Hi, I read on a previous post about the use of references, getting clients to fill in a feedback form or writing a small letter or something. This is a good idea as is having a promo video but then that means doing home visits

I have a feedback form using ratings from 1-5 on things like our booking forms, equipment etc...

But at weddings/birthdays I send/give the clients cards from me.

Video promo's, dont use them

I keep all my referances in a cv but if you visit eskies site, the igloo, he used to have his references posted there.

I think we have to be careful with a rating system. If a client has enjoyed your work, and is thinking of getting you to come back, they will bump up the ratings. If all your ratings are 5/5, new clients may get a bit suspicious. How many times have you been on sites and read customer clients? How many times do you believe them?
Just a thought.

I think the idea of having letters is an interesting ideas, but dependent on clients writing them in.

I suppose one idea is to have an open message board on your site, if you have one. However, this is open to spam messaging and insults...etc, so maybe not the best idea.

I photocopy letters of thanks, e.mails etc (omitting the address) onto A4 pages - about 3 to a side - and send out a couple of sheets with each info pack. I also have some comments from previous clients on my web site. Every little helps

I dont tout for references, I know if I turned up on time, was dressed appropriately, was polite and professional etc. I would much rather my customers send me references without any prompt from me. I leave it to them. Feedback forms are handy if you are running an agency... but if you are a lone dj... you know all what you are going to ask! Let the customer decide whether or not they want to send you a letter/email. I wouldnt want to hassle my customers!

Hi

Sorry Kaz I have to disagree.

It's vital to any businesses continuing improvement to get good honest customer feedback, however it's given.

Once a function is over, very very few custoemrs will either write and thank you, or for that matter, write and complain about your service, god some won't even thank you on the night.

Unfortunately, we're living in that kind of culture that says "you were paid to provide a service, what more do you want? And don't expect any thanks from me"

I don't think there's anything wrong with a quick polite note, either via Email or regular post asking them to answer a couple of questions and providing space for any comments.

I also ask if they have any objections to me providing their details to future customers, only upon request.

How are companies supposed to improve, taking the view that if they don't complain everything must be good is not the way to go.

Darren

How many other DJ do do home visits I do if the gig is a well paid one, by that I mean more than £200, which I know will spark the North South/London debate about prices but 'normal' DJ's are around £150 around here

Refereces.....I have a selection of these on the website. I dont ask for these now although at the time of creating my site I simply sent an email following the event thanking them for booking me, and asking for feedback that would help me to improve the show for future bookings. You tend to find with an email like this that the customer has nothing but praise and the question for feedback for improvements tends to turn to compliments about what you did on the night.

Also its an even bigger compliment when you dont ask for anything like this and receive a letter / email of thanks...

I was thinking about meeting the B&G before the actual wedding day, then at least you're not some strange guy lurking about on the stage, but I was'nt sure how people would react if I suggested I came to the house and met them.

When people send them I keep them buy I don't ask for them, funnily enough Annelise gets one a week for her cakes, and even has a long letter from one client, whos last wrote pages thanking her and how good thge cake looked/tasted, the very last paragraph said, 'and also many thanks to Andy for a superb nights entertainments', so it proves that people still think of DJ's as a 'anyone can do it' trade.

I still say that most djs are "lone djs".... you may be running a company... but on average YOU are the only employee... unless you count roadies! I know if I have given my client a good night..... I get paid at the end.. and it is only on extremely rare occasions that I dont get a thank you.
I dont really see how a customer feedback form can help the lone dj.... If the client comes and tells you its too loud - you turn it down..... they wouldnt want to have to wait to fill in a form telling you after the event that the music was too loud!
If you are running an agency however, with perhaps 100 or so djs on your books, then i can see that feedback forms would be a useful tool for the agent.
DJ-ing to me means you have to get it right on the night... you dont get a second chance. Out of interest, anyone who does beg a reference from their client, and ask for feedback - what do you do if the customer turns round and totally hated everything you did...... would you offer a refund or what?
On average, one in three of my clients sends me an unsolicited reference or letter/email of thanks. Sorry to disagree with anyone, but I cringe to think that people actually ask their customers to write in and say how good they thought you were!

Hi again

Well Kaz all I can say is you must have some really polite customers.

Yes, it's true, most of the time we will get a thank you and feedback about how they feel it went, but that won't cut it when potential customers ask for references, simply telling them that "oh all our customers love us", isn't going to work.

In the 7 or so years I've been pro DJing, I think I've only received 2 Emails thanking us with good feedback.

Now this either means that in general, once the nights ended, folks will forget all about the entertainment, or I'm a real crap DJ, and I know that's not the case from the amount of work coming in, repete work and residencies i've done in the past.


Folks are honesty just bloody lazy and can't be arsed writing to the service provider, they did their thank you on the night.

And aksing someone to fill in a Customer Survey isn't asking for praise, it's asking for feedback, good or bad and should be taken on board whatever feedback you get.

And yes, if someone expressed disatisfaction of our service, and did so on the night of a function, I wouldn't expect them to pay.

Darren

Darren, I have hundreds of letters/emails from my customers who send them without prompt. Maybe I am lucky. My customers are always referred to me by word of mouth, so they know that whoever has recommended me has assured them of my capabilities so they book with confidence. Obviouisly our opinions differ, and if feedback forms to you are a way of getting your recommendation, then it obviously works for you. In 13 years of dj-ing I have never asked for references, and will not resort to doing so. I let my customer decide.

