So, how would you have handled it?

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While waiting for the board of directors meeting of my loacal association to begin last night I decided to catch up on some calls.

Most were just messages and I had one that set up an interview. But I had one that let me get part of the way into requesting the interview and then she hung up on me. While there was an audible hang up sound, I was on a cell phone and maybe, just maybe it was a drop out. So I called her back. Her answering machine started and then cut off; no beep. Ok, I waited a few seconds and then tried once more and this time it just rang.

Here's the e-mail I sent her:
Subject:Sorry that we could not connect.
Sent To:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent By:Employee:
Email Tracker:Client: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date:Monday, September 17, 2007 21:32 CST

Dear Alexandra:

I assume that since you hung up on me and that you turned off your answering machine you are not interested in our DJ service for your wedding on Wednesday, March 12, 2008.

I won't attempt to contact you any further about it other than to send you a survey asking how the entertainer you did pick performed. This survey will be sent to you the day after your event and I ask you to please take the survey as it does help us improve our services.

If you change your mind, I may be reached at 410-569-9883 or 443-417-0187.

Regards,


Thomas Ohlendorf, President
Good Knight Entertainment
410-569-9883
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Do you think it is your place to ask how her event went if she did not hire you?

How does her telling you how her event went help you improve your services?

Do you honestly get surveys back from people you did not work with?

I would have just said, "Next"
 
Karl Langford said:
Do you think it is your place to ask how her event went if she did not hire you?
Click to expand...

Yes.

Karl Langford said:
How does her telling you how her event went help you improve your services?
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If the DJ she hired did things that she did not like and I may be considering them, I want to know.

This also answers the next question. A bride that did not hire me indicated in her survey that the DJ insisted on doing individual introductions for each member of the bridal party. She thougfht it was cheesy and took the focus off her and her new husband. Plus, the DJ in question was trying very hard to be funny but flopped at it. LOL, he told her that he got the idea from a segment of the 1% Solution. Regardless, I had been considering doing that but had second thoughts after seeing her surver reply and a follow up conversation with her.

Karl Langford said:
Do you honestly get surveys back from people you did not work with?
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See above.
 
Why even hassle the lady? Move on. She didn't like what you had to offer and now your 'stalking' her?? You don't really expect for her to have anything nice to say about a dj that didn't like the fact that she didn't choose you and then continued to hound her about it.
 
Randy Allen said:
Why even hassle the lady? Move on. She didn't like what you had to offer and now your 'stalking' her?? You don't really expect for her to have anything nice to say about a dj that didn't like the fact that she didn't choose you and then continued to hound her about it.
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All I gto to say was:

Me: "Have you hired a DJ for your weding yet?"
Her: "No".
Me: "Then we would like to set up an interview" CLICK "with you."

I never got the chance to even tell her what we had to offer.

I don't call two attempts to call her back and an e-mail telling her that she won't hear from us again till after her date with a survey that she can choose to answer or not "stalking". Plus, she knows that the door is still open and all she has to do is call.

Her status in DJEP is "Never Booked" with a next action of "Send Competitor Survey" on the day after her wedding. I check unbooked past events once a week and send them the survey. Some answer and some don't but the information I get back from the ones that do is helpful to me.

Right after I send them the survey I delete their information.

Here's the survey they get: http://FreeOnlineSurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=rymtvcsno8hvjex324177
 
Tom, you and I don't always agree on stuff......this is one. I would have stopped after the 2nd try. She obviously didn't want to or couldn't talk to you right then. Why bother her with a survey after her wedding. She more than likely won't even remember who you are. It comes across to me as egotistical and smartaleck.

This is just my 2 cents, but I really don't understand your business practices, sometimes......
 
Not interested means not interested-period!
I would have called back later, in case it was a dropped call, and left a message on the machine/voicemail. If no answer, move on. In the words of Major Payne, "don't push the maybe baby"...thx
 
It was the 'tone' of your email response. Basically, look here lady, you didn't want to talk to me on the phone because I wanted to set up an appointment, so I'm still going to send you a survey because I know whoever you choose won't be as good as me.
 
Sounds to me...

...like a guy who just got dumped by his girlfriend, and can't take a "NO".

You got a very clear negative response (hang up and turn off of the machine... knock knock puddinhead). Any attempts by you are now a perceived attempt to bother the SOB for rejecting you.

I agree with others above... let it go!
 
I don't see any incentive for her to take the time to complete a survey and mail it back to you. If she won't even talk to you now, I doubt she will respond to a survey from you. Granted, she was rude to hang up on you, but why resent it to the point that it eats away at you. Let it go.
 
I agree....Move on.
Nothing will be gained from a survey.
Are you going to change who you are or how you perform just cause someone returns a survey that say's "Yea....I wanted a DJ the danced on his speakers and told rude jokes"!
Not me! I have my style. If it doesn't fit your ideal...find someone that does.
If you didn't even get to the "Here's what I offer part, Then maybe your approach is too harsh. Record it sometime and listen after you are done.
Just sounds like SHE felt something "wrong" while talking and chose not to continue.


Next customer please......
 
Tom, just let them do whatever they want. No need in wasting your time. I think your business might suffer if people perceive you as somebody who is pushy and won't take a no for an answer. You got to remember that some people are weird, maybe she didn't like your voice, etc. ;) . You may have saved yourself from doing a nightmare wedding.
 
Well, I did ask how you would have handled it.

And yes, the e-mail probably could have been constructed better.

But, I do send surveys to all folks that don't book me. It helps in the long run to tell me what they liked about their choice and what they didn't. Also, if my competition is doing something "unique" that attracts attention and maybe I can do better, then I have the information to maybe improve the business.

Not all folks answer the survey. I am running about 20%. As indicated toward the top, I did find one thing I was looking into doing probably isn't a good idea.

And, if these folks are looking for a DJ that dances on their speakers like a loon they need to look elsewhere with me as well.

The survey is just a tool. I've never had a complaint about it and a few people have even thanked me for it because they picked a DJ that sucked and it gave them a chance to blow off some steam. That in and of itself helps me because I can say to prospects in interviews that I will never do things those folks do (those nameless folks that are sometimes so called full time DJs).
 
Kevin Nichols said:
Tom, you and I don't always agree on stuff......this is one.
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And that's cool. Disagreement is also a tool for learning. It leads to debate (hopefully not argument).


Kevin Nichols said:
I would have stopped after the 2nd try. She obviously didn't want to or couldn't talk to you right then. Why bother her with a survey after her wedding. She more than likely won't even remember who you are. It comes across to me as egotistical and smartaleck.

This is just my 2 cents, but I really don't understand your business practices, sometimes......
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Sometimes it is hard for me to say no. Plus, people that hang up on me irk me. The least she could have done is say that this was not a good time and can I call back.
 
Tom, if it's any help I've had this happen. Return a call within a few hours only to be hung up on as soon as they hear who ya are.

Yup, it's rude behavior to say the least. But I've come to expect it around these parts. We are north of the Mason-Dixon line, after all.

How would I have handled it? When someone does that I dismiss it and forget it. I'm thinkin'... well, if that's their attitude I'd rather not work for 'em anyhow. We don't need it. Find another DJ company to fustrate. There's plenty to choose from, lol.

Agreed ~ surveys and other forms of feedback can be useful tools when the right questions are asked. The thing with these, they're subjective. And they can be a Catch-22. Make 'em too simple and they don't tell you much. Make 'em too complex and they tend to not get done.
 
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