|
Singers & Hosts Wisdom Post how to be a great karaoke singer or host. |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Singers Spend No Money
What do you do when one of your rooms starts attracting a crowd of folks who drink water, don't eat and don't tip? (THEY SPEND NO MONEY!) They sure have fun but the room get full and the paying customers have no where to sit.
1. Is it time to start charging by the song? 2. Does the bar start charging $2 or more for a galss of water? 3. Do you pull one of the group members aside and say somthing? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Jim
__________________
Don't Hate, Participate. GOD Bless! http://madjim.com http://www.myspace.com/madjimhall http://www.youtube.com/madjimhall Test Comp #1: P4 3GHz * 3gb RAM * XP Home SP3 * IE8 * WMP11 * NF3.5 * Onboard Sound * Onboard Video * * * MTU Rack (Show Computer) * P4 3GHz * 3gb RAM* XP Home SP3 * IE7 * WMP11 * NF3.5 * Sound Blaster PCI-512 * ATI Raydeon 9200 |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Charging by song would never work in this area as the drinkers who already spend enough there would have good right to complain and go elsewhere. They have bottled water they charge for here, but probably would not charge for water as most places are also serve food where I play and water in a glass is expectd free. It's really tough decisions to make here but the world as we know depends on varaiety, and this is all part of it. In other posts, I've read complaints about drunks (the ones who pay for being there, the opposites). So I guess you have to have both.
__________________
|
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Thanks Bryant Jim
__________________
Don't Hate, Participate. GOD Bless! http://madjim.com http://www.myspace.com/madjimhall http://www.youtube.com/madjimhall Test Comp #1: P4 3GHz * 3gb RAM * XP Home SP3 * IE8 * WMP11 * NF3.5 * Onboard Sound * Onboard Video * * * MTU Rack (Show Computer) * P4 3GHz * 3gb RAM* XP Home SP3 * IE7 * WMP11 * NF3.5 * Sound Blaster PCI-512 * ATI Raydeon 9200 |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Put up a "No Loitering" sign. If they aren't paying customers, they are loitering.
One bar I used to work had a problem with a large group of water drinkers (we nicknamed them the water brigade) about 8 of them would sing, the bar put up with it until paying customers complained they had to wait an extra 30-40 minutes per round for people who didn't support the bar. The bar finally let them know they couldn;t sing anymore. My personal philosophy is that it's not my job to dictate who is worthy of singing and who is not. The bar pays me to play and that's what I do. It's the bars job to tell people they can't participate. If the bar wants to point out specific people to not allow to participate I will abide by their wishes, other than that I refuse to be the bad guy (in these situations anyhow) Sam |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
I agree with you 100%. I like Bryant's bottled water idea, may suggest it. They are young collage freshmen, too young to drink. I've been working with this place for so long that it hurts to see this happen. On the other side these folks will be in Valdosta for the next four years and will be old enough to drink one day. Gotta keep an eye on my market. Catch 22 big time! Jim
__________________
Don't Hate, Participate. GOD Bless! http://madjim.com http://www.myspace.com/madjimhall http://www.youtube.com/madjimhall Test Comp #1: P4 3GHz * 3gb RAM * XP Home SP3 * IE8 * WMP11 * NF3.5 * Onboard Sound * Onboard Video * * * MTU Rack (Show Computer) * P4 3GHz * 3gb RAM* XP Home SP3 * IE7 * WMP11 * NF3.5 * Sound Blaster PCI-512 * ATI Raydeon 9200 |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
We have that problem on occasion. Usually it doesn't turn into a problem, but they do not give any free refills anymore, charge for all drinks - including water. If someone is not drinking they are asked to leave at the bartenders discression.
I have made the suggestion to several in the past & have actually seen it in action at a couple places. $5 token purchased at the door. It's not a cover charge as this token can be redeemed for $5 in either food or drink. The ones that were planning on spending money don't gripe because they get their $5 back to buy their drinks. The water sippers have at least paid SOMETHING to be able to sit & sing. Yes it may drive them away - but a non-spender is taking up a potential spenders seat, or it may get them to start buying a little more.
__________________
Show PC Lenovo nVidia 3.2ghz proc Win 8.1 64bit Vid: nVidia GT720 2gb mem Aud: Lexicon Alpha Mem: 8gb ram HD: 1tb int/1tb int Test PC ASUS AMD 4ghz 8 core proc Win 7 Pro 32 bit Vid: LP Radeon HD 5450 Video Card - 1GB Aud: Lexicon Omega USB I/O Interface Mem: 16gb ram HD: 1TB/1TB Like us on Facebook http://facebook.com/lonmanproductions |
#7
|
||||
|
||||
Hey Jim, as you know I am responsible for both sides of the coin, literally. As a bar owner, I do charge $1 for bottled water that costs me about $0.25. That still is only a $0.75 profit, but at least they are contributing something (no cover charge).