I can see both sides of this....

I occasionally send out feedback forms - Like Darren says, if you don't know you're doing something wrong you won't change....

I dont know about you guys but it is VERY rare that I get a chance to see another Jock in action so I it's nice to hear from people if you are good in comparison to others...

My feedback form is structured, like Steve says into :

Did the DJ turn up on time
Did they come correctly attired
Did you have to ask the DJ to change the music
Was the volume too loud, just right, a little low etc
Was the lighting too much, just right, too little

etc etc etc

This was if you got there at 6.55 for a 7pm start and the client said you didnt turn up on time then you know from now on get there at 6.50 as everyone's watch tells a different story..

I know every gig is different as are all people, but again we are probably a little deaf after listening to the volumes we do at gigs so people may think it's too loud and at least the next time you can start lower and increase it...

You wouldnt be able to change everything on the strength of one form, but if you tell the customer that you send these things so that they have a chance to raise their views then it is another selling point....

It wont work for everyone, but it is a good way of getting started and finding out the things that work/don't work...

.... right ok... that kind of feedback is fine if you have no idea as to the answers.... ie., if you have sent out several different djs that night to work for you. BUT.... come on guys, the one man band.... You know if you turned up on time and dont need to ask the question. Im sorry, but I wonder how you word the questions... "Did I turn up on time"?! If you need to ask the customer after the event if the music volume was right/too much or not enough lights etc its too little too late.... I ask my customers to tell me if there is anything they are not happy with on the night. I can fix it on the night... but waiting for a feedback form to explain to me why my customer wasnt happy is just the same as shutting the door after the horse has bolted. If I were a client, and got asked this information after the event, I wouldnt think much to the dj. I would think considerably more of him/her if they made sure of these things on the night.....Im all for improving my service each and every time I go out.
I wonder how many clients find it slightly irritating to receive a feedback form. I know if I went to a resaurant, and was happy with the meal, I wouldnt give it another thought.. save to say that I would recommend the restaurant. If the restaurant then sent me a form asking "was the meal served at the correct temperature", "Did the waiter/ess serve you professionally", "Did the meal arrive in a reasonable time after order".. I simply wouldnt bother to respond. I have been there, paid the bill - which I obviously enjoyed as I paid. I would also pay my compliments on the night.... If I then chose to write to the restaurant and big them up.. then that is my perogative. Restaurants like DJ-ing has the one chance to get it right. If you gather all the relevant information from your client BEFORE the event then both they and you should be totally confident in that you have given them the service for which they have paid. Contrary to what some people have said, not every client is lazy in sending unsolicited references. Some are schooled in etiquette and automatically send a thank you. It is a big bonus if they then go on to state what they thought of the service you provided.

Hi

Using the restaurant analogy...

I'd say the people that are hapy to complain about service, food, promptness etc are in the minority by a long way.

How many times have we heard the senareo.

Waiter - Is everything ok with your meal?

Customer - yes thanks lovely.

And when they leave the restaurant...god that was bloody horrible.

We're Brits, and in the main we don't like to kick up a stink.

I don't like taking chances on folks being brave enough to tackle a DJ on the night, yes some will, but a lot won't.

I personally feel that both myself and my partner give great customer service, but what I think and what my customers think may be miles apart.

Of course you do all you can to accommodate your clients as and when, but often they're so busy with their guests and mingling, they don't have time to come and tell the DJ off for playing the birdy song etc.

Obviously this is soemthing that some will do and some won't, and we can't always agree on everything.

Maybe I should send out a survey asking my customers what they think of my surveys? :

I still beg to differ on the vast majority of people understanding common courtacies like thank you letters.

Darren

There's lots of different angles here - it makes an interesting read.

I personally don't think that a feedback form will generate much more work for my business (as an individual) but I have used them in the past.

There are a lot of variables to take into consideration when generating work - feedback forms for positive feedbackis the expression I was taught in college!

For individual reasons, whatever is the best form of 'feedback' for you is probably the best formula to stick with!!!!

Darren.. my point is that you should consult with your client BEFORE the gig.. I dont actually mean at the beginning of the function - but when you consult with them about the booking. Surely you must talk to your client about the booking before turning up to do it!
Incidentally, I will complain about the food/service in a restaurant - as would virtually everybody I know. I will complain if there is a problem with the food or the service - and have done in the past. I do agree however, that some people are far too timid and probably would not know how to complain.
Our opinions differ.... but from my part, as I cannot repeat a nights entertainment for my customer, I have to get it right on the night. The details you get from your client BEFORE you do the gig are, in my opinion, far more important than waiting until after. If you give your client confidence then I dont believe they would have any problem at all about coming to see you during the gig... I often go to see them to ensure that everything is ok for them. I always work to my clients brief.. which changes for each and every client - so the feedback you get from one client may be totally useless for the next client - ie., if one client responded that the music was too loud... then that is their personal opinion. The next client however, might say that the music was played to low...... therefore, in my opinion, feedback after the event is useless. Get ALL the information from your client beforehand.
I can only speak from my own experiences, and as I have said, approximately 1 in 3 of my clients will and do send letters of thanks. We cant generalise about the great british public simply because we dont receive any unsolicited references.