In this third and final section of "What to Avoid," we discuss some of the most prevalent structural and policy problems with companies in the DJ industry.  This article is part of The DJ SHOPPING GUIDE™.

"QUESTIONABLE BUSINESS PRACTICES"

In the previous section, What to Look For, we mentioned several criteria that help to establish the professionalism of a company.  Unfortunately, there are some ethically questionable business practices in use within this industry, and all are things you should seek to avoid.

Inconsistent Pricing

When asked about pricing, some companies may tell you that they offer a "range" and that their price "depends on a number of factors."  These factors can include the size of the reception room, the number of guests you'll have, if you need music in multiple rooms, and the duration of your event.  These are relatively legitimate points to consider in pricing and, therefore, any DJ company you are considering should be able to provide you with an accurate price quote after a 2-3 minute conversation on the telephone. 

Unfortunately, there are also companies that consider a number of irrelevant factors when pricing your wedding, and this happens most frequently when couples have not asked for a price quote before agreeing to meet with a company.  These companies may look at the car you drove up in, the size of your diamond, or the label on your bag to determine how big a budget you have.  Similarly, they may decide a bride and groom hosting their reception at a particular venue obviously has plenty of  money to throw around, and can afford a significantly higher price.  When dealing with a company that engages in inconsistent pricing, it's virtually guaranteed that a couple who appears to have money will be quoted a higher price than that company's "average" client.

Conversely, a client who lucks into a "slow" date for the company (even if that date falls within the industry's busy season) may get a special discount not offered to anyone else.  Companies that utilize inconsistent pricing have been known to offer discounts to particular couples whose music tastes or personality the salesperson likes, or who simply ask for a lower rate.  That may be fortunate for the select few who benefit from such an offer, but is hardly fair to the couples who accepted a company's stated pricing at face value or whose wedding happened not to hold some special appeal to the DJ.  Inconsistent pricing is inherently unfair to everyone who does business with a company that engages in this practice, and these companies are not worth serious consideration.

Assigning a DJ "Later"

Some companies, particularly those who use demonstrations and commissioned salespeople, will offer you the option of paying a premium price to reserve a specific DJ for your event.  If you can't pay this, or choose not to, they will still accept your business -- but will make a promise to assign you a DJ closer to the date your event.  Usually they’ll claim they select this DJ once you’ve submitted your music requests, so they can “make the best match."  However, this claim defies basic logic.  If the salesperson or company owner just spent half an hour with you discussing your music tastes, they should have all the music-related information they need to recommend a specific DJ to you at whatever price you were quoted.

What the company is actually doing is stalling to see who's left over (in other words, who's not been reserved, with an additional fee, by anyone else) shortly before your wedding.  What you should ask yourself is, what caliber of DJs are still available -- unreserved by another couple -- just a few weeks prior to your wedding date?  If a DJ hasn’t been able to secure a job for a given date from any of the agencies he works for (or booked one himself), what does that say about his value or talent level?

Peace of mind is everything when planning a wedding, and without having personally met with a specific DJ prior to contracting his services, you are taking a tremendous gamble.  You are essentially trusting that the salesperson will find someone – a person who wasn’t selected by anyone else – to DJ your wedding.  It is incredibly unlikely that the DJ they come up with last-minute will be someone you would have willingly considered for your wedding if you had the choice.  These companies know, however, that by the time you figure this out, it will be too close to your wedding date for you to do anything about it. 

Meeting your specific DJ, in person and before signing a contract, is the single most important part of selecting a wedding DJ, and should not be sacrificed for any reason.  If a company you are considering refuses to make arrangements to that effect, then you would be wise to take your business elsewhere.

Upselling, "Add-Ons," and Double-Charging

The most common reason a company might refuse to quote an exact price, providing a range of prices instead, is to give themselves the opportunity to sell you on extra equipment that should have been included in their package in the first place.  They'll often charge you separately for anything beyond a basic two-speaker setup, adding on fees for wireless microphones, an enhanced speaker for dancing, or a sound system for the ceremony/cocktail reception.  They then also charge you for the extra performance time.  You are, in essence, paying twice.

The practice of double-charging is made even more offensive by the fact that these companies already own the equipment that they are charging you extra for.  It would cost them literally nothing to bring the proper equipment for the job, and simply charge you for the additional time.

Furthermore, the fact that these companies consider essential equipment as "optional" suggests that you have the option to decline.  Does that mean the company is willing to perform for your wedding without adequate sound support?  Is it just not their problem if their speakers don't have enough power to provide sound throughout a large venue?  Is it fine with them that your friends and family members need to give their toasts from behind the DJ table?  Forcing you to pay extra for the right equipment for the job is nothing short of gouging you, and companies that engage in this practice should be avoided. 

"No Pressure" vs. "No Commitment"

A DJ, commissioned salesperson, or company owner who chooses not to give you a contract at your meeting may seem like the complete opposite of "high pressure," which should be a good thing.  However, by not presenting you with a contract, they're also denying you the opportunity to review its terms and ask questions.  If they have not prepared a contract in advance of the meeting, they have allowed themselves the ability to make up any price on the spot, often based on factors having nothing to do with the actual specifics of your wedding (as described above).

Without a contract, they're also leaving you with no sense of security that your date will be held for any length of time.  This gives them the option to tell you later that they were booked by another couple for your date, or that they've decided they aren't the "right fit" for your wedding.  In other words, what may seem like a relaxed, no-obligation sales approach is actually not obligating the DJ to you, either.

Similarly, a company that doesn't charge a deposit (or charges a minimal one) may claim to do so out of confidence in your satisfaction -- implying you have the right not to pay them if they don't meet your expectations -- but what they're also doing is giving themselves an easy way to back out of your wedding.   A deposit is an essential part of an agreement, a form of security, and if the DJ decides to cancel on you, they'll be out close to nothing, while you're left without a DJ.  Furthermore, if the DJ collects no deposit and then doesn't show up to the wedding, your contract could be found to be invalid in court.  Money changing hands alters the legal status of an agreement, whether written or verbal.  A reasonable deposit provides peace-of-mind on both sides.

Remember, the most important part of interviewing DJs is to meet (in person) the specific DJ who will be part of your event, get a feel for their personality and style, ask any pertinent questions, and decide if that person is the right fit for you.  Beyond that, and understanding the contract you're asked to sign, nothing else should really matter.

Now that you have a clear idea of what to look for and what to avoid, it's very important that you ask the proper questions when you interview potential DJs for your wedding.  For a list of the best questions to ask, along with specific advice on what kind of answer you should expect, see the final section of The DJ SHOPPING GUIDE™ - Questions to Ask a Wedding DJ.