As the KJ I try to treat them the same as everyone else when it comes to rotation and such. BUT, I do keep a tight leash on them when it comes to the rules of the bar and my equipment. Also, when they complain about this, that, or the other, or tell me "what you NEED to do is...." I ask them to step in to my shoes for a minute. What is the smart business decision here? How much money or time should I invest in you. What is the return on that investment? I am very happy for you to be able to come out and sing, but consider my business model. I provide a place to come, a clean restroom, A/C and heat, a place to set, people to wait on you (that you never tip), and karoke 6 nights a week. Now again I ask you, how much more $$ or time should I invest in you? I am never accusitory or threatening. I am a very soft spoken guy (unless you make me mad) I just very nicely talk to them about how a business survives. If you don't continue to make a profit, you will die. Do you like coming here? I like having you, but I still need to pay the bills. How about this, next time I need to re-do the books, will you help me put them together? How about cleaning and fixing the ones we have now? How about instead of tipping the waitress, you help her out by emptying ash trays, or picking up empty glasses. Maybe you can help me by finding out who keeps writing on the bathroom walls or punching holes in them. You can still contribute without spending any $$. I have found that if you are unhappy with someone, talking to them honestly is the best way to get it resolved. Maybe there is some kind of compromise or understanding you can come to. If all else fails, beat the hell out of them |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Ha ha ha ha ha....... Jim
__________________
Don't Hate, Participate. GOD Bless! http://madjim.com http://www.myspace.com/madjimhall http://www.youtube.com/madjimhall Test Comp #1: P4 3GHz * 3gb RAM * XP Home SP3 * IE8 * WMP11 * NF3.5 * Onboard Sound * Onboard Video * * * MTU Rack (Show Computer) * P4 3GHz * 3gb RAM* XP Home SP3 * IE7 * WMP11 * NF3.5 * Sound Blaster PCI-512 * ATI Raydeon 9200 |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Now, marklwood, I'd be interested in your thoughts on customers like myself. Because I've been to bars where the owner has said something because I don't buy ALCOHOL. I've even "accepted" alcoholic drinks from men and passed them over to a friend because I want them to make money. But, soda and food cost money too... so I guess I don't see what the problem is. I understand that more money is made from alcohol, but the mandatory alcohol is a ludicrous rule! What do you think? |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
We do our shows at a VFW that does not limit their clientele to members only, because they are only 1 of 2 places in the area for people to go to for entertainment. We have one entire family group of singers who come in every Friday and Saturday night. Only one or two of them drink the rest drink water.
__________________
Dale Douglass 2nd Generation Karaoke I am not a member of the MTU Staff.
|
#11
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
Edit: Yes, I believe a mandatory alcohol purchase is not only ludicrous, it may be illegal in some states. In Missouri that would be an enticement to drink and would cost me my liquor license. BTW, I don't drink either. I used to, but I found people who drink tend to make bad decisions when they drink. Last edited by marklwood; September 6th, 2008 at 03:31 AM. |
#12
|
||||
|
||||
A lot more, a really lot more, at least in Maine.
__________________
|
#13
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
#14
|
||||
|
||||
That's probably the case in every State, but I don't think Jim said they were being served. They are probably there drinking water and soda and wanting to sing too.
__________________
|
#15
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
These folks I'm dealing with are are old enough to be drafted but not old enough to drink in the State of Georgia. Another Catch 22 and it's not their fault. Jim
__________________
Don't Hate, Participate. GOD Bless! http://madjim.com http://www.myspace.com/madjimhall http://www.youtube.com/madjimhall Test Comp #1: P4 3GHz * 3gb RAM * XP Home SP3 * IE8 * WMP11 * NF3.5 * Onboard Sound * Onboard Video * * * MTU Rack (Show Computer) * P4 3GHz * 3gb RAM* XP Home SP3 * IE7 * WMP11 * NF3.5 * Sound Blaster PCI-512 * ATI Raydeon 9200 |
#16
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
This had an adverse affect on the customer base, because they would have to shell out 4.50 for a bottle of Miller Lite, and mixed drinks went from 5.25 to 6.25. He was hoping to offset the sales of licquor and promote more food sales. (VA requires that a percentage of food be sold to offset the cost of booze. like 2/3 food to 1/3 ABC). The drinkers in the house were not eaters, 'cept stuff like wings and other appetizers. So he's still hanging in there, no minors after 9pm, ID checks at nine and if you drink you gotta pay the price, no hanging around. So far ABC hasn't been in there to shut him down. but his place is one of the few places in the area with Karaoke 7 nights a week.
__________________
KJ By Vic System #1 Dell Latitude E6400 Pentium Duo Core Windows 7 Professional 4GB RAM 8xDVD-RW 320GB hard disk drive 160 GB External HD USB |
#17
|
|||
|
|||
i have people like that come to my show ( used to anyway), i used to put them at the bottom of the list, till they figured out what i was doing, and i always announced about the beer prices and the nights special and some other things they didnt wanna hear..
|
#18
|
|||
|
|||
I bartend as well as KJ. My advice would be to have the bar stop giving out glasses of water and sell bottles of water. This way it works the bar makes money and the customer isn't paying for tap water.
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
|
|