in my eyes is professional.

Nik

Edited July 30, 2010 by UKHero

[spinner 0]

 

So I would treat anybody considering the donations idea with scepticism. I mean if you can't get people to volunteer their time for nothing and out of goodwill, do you really think those same individuals will put their hands in their pockets and PAY for it?

 

 

Don't be too sceptical.

 

On other forums some do donate.

[UKHero 0]

Don't be too sceptical.

 

On other forums some do donate.

 

The only thing with this donating thing is what if you fall foul of the forum rules after donating? You might feel that say a ban is unjust, then what? More bad feeling and hassle for the likes of Dan?

 

Nik

[Robster 0]

Personally i hope Dan stays as Admin and runs DJU as i don't think its a good idea when the Lunatics want to run an Asylum.

 

I am a mod on a few forums and i even ran my own local karaoke forum for a while.

 

I was a mod here for a very short while and i was amazed at the amount of reported posts etc here compared with all the others combined!

 

How Dan has coped with all us Drama queens and moaners ( and yes i admit to being one of those and genuinely and sincerley apologise for my behaviour) i will never know.

 

What ever you decide Dan, you deserve good fortune for all the :crap: you have had to deal with and again i apologise for the :crap: that came from my direction

 

Rob

 

 

[spinner 0]

The only thing with this donating thing is what if you fall foul of the forum rules after donating? You might feel that say a ban is unjust, then what? More bad feeling and hassle for the likes of Dan?

 

Nik

 

 

Surely anyone likely to donate is also likely to have enough common sense not to get into that position?

 

[UKHero 0]

Surely anyone likely to donate is also likely to have enough common sense not to get into that position?

 

Probably but then we all fall foul of things from time to time. I know I have posted things on here and fair enough had a warning for it but it was not taken as I meant it. As I say was just a thought. I think I think to much lol.

 

Nik

[deejaymitch 0]

All I know is that this forum played a big part in me totally changing the way I look at this profession and the way I conduct my own business. Hopefully anyone who was around when I first joined will have seen the difference. On DJU I have been a troublemakerand a peacemaker, a hothead and a voice of reason, and everything in between. I have learned a lot from my time here, and particularly from Dan in both his dealings with me directly, and the way he has handled other situations on here. Therefore, whatever happens in the future, I am very grateful to the members on here (even those I've butted heads with over the years) for all the help, guidance, support and entertainment I've received, and particularly to Dan for running this forum, and a DJ association that I'm immensely proud to have been a member of.

[Dukesy 0]

There is no need for a forum to sink to the lows of some of the posts I have witnessed in the past, but that is another story

 

Unfortunately some of 'those' types of posts have been creeping onto here as well in the last year or so, and on occasion continue to do so. One thing that there does seem to be a global growth of, and that is dis-respect towards our clients and their guests. Yes, we have all had difficult clients from time to time and yes we have come across their impossible-to-please guests, but is there really any need to address the title of threads along the lines of 'The bitch from hell' or some other derogatory remark?, even within the post there is often recourse to add some shock and awe comment just to plead our case further by sprinkling in a comment in relation to the appearance of the adversory, such as refering to somebody as 'some fat ugly bride'.

 

There is nothing wrong with discussing tactful ways in which to deal with difficult clients or people who cause problems at gigs and sharing a negative situation which may have happened the previous night and discussing whether it could have been better handled or what a colleagues' resolution would be, but i'm not sure what relevance the persons appearance has to their attitude, or why we have to turn the debate to a mud slinging personal level.

 

I do study our AWSTATS traffic log on a regular basis, and so I am aware that its not only DJs who read forums, its potential clients and the general public as well. One working example is 'wedding playlist', if you check the term, DJU appears on the front page of Google and also ranks higher than even the Wedding Chaos advice site. This search phrase alone , still gets us anywhere between 1800 and 2900 visitors a month from this 2 year old thread, and i'm willing to bet that in that time, quite a few of those have been Brides who arrived here via a Google search looking for advice on a playlist and may even be in the process of looking to book a DJ, and therefore remain our potential clients. Imagine what would happen if there was a DJ on that thread making derogatory remarks about a Brides Mother, do you think that those 2900 readers are going to go away with a positive attitude towards us?, or could she be a little offended and perhaps concerned or nervous that her own Wedding DJ will be on some forum somewhere, on the day after her Wedding, making personal remarks about her, or her Mother?

 

Unfortunately the growth of this and other similar unprofessional attitudes is increasing, and clearly from the number of active instances around the internet, and the reluctance of other Dj's as well as our own moderating team (when we had one) banding together to deal with it proves that i'm the only one who is concerned about the negative impact other peoples attitudes have on my ability to earn a living. Certainly each time a client, reads something along those lines, you may as well go out into the back garden and burn the equiv of your booking fee on a bonfire.

 

On a personal level, as a forum owner I think that just one high ranking googled thread containing some personal or childish disagreement or a derogatory remark about a client is more than enough to negate all of the goodwill and hard work put into the other 70,000 'good' and positive posts which exist on the same forum, because it gives the general public the wrong impression and devalues and decredits the efforts of the rest of us.

 

Not all forums hide themselves away from the public gaze like some dirty little secret or an industry which is to be ashamed of, and its also probably fair to say that some threads on forums gain just as much traffic and gain equal or higher rankings for certain terms as the Wedding Directories which we pay to advertise on. Therefore we should treat each situation as a potential advertisement, for ourselves and for our industry.

 

At the end of the day, our clients are the reason why we can afford all of that fancy gear, and they continue to pay us for the work that we do, and that alone is worthy of our respect, regardless of whether they are easy to work for, or difficult.

 

One other thing that I have noticed as well, which may also be worth those involved with other associations to also take note. That point is that an Association can close, and nobody looks at it beyond the loss of a cheap pli source, but there can be a rumour about a forum closing and immediately everybody is in mourning and wanting to take it on. I suppose there is a pecking order placed on everything these days.

 

Perhaps my time, attentions and financies would have been better focused on DJU, rather than starting DJ@ . Isn't hindsite a wonderful thing.

 

I'm also wondering why the talk of sponsorship and donations has arisen. Does everything in relation to entertainment have to revolve around money?. Doesn't anybody do anything out of commitment, interest, loyalty and goodwill any more?.

[spinner 0]

I'm also wondering why the talk of sponsorship and donations has arisen. Does everything in relation to entertainment have to revolve around money?. Doesn't anybody do anything out of commitment, interest, loyalty and goodwill any more?.

 

 

Some forums invite members to donate if they want to.

 

There is no pressure and it's one way of members showing their appreciation.

[Gary (GDK) 0]

I wouldn't mind paying a sub...

 

And I actively spend as much time on here as I can... I even log on with my phone (which can be a pain) while I'm at work to check the forum, see if any posts have being reported/need approving etc.