Sounds like the title of a spaghetti western, and to be honest, it probably over the years has had as many casualties. So what am I talking about? The answer is bad entertainment.



I think most of us can relate to either a personal experience or the experience of a friend, to how the focal point of an event ruined it. The entertainment at an event is probably the most crucial part, if you don't include inviting the guests, and when it goes wrong everyone notices. Just the other day I was in a conversation and was told about how a DJ failed to turn up at an event, that event being a wedding, and how despite repeated phone calls no one could contact the party involved. This basically ruined what should have been the best day of two peoples lives, a real shame as everything else had gone so smoothly. This is something not just confined to private events, it can also effect corporate ones too. Imagine planning a corporate event, your colleagues will be there, perhaps someone high up within the company is flying in from abroad, or you are trying to make a good impression on future clients and seal a deal worth a lot of money. Everything is in place, or so you think, then out of the blue?.. nothing, no entertainment. Panic sets in, but in the end there is little you can do, it is too late. Of course the entertainment can arrive, but still let you down. A band in jeans and T shirts at a black tie corporate event, the wrong music, there are so many aspects that to list them all would become boring for those of you reading this.

So what is the solution you ask? The best solution is to use an entertainment agency. Allow me to explain. At one time all UK entertainment agencies had to be licensed, which is no longer the case, however all entertainment agencies are required to comply with the employment agencies act and it's amendments. This gives you, the client, legal recourse, which you can exercise if, need be. Some entertainment agencies are members of professional bodies such as The Agents Association or the NEAC (National Entertainment Agents Council), if they are then these should be your first point of contact if you have a problem, which you cannot resolve. Both organisations have a code of conduct for members and also have a disciplinary process available. If an agency is not a member of either, and the complaint is serious enough, then you can make a complaint to the DBERR, formally the DTI, who have powers to act against and impose severe sanctions on rogue agencies.

I am sure there are people reading this who are saying to themselves, is this just a plug to get business, the answer is no. Although I run an entertainment agency, I am not saying that everyone should use our services, people should and do have a choice. I am saying make sure you use a reputable entertainment agency, of which there are many. So what can you expect from a reputable entertainment agency, the first is a high level of service, professional people to source entertainment to your needs. The second, if something goes wrong, a reputable agency will do its best to put it right. Third, legally binding contracts between the parties involved.

Now I am sure there are some people saying, I have a contract for my DJ/Band, he/they sent me one, or I always use an agency and have a contract. My question to those people is ?IS IT LEGAL?? Just because you have a contract doesn't mean that it is legal or that in a dispute it will hold up in court. Always make sure that any contract you have complies with the law. If in doubt always ask the person issuing it, or take independent legal advice. The good news is that a legal contract is everybody's safeguard, and it will detail all the requirements, so you can rest easy knowing that everything is covered.

So in conclusion, to make your event memorable for all the right reasons:

Always use a reputable agency, to avoid the bad or the indifferent, and just enjoy the good.

Good luck with your next event.

? Paul Sims 2008