Thread: How do you handle being the PITA when you have to?

How do y'all handle your clients when they, for whatever reasons, force you to need to 'nag'...without ACTUALLY coming off the nag?

Sure we have all had them. I have one going at the mo, a perfectly lovely couple, no other problems...but they take vague to a new level. I am dancing with an experienced team, so I don't need too much planning, but it IS a long distance show [4 hour drive] and we needed an idea of arrival time to paln. Since they don't really know when to organise their first show between their 3 o clock start and something at 5...quite a mission. I am more then happy to be flexible on arrival...but if you decide you actually want it at x and we haven't left home...Even if the show was nearer, flexibility is one thing, camping out the whole night another :)

I find I generally deal with it by approaching it from the perspective of them/their function/their experience rather then 'we need' ..and trying to guide them into a commital/ let them think they made the decision I actually took for them. Like with this couple, where I tried to bring the perspective of not wanting them to be concerned and worrying about entertainment on their party day, so 'lets just say' an xyz arrival and organise from there. Getting me a comitted time without [hopefully] annoying them in the process.

I guess the tl;dr version of that is...we have the line to tread between the client's 'its my special day' and the fact that for us it is a business and you need to handle it so. So you need xyz details, or can't just arrive at start time and wait on them, or need some other info that isn't high on their list of 'to dos'...but it is top on yours. So how do YOU negotiate that, without making them feel harried?How and when do you sense to back off...and what do you do if it is one of those 'need to know' points? I seem to get passable results with the approach above...but what do you do? Sure some other folks will have great ideas and tips!

i will go for "so let's put everything on paper so we are all clear. so, we will arrive at X hour, and dance at Xhour, and leave at X hour". in other words, decide FOR them?

for the chronically vague, I take the same approach you did.

I think clients who are overwhelmed actually appreciate it when we seem to know how to handle our part of things. So I'll ask relevant questions (or at least questions that seem relevant!). What time are you having people arrive? How long do you expect them to stay? Are you serving food? Will there be a DJ? How many guests do you expect?

Then I'll way 'It might work best, then, if we go on at 4pm so we're wrapping up before you're feeding the guests.'

or 'For an event that size, I recommend a 25 minute show with three dancers.'

or whatever. Usually works, at least I get things on the contract and then if they want to change it later I'll accommodate them if I can, or say 'I'm sorry, we've planned other events around this one and the only time slot I have available is the one we agreed to.'

I remember setting up a series of speakers once. I'd never done it before and had no idea what I wanted. When I spoke to the one who sort of took charge by asking me questions and then giving me her recommendation I felt so RELIEVED, like I was in the capable hands of an experienced pro.

Yeah... it seems to be a good approach, since it also shows that YOU care about them getting a good show...yet you subtley move them on through the waffle or the plain lack of thought.

I was told in a past job that thenumber onenono wasmaking the client seem foolish...think that is always a good one to remember.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

for the chronically vague, I take the same approach you did.

I think clients who are overwhelmed actually appreciate it when we seem to know how to handle our part of things. So I'll ask relevant questions (or at least questions that seem relevant!). What time are you having people arrive? How long do you expect them to stay? Are you serving food? Will there be a DJ? How many guests do you expect?
....... When I spoke to the one who sort of took charge by asking me questions and then giving me her recommendation I felt so RELIEVED, like I was in the capable hands of an experienced pro.

plus when you ask those questions it helps break down the planning into manageable steps for someone who might be less indecisive and more overwhelmed by the planning process.