Summertime madness is upon us! It seems as though we skipped over the typical spring cool weather and into the thrill of summer. While much of the country dealt with winter-like temperatures well into April, the industry has been preparing for the intense festival and summer tour season. Shops have been working long hours pulling gear, ordering up the latest gear and rehearsing to get this right for those millions of fans waiting for their favorite acts to roll into town.
For those seasoned professionals, this is the busy time of the year. When things get busy, we buckle down and make sure the show goes on. There are always things to guard against — an essential item left back at the shop, or an unforeseen holdup that threatens to put a stop to the whole works
The vast majority of PLSN’s readers do this day in and day out, year after year, and have become so organized that they are already thinking 20 steps ahead and making sure that hiccups never happen. But in the end, if something changes, or something new is thrown into the mix, it will need to be addressed. How do you handle something like that?
The Rental Shop Lifeline
Shops of all sizes have been there before. A tour or rental is out, and a call comes into the shop, either during business hours or on the emergency line. Almost every rental shop that I have ever dealt with has been there for me. From the simplest problem of no extra lamps to a malfunctioning light, the shops’ response as always been, “We’ll get this fixed and/or right for you.” No bickering about how it is after hours or some other lame excuse you may have encountered in the consumer’s world of customer service. The shop wants help and to make sure your show goes off the way you planned it.
After all, these rental shops want your return business. A good experience here will pay off down the road for both you and the shop. For you, knowledge that these guys care. For them, another rental.
Attitude and the Golden Rule
When that call does need to happen back to the shop, remember that the voice on the other end of the line is a human being as well. It doesn’t help starting off with a bad attitude. Think about it, if the roles were reversed and you picked up that call, would you be willing to help someone that started off be screaming at you? Of course, we are upset that something went wrong, but cooler heads always prevail. Think of the Golden Rule: Treat others as you would want them to treat you.
Whether it’s done out of sincere appreciation or simply for practical effect, treating someone with respect and good manners will always go further than throwing down the fist. Sure, being forceful and rash may eventually get you want, but it will hurt you in the long run.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T
Any good businessman knows that relationships drive their business forward. Our little niche of an industry is no different. You have heard this countless times before — showing respect and consideration towards others forges better working relationships. After all, in our business, who you know can help land that next gig. I have seen it work in the opposite direction as well.
Watch Justin’s video introducing the May 2014 issue of PLSN at www.plsn.me/201405ednote.
