Editor's Blog1 min ago
Events Management company
Hi Folks
I just wanted to canvass your opinions regarding a situation that has arisen.
Some of you may know, I co-manage a wedding band. In February we paid to perform at a local Wedding Show and got a great reception.We have a stand at these shows and we hand out flyers when we are talking to brides that we write a code number on enabling them to quote should they make an enquiry after the event.
This code is specific to each bride and entitles them to a discount on our normal booking fee.
Last week we had an enquiry containing a code and I duly quoted for the wedding.I am more than happy to provide a full break down of costs to any bride that asks for it.
This morning we have received a call from an event company who we deal with. They arrange the venue setting, dressing etc and as a side line have entertainment offerings. I told the event company that we have already quoted for the wedding and given a discount as per our T&C's at the wedding show.
The event manager has asked us to drop our price...not in order to pass this on to the bride, but so they can make some (more) money. He has told us that he will steer the bride towards another band if we don't accomodate him.
My quandry is, the bride has seen the band and I have offered her the chance to come and see us again at an upcoming gig if she wants. She has told us we are the band they want. We can't give the discounted price via the event management company and I am at a loss as what to do.
The event management company will do her a great job regarding the venue setting etc, but we are the specialists when it comes to the entertainment. I am angry with the event management company because their attitude is all about themselves and not about the bride (their customer). Surely it's not for the event management company to steer her away from the band she wants because they won't make any money out of it...nor is it right to hold her to ransom for her wedding stipulating she has to book everything through them.
I'd value the thoughts of people on here regarding this...any ideas what I say to the bride? I don't want to bad mouth the events management company as I know they do a good job regarding everything else and we do want to keep working with them but this is infuriating!
I just wanted to canvass your opinions regarding a situation that has arisen.
Some of you may know, I co-manage a wedding band. In February we paid to perform at a local Wedding Show and got a great reception.We have a stand at these shows and we hand out flyers when we are talking to brides that we write a code number on enabling them to quote should they make an enquiry after the event.
This code is specific to each bride and entitles them to a discount on our normal booking fee.
Last week we had an enquiry containing a code and I duly quoted for the wedding.I am more than happy to provide a full break down of costs to any bride that asks for it.
This morning we have received a call from an event company who we deal with. They arrange the venue setting, dressing etc and as a side line have entertainment offerings. I told the event company that we have already quoted for the wedding and given a discount as per our T&C's at the wedding show.
The event manager has asked us to drop our price...not in order to pass this on to the bride, but so they can make some (more) money. He has told us that he will steer the bride towards another band if we don't accomodate him.
My quandry is, the bride has seen the band and I have offered her the chance to come and see us again at an upcoming gig if she wants. She has told us we are the band they want. We can't give the discounted price via the event management company and I am at a loss as what to do.
The event management company will do her a great job regarding the venue setting etc, but we are the specialists when it comes to the entertainment. I am angry with the event management company because their attitude is all about themselves and not about the bride (their customer). Surely it's not for the event management company to steer her away from the band she wants because they won't make any money out of it...nor is it right to hold her to ransom for her wedding stipulating she has to book everything through them.
I'd value the thoughts of people on here regarding this...any ideas what I say to the bride? I don't want to bad mouth the events management company as I know they do a good job regarding everything else and we do want to keep working with them but this is infuriating!
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i am in this line of business myself.
i would say to them that you have quoted already and feel obliged to honour her quote.say that if it was the other way round you would honour theirs.
i.e. if they booked you and then the bride came along and tried to get a cheaper price.
as nice as you can tell him that if he feels he needs to "steer" her to another band then thats the way it is going to have to be.
and remind him that if the bride finds out she has been f*cked over by the event company it will do more harm than good.
this will put the onus on him to see sense and not be greedy like he is being
it is a tricky situation and i wish you good luck with dealing with it.
please let us know the outcome
i would say to them that you have quoted already and feel obliged to honour her quote.say that if it was the other way round you would honour theirs.
i.e. if they booked you and then the bride came along and tried to get a cheaper price.
as nice as you can tell him that if he feels he needs to "steer" her to another band then thats the way it is going to have to be.
and remind him that if the bride finds out she has been f*cked over by the event company it will do more harm than good.
this will put the onus on him to see sense and not be greedy like he is being
it is a tricky situation and i wish you good luck with dealing with it.
please let us know the outcome
Thanks Sinderella, that's what I was thinking. It's a shame because at the wedding show we had an enquiry for a date we were already booked for and i directed them to the events companies stand...even walked them over there to see the guy!
