Almost every dispute we have seen between a family and a vendor traces back to something nobody asked at the time of booking. These seven questions prevent most of them.
1. Exactly what is included in this price?
Ask for a written, itemised list. How many artists? How many hours? Is sound included or separate? Is transport extra? Is there a charge if the programme overruns by an hour? "Everything is included" is not an answer — get the specifics on paper.
2. Who will actually turn up on the day?
This matters most with performers. Some agencies sell you one artist and send a substitute. Ask whether the person you have heard or seen is the person contracted, and get the names in your confirmation.
3. What time will you arrive, and when will you be ready?
Arrival time and readiness time are different. A team that arrives at 5 PM for a 6 PM function and needs three hours to set up has a problem. Ask for both, and confirm them with your venue's access rules.
4. What is your backup if equipment fails?
Microphones fail, mixers die, and power cuts happen. A professional operation carries spares and can say so specifically. Vagueness here is a genuine warning sign.
5. Have you worked at this venue before?
Familiarity with a venue saves hours. A team that knows where the power points are, how the loading works and what the noise cut-off is will set up faster and with fewer surprises. If they have not worked there, ask whether they will do a site visit first.
6. What are the payment terms, and what is the cancellation policy?
Advance amount, balance due date, accepted payment methods, and what happens if the date changes. Postponements are common; know the position before you need to invoke it.
7. Who do I call on the day if something goes wrong?
You need a name and a mobile number for somebody who will be reachable and empowered to act. An office landline is not useful at 9 PM on a Saturday.
One further suggestion
Ask for two recent client references and actually telephone them. Five minutes with somebody who used the vendor last month tells you more than any brochure. Any vendor confident in their work will provide references without hesitation.
