DJ Connors-Mobile Entertainment: About Your Wedding

Do you carry "back-up" equipment?

Without a doubt, this is my favorite question--NOT!! For as many years as I've been in this business, I still can't answer this question in a way that will allay any apprehension in the mind of a potential customer. That's because I won't lie to my clients. Simply put, the answer to the question is NO!

Sure, the old Boy Scouts motto is "be prepared", and we certainly are! Our equipment is the "oxygen" of our company! If it doesn't work, neither do we! Our sound systems have a regular maintenance schedule, and are tested before and after every event! Sure, we carry the tools necessary to make general "on the spot" repairs to components that sometimes can and do go bad, (like fuses and patch cables), but an entire second sound system? I think that's absurd, yet I've lost business over the years because some clients wanted insurance (a "back-up" system) that our sound equipment wouldn't fail during their event!

Why don't we carry "back-up" equipment? I don't believe it's necessary (for our company). Sound components don't "die" for no reason at all! Abuse and neglect are the main reasons for equipment failure. Where and how is the equipment being stored when not in use? Is it being kept in a climate controlled (heat/AC) environment, or is it in an outdoor garage or the back of a van, exposed to extreme cold during the winter months and excessive heat during the summer? Is the equipment kept in protective "road" cases or is it stored in an ordinary "milk crate"? Are the components kept clean? Are the patch cables and fuses changed on a regular basis? To me, these are more important questions for you to ask your DJ than "do you carry back-up equipment?"!

I know that a lot of DJ 's advertise that they carry a "back-up" system to every event. In my experience, (20 + years) the only reason to carry a complete "back-up" system is because you lack confidence that your main sound system will work properly. Our company doesn't have that problem. Equipment maintenance is a priority to our success! We have never, n-e-v-e-r missed an event, or had an event interrupted due to faulty equipment!

Any DJ, who regularly works with his equipment, should have a feel for how his system is performing. The components that make up the sound system will give an indication that something may need attention. An experienced DJ will be able to recognize this. That's why we test our equipment before and after every performance and always perform a "sound check" prior to the start of an event! It's like driving your car--if you hear the brakes squeal and pull the car to the right when you tap them, would you just ignore it and hope it doesn't happen again? Of course not! A reasonable person would realize that there may be a problem and would take the car in to be professionally serviced! Preventative maintenance is imperative to insure the successful long term performance of our equipment!

Let's just suppose that your DJ does have a back-up system available to them at your event. Let's also suppose that due to some unexplained reason, their equipment fails during your event. OH NO! HAVE NO FEAR--THEIR BACK-UP SYSTEM IS HERE! It's probably outside in their truck, or maybe they schlepped it inside because they had a feeling there might be a problem with their main system! Either way, it will take several minutes to set-up and get it ready in order to continue their performance. They've already embarrassed themselves, and quite possibly ruined your event because they didn't take the time to check their equipment before the event. Think about it!

I know that this disclosure will raise some eyebrows, from both the competition and potential clients, but to know me is to understand that I am extremely honest and that I stand behind what I say! I would be very wary of any DJ Company that uses the claim that they carry "back-up" equipment as a selling point!