We pride ourselves on being professional about things and this is a real shame. The same events company has just sent us a contract for 3 gigs, two at 15% commission and one (the highest paying one at 17.5% commission!)
We pride ourselves on being professional about things and this is a real shame. The same events company has just sent us a contract for 3 gigs, two at 15% commission and one (the highest paying one at 17.5% commission!)
^^ Stragely enough the bride has just telephoned me! She told us that she had mentioned the band to the events company and he told her he could get us cheaper!!!! Earlier in the year, he advertised the band as being available for way under our normal fee....without asking us. We made him take it down and he did.
I spoke to her at length and explained that if she booked through them we would have to charge our full price and reassured her that the event company can do a great job for her wedding but the entertainment was our area of expertise. She's a bit miffed at the event company but that's not my problem.
I spoke to her at length and explained that if she booked through them we would have to charge our full price and reassured her that the event company can do a great job for her wedding but the entertainment was our area of expertise. She's a bit miffed at the event company but that's not my problem.
Its a dog eat dog world and the events company need a margin too. I would go and see them and negotiate a price which you can sustain providing they contract you for all three gigs now and at least three more this summer. (You'd have to take a punt on that actually happening but they obviously like the sound of you to promote you.)
After all, you would play for the same price if the bride booked you herself, why begrudge them their cut if they bring business your way? Grab it while you can without being walked over.
Just offering a contrasting opinion but wish you every success with your bookings.
After all, you would play for the same price if the bride booked you herself, why begrudge them their cut if they bring business your way? Grab it while you can without being walked over.
Just offering a contrasting opinion but wish you every success with your bookings.
For the record we wouldnt be playing for the same price if the bride booked us direct, we would be playing for 15% +VAT less!
I don't begrudge them their cut when they have done something for it, but this particular booking arose because of a weding show WE paid out for and came through our own website...nothing to do with the agent.
We got the enquiry from the bride last week and quoted. We give out discount codes at wedding fairs that are specific to the bride so we can track what return we get from investing in a wedding show.
The agent simply asked them what they were doing about music when talking to them about other things. Once he knew they had approached us direct the professional thing to do would be to say "Oh, i know that band they are great...anyway, about the venue setting", not tell the bride he could get us cheaper and then ask us to drop our price, so he could have his cut.
Had the booking come through him then fine we would expect him to have his cut, but he didn't do anything to facilitate the booking in any way, simply wanted a share of our hard work.
When i recommend him to brides at the show and sing his praises regarding venue dressing, i don't then ask him for a cut of his profits!
We have an agreement with another agent that we both always quote the same price..that means when we get the booking we are ahead, when they do we know we have to take a fee out of it...but it also means there is no confusion about pricing.
This agent has basically swanned in with the attitude "thanks for paying out of your pocket to promote your band and having a website etc, but I overheard someone say they are booking you, so i told them could get you cheaper...you need to drop your price though, so i can make some money out of it!!!"
I don't begrudge them their cut when they have done something for it, but this particular booking arose because of a weding show WE paid out for and came through our own website...nothing to do with the agent.
We got the enquiry from the bride last week and quoted. We give out discount codes at wedding fairs that are specific to the bride so we can track what return we get from investing in a wedding show.
The agent simply asked them what they were doing about music when talking to them about other things. Once he knew they had approached us direct the professional thing to do would be to say "Oh, i know that band they are great...anyway, about the venue setting", not tell the bride he could get us cheaper and then ask us to drop our price, so he could have his cut.
Had the booking come through him then fine we would expect him to have his cut, but he didn't do anything to facilitate the booking in any way, simply wanted a share of our hard work.
When i recommend him to brides at the show and sing his praises regarding venue dressing, i don't then ask him for a cut of his profits!
