If the customer stops responding, it's not your fault...

2020 marked the beginning of a situation unprecedented in humanity's recent history. A virus paralyzed most of the economy and pushed some sectors to the brink of collapse. For me, as a full-time DJ for all kinds of events, such as weddings, birthdays, and corporate functions, it was a time of reorganization and reassessment.

Early on, when it became clear that no events would be taking place for the foreseeable future, I contacted my clients by email or phone and froze existing bookings, as cancellation fees were not legally enforceable at that time. "Frozen" meant that the booking remained in effect without a specific event date, and these "frozen" bookings would only be reactivated when it was possible to hold events without restrictions.

So far so good, many of my customers gratefully accepted the offer and we agreed that we would deal with finding a date again in 2021.

It's 2021 and they're still chasing after the customer...

In 2021, I was able to reschedule with about half of my clients for 2021, or we agreed to try again in 2022. I couldn't reach the other half. They didn't respond to my emails or phone calls, and in some cases, they completely ignored me. Even wedding planners and agencies with whom I had contacted them, as mentioned above, suddenly became unavailable or didn't get back to me in any way to clarify or discuss the status.

This epidemic has caused many people's superficial masks to crumble, revealing their true colors and attitudes. This is also true in the business world. Where else can you order something and then not accept it, or, in my specific case, fail to inform the DJ whether you're still planning to party or not? And I won't even begin to discuss the antisocial and inhumane treatment of others...

Informing the service provider is something for...

I've finally managed to reach two of the "non-respondents." In one case, the Corona crisis had such a significant impact on the relationship that the wedding was canceled. In the other case, I canceled the booking myself because they weren't making any effort to reschedule at short notice. And quite honestly, I can wait, but not indefinitely. All the others I couldn't reach, and who didn't even bother to send a quick email, are now flagged in my system. I can happily do without such clients, as they're only taking up dates that others who also want to celebrate...

From 2022 onwards, bookings will operate normally again on a "first come, first served" basis. I will no longer accommodate those who have postponed due to COVID-19 and haven't contacted me since the end of 2020. Sorry about that. If I happen to be available on your chosen date, then I'd be happy to accommodate you; if not, then not. My good nature, my understanding of the situation (where "oh, I can't celebrate because of COVID" is contrasted with "damn, how can I cover my running costs?" - think about it - and at this point, many thanks to our government for the swift emergency aid; at least in my case, their word was kept), and my patience with the strain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, ends when someone, like those two ducks above, prefers to bury their head in the sand rather than simply inform their trusted DJ what the situation is...

Thank you for nothing...