Over the Halloween weekend, one of Gig Salad’s members proved what it takes to be a savvy businessman. In a situation that could have gone negatively for several people, Lawrence of Martini Express thought up of an innovative way to solve the problem tossed to him, and we here at Gig Salad would like to delve into this story, show you how a little customer service can make any company shine, and to remember that every client matters.
The Story: The owner of Martini Express was contacted by a client via another website and everything was looking fine and dandy until she sent him her address – Chicago, Illinois – this would have been perfect, except that Lawrence resides in Rancho Cucamonga, California, a bit of a noble travel for a bar tender. What could have happened was that the lady planning this event in Chicago could have been left dry with a party of guests, and a nasty review could have been stamped onto the Martini Express profile. Instead, Lawrence opted for the professional outlook and used our website to find a bartender listed in Chicago to connect the earlier client with a service he knew he could trust. And there you have it, the lady from Chicago isn’t left stranded on Halloween, a Chicago bartender got a gig, and Martini Express didn’t catch any slack for being on the other side of the country. Now that’s what we call taking the right angle and making the most of an opportunity, for everyone.
In the below interview, the owner of Martini Express shares his insights with us here at Gig Salad on the above dilemma, on his work in bartending, and his feelings toward Gig Salad.
Interview:
Q: As with Gig Salad, what has your experience been with us and how has it helped you with bartending?
My experience has been very positive. Not only do I get 50% of my leads through Gig Salad, but the fact that I can get my reviews through a third party -- anyone can just make up their own reviews and post them on their website, but with Gig Salad it gives a sense of authenticity coming from my clients.
Q: In booking, what made you decide to help the client from Chicago?
As far as helping the client in Chicago, I understood she was not familiar with Gig Salad or was not familiar with searching for a reliable bartender. I knew that I could pull up Gig Salad, type in her zip code, and find a trustable bartender for her. She booked with me several weeks in advance, but she hadn’t given me an address to work with -- until two days before her party, which was in Chicago, Illinois. Being that I’m based in California, I couldn't attend her event.
After thinking over it awhile, I did a search on Gig Salad and found Sean Martinis Mobile Bar, I gave him a call, and found he was available due to an earlier cancellation he had. In the end, although I wasn't able to rebook for Halloween, the client from Chicago was not left empty handed for her guests. I figured it was only a gig on my side, but for her, this was an event. She wrote me back and thanked me for going out of my way and for helping in her dire, last minute situation. That alone was worth more to me than any fee I would have made that night.
Q: What brought you into pursuing bartending?
I went into bartending right out of the U.S. Army some twenty years ago, give or take fifteen years. No one wanted to hire me without any outside skills. I had a combat MOS and lacked any experience outside of warfare training. I was given a chance to bartend from an employment agency and jumped at it after being unemployed for over a month.
Q: What would you like to see with your career?
I'm happy now working for myself. I had a unique idea as far as a mobile bartender service went, and after the recent recession hit... I went for it. I sold seven of my collectible guitars and purchased everything I needed to start my business. I'm happy just working gigs by myself, or with a few people that I can rely on, and I’m able to pay my bills. Maybe one day I would like to have a fleet of bars and trailers and people I could really rely on and grow my business, but I hold a high standard and for now, I attend every event myself to insure it runs smoothly and flawlessly. I strive to go above and beyond what the customer is expecting. If I don't blow them away with service, I haven't done my job.
Q: What do you like about Gig Salad?
I found Gig Salad and knew it had the right stuff, starting from the logo to the concept. It reminded me of the early days of eBay -- when no one knew about it. I was there, aka auctiontender... I sold Elvis Presley's bed.
I knew I had to get on board, Gig Salad was more than reasonably priced to use and was set up by people who knew what they were doing. There was a need for Gig Salad -- the name is even cool. There needed to be a place where people could hire true professionals in their industry as far as entertainment and service are concerned. So I'm sold, I have the license plate frame, I’m ordering the shirts and hats just to help get the name out there, and once the spark ignites, Gig Salad will be a wildfire, a common name in every household.
Q: What suggestions do you have for promoting strong customer relations, even with clients who may not end up using your service?
I couldn't improve on Gig Salad’s customer service, I mean you guys get back to me the same day if not the same hour with answers to any of my questions or concerns. In fact, when you sold out of the License plate frames, Steve (one of the founders) sent me his own personal one; you can't get better customer service, not today. It's partially to Gig Salad why doing what I do is so exciting. I feel I have a marketing partner that really cares about my needs.
Q: As for helping the client from Chicago, what advice would you give for other clients searching for bartenders in their area?
As far as clients looking for professional entertainers or service personnel or anything gig related, there is nowhere else to go. It is all here. You could book a FULL CIRCUS including concessionaires if you wanted, where else can you do that?
Q: Do you have any further comments on this subject that you would like to add?
I have nothing really to add except my sincere gratitude for your existence. Thank you Gig Salad!
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