We have an agreement with another agent that we both always quote the same price..that means when we get the booking we are ahead, when they do we know we have to take a fee out of it...but it also means there is no confusion about pricing.
This agent has basically swanned in with the attitude "thanks for paying out of your pocket to promote your band and having a website etc, but I overheard someone say they are booking you, so i told them could get you cheaper...you need to drop your price though, so i can make some money out of it!!!"
i would present him with the same 'threat' - you do a lot of weddings and get asked for info on organisers a lot... you too can play the game of steering away customers...so he'd be advised not to threaten you like that it is very very unprofessional and underhand - i would also wonder how many other bands he promises to help too...?
explain the fact that you got this job without his help - it is not 'via' them at all - explain it all, much as you have here, politely etc, and tell him in no uncertain terms that this is not how you do business and that if and when he gets you work then, and only then, can he set the fee and terms.
i would also tell him you will not accept him trying to change your business arrangements without your knowledge or permission and he must not go about making offers on your part in which you lose out.
you could also mention the leads you have sent their way and ask if he thinks you should get a cut?
i agree try not to have a big fall out over this, as you can scratch each others backs - so id write to them rather than phone so you cannot argue, and be polite etc -
dont blame you being angry - the nerve of him!
regarding the bride, she may be starting to think you two are in cahoots somehow and are trying it on with her so as a gesture of goodwill maybe you could privately agree to split the difference with her - only on this occasion, but do not give the company any extra money.
explain the fact that you got this job without his help - it is not 'via' them at all - explain it all, much as you have here, politely etc, and tell him in no uncertain terms that this is not how you do business and that if and when he gets you work then, and only then, can he set the fee and terms.
i would also tell him you will not accept him trying to change your business arrangements without your knowledge or permission and he must not go about making offers on your part in which you lose out.
you could also mention the leads you have sent their way and ask if he thinks you should get a cut?
i agree try not to have a big fall out over this, as you can scratch each others backs - so id write to them rather than phone so you cannot argue, and be polite etc -
dont blame you being angry - the nerve of him!
regarding the bride, she may be starting to think you two are in cahoots somehow and are trying it on with her so as a gesture of goodwill maybe you could privately agree to split the difference with her - only on this occasion, but do not give the company any extra money.
^^ That's excellent advice and thank you. i've just spoken to him (events company) and told him exactly what i told the bride today, that we can only apply a discount code to a booking via our website and as such he would have to cost us out at full price. I was very matter of fact and didn't go down the route of calling him unprofessional i simply said "It's the brides day and therefore it must be her choice".
We are going to start pulling away from this event manager, he is too much stress and whilst we are a business (the band), we go out of our way to get it right for the bride. We do pre venue checks and laise with the wedding planner so it all runs smoothly on the day and we aren't carrying our gear across the floor during the speeches etc, we do a first dance romantic ballad before we strike up and we have a talented local artist who we get to do a drawing of the bride and groom which we send to them after the gig and our costs all cover this.
We wouldn't strong arm a bride into having us...if they want us, we try our best to accomodate them (we even allow them to make monthly payments in the run up to the wedding to help their budgeting). We have a fab web site and we spend money attending wedding fairs etc, so we know our marketing is up to scratch.
But the main thing is that at the centre of every wedding we do, is that we get it right for the bride and groom...wish i could say the same about the events management company!
We are going to start pulling away from this event manager, he is too much stress and whilst we are a business (the band), we go out of our way to get it right for the bride. We do pre venue checks and laise with the wedding planner so it all runs smoothly on the day and we aren't carrying our gear across the floor during the speeches etc, we do a first dance romantic ballad before we strike up and we have a talented local artist who we get to do a drawing of the bride and groom which we send to them after the gig and our costs all cover this.
We wouldn't strong arm a bride into having us...if they want us, we try our best to accomodate them (we even allow them to make monthly payments in the run up to the wedding to help their budgeting). We have a fab web site and we spend money attending wedding fairs etc, so we know our marketing is up to scratch.
But the main thing is that at the centre of every wedding we do, is that we get it right for the bride and groom...wish i could say the same about the events management company!
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