Bad service? People will remember the venue.
If the service from outside vendors is poor and something goes
wrong at a venue, it’s the fault of the venue, and guests will
remember where it happened.
Brides search for a venue first when planning their wedding.
Brides (in some places) will be given list of other wedding
vendors.
Brides love the idea of all inclusive packages at wedding venues.
With packages that include the catering, DJ entertainment,
photography, and possibly other outside vendors that the venue
have been selected and put together with the package.
As a wedding professional for 21 years, I still wonder what the
criteria is for getting on a venues list of vendors. I even had
a on-site event coordinator add my business on the venues list
just because she liked the set up of my sound system. That’s
great, but I would have rather been added to the list because
of my quality of service. A colleague of mine was taken off a
venues list when the new coordinator ask about his pricing.
Her reply:
“It sounds like you would provide our couples and
their guests with a wonderful experience; however, we typically
search for a much more affordable option for both our brides
and for our vendor list (about half of your starting rate, actually).”
This is a high end venue, where jeans are prohibited. Half of his
starting rate is $500. She told him that her clients could not afford
his services. Really? Good luck with those $500 DJ’s, you’re
gonna need it.
A DJ is a Reflection of the Venue
When a mobile DJ performs at your venue, like it or not, that DJ is a
representing that venue even if the venue had no relationship with
that DJ.
Over the years I’ve had a number of guests approach me and ask if I work
for the venue I’m performing at.
Think about it, your working there, they don’t know any better.
How many times will the average person hire a mobile DJ in there lifetime?
The average person that walks into a reception room for a wedding or event
will think that the DJ that’s performing, works for that particular venue.
2003 Bride & Groom national survey states that when asked, 81% of guests
say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.
They also remember the venue.
Whether it’s good or bad entertainment, that is what’s remembered the most,
and guests will relate the entertainment to the reception venue they
performed at.
Today there are few privately owned venues in Phoenix that have a mandatory
DJ list. No outside DJ’s allowed. Can’t blame them, ever been to a boring
wedding?
One way you can keep the less desirable DJ’s and vendors from working
at your venue, is to require a minimum of 1 million in liability insurance.
A DJ that is truly professional DJ’s will carry liability insurance with them.
The bigger multi-operational companies should have coverage for each of
their DJ’s, most do not since they sub-contract.
Bottom line: Bad service can bring down a venues reputation quickly.
Choose your vendors wisely, they are representing you and your venue.
