The Life of the Self-Employed! Bah Humbug!

This Blog is a continuation of my last Blog which was regarding the perception of self-employed and the cancellation issue. You know, the cancellation thing I said that we only get once in a blue moon?! (my big mouth!).
One month ago I was pleased to receive confirmation of our New Years Eve booking. We usually travel all over the UK on NYE, central London, Heathrow etc etc, but we're all pleased on a personal level to know we'd all be home earlier to our families as we'd been booked in Cardiff.

The booking would be for the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff City Centre. The tickets for the Ball including a 6 course Meal were priced at £79.

5 days after it was booked, I received another enquiry for NYE from a client in Dubai – I told them the date was booked but that I would definitely check, just to be sure. The Hilton were adamant they wanted the booking, so I turned down Dubai. I received written confirmation from the agent involved, after he'd received written confirmation from the Hilton. After they confirmed it, I took it off all our date sheets and made it un-available to all of our agents so we wouldn't receive any more enquiries and waste their time.

Yesterday, I receive an email from the agent informing me he'd had an email from The Hilton saying they wanted to cancel the Ball. Their main reason, being that they've only sold 17 tickets.......

My first comment was, its 6 weeks away! If it was the 20^th December and they'd only sold 17, I would understand their concern & worry. I don't know anyone who'd buy this early in advance for NYE – I know I wouldn't, and none of our fans and friends/family would either. We're not even into December yet – i'm not even thinking about Christmas, let alone NYE. Although, if its going to be cancelled, I'd rather know now than mid December, but we've already turned work away – including Dubai! There still maybe a slim chance we might be able to fill it....

When I first found out the ticket price a month ago, I raised an eyebrow – I mean, do they realise we're in a recession? £79. per ticket.... I found myself suggesting to them and the agent options like; why don't they consider reducing the ticket price – or reduce menu size to 4 course and the price along with it. They hadn't advertised it outside of the hotel either and their website was very poor, so I suggested a few adverts in local press and making more of a thing about it on their web site. I do also think that them panicking 6 weeks ahead is un-necessary, they haven't even given it time to sell. I also mentioned that The Village Hotel in Cardiff are selling their Christmas Party Tickets buy one get one half price on 'some' shows that aren't selling so well.

I really didn't expect this type of thing from a Hilton – it doesn't give you much hope if a huge hotel chain like that can't sell their NYE Ball or promote events in a proper way. I also wondered why they hadn't considered any of the options before that I'd mentioned? Surely you'd try and 'save' it before pulling the whole thing? Just do it on a smaller scale. They've already sold over £1300. worth of tickets...... More to the point, why was 'I' suggesting alternatives???!!

Apart from me suggesting 101 things to them to save the booking, I also immediately went straight back to our Dubai client to see if they've booked anyone yet....... so, we will see as I've not heard back from them yet with if they've filled it or not. It feels even worse because of turning away Dubai and knowing how much we all wanted to do that, but didnt want to let down our agent or the Hilton (bigger fool me!).

Again, I really don't see how they think they can simply cancel things with no consequences. I mean, its not like anyone else would want us on the biggest selling and biggest earner of the year, and we do this for a job is it?

L8rz
'Future Manager of The Hilton'