It was an important question to answer. Particularly when you're about to launch a new service and hoping to persuade hardened veterans like Mansel Bebb of the Philharmonia, to book players through you. 'I was sceptical when Diary Services arrived' says Mansel, 'simply because I was used to being in direct contact with players. But eventually you get used to different ways of workingÉand now 99% of my work is done through diary services".

I'd just introduced Foyer Music to the RFH at the time, and so I set about quizzing the promoters and musicians I'd booked for foyer gigs, to find out what they might want from a Diary Service.

Anne Collis, fixer for the National Symphony Orchestra, was one of the first people I spoke to. Anne happened to be promoting a group playing in the Foyer series. She remembers that of the three diary services operating at the time 'Éone was good, one was bad and one was indifferent!' She told me that 'what I want from a diary service, is to be able to send one fax with a list of all their clients that I want to book, and to hear back as soon as possible with definite acceptances or refusals - simple as that'.

Please visit our performance graphs page for information about orchestras booking through Morgensterns

As my ambition at the time was to run a music agency, I thought 'that's great, I'd like to offer a service like this!' Why not start an agency for freelance orchestral and session musicians?

Of course there were already Answering Services active at the time but they didn't seem to do much to promote a musicians career, and having to call in every day to pick up your messages, as they expected their client's to do Ð well what an imposition!'

My aim has always been to offer a service whose principal objectives are to promote our clients' interests at all times, and to offer fixers the most convenient service possible.

That's why our original USP was to be 'the first diary service to contact clients with their messages as soon as they came in' - because early on I realised how important it was for clients to react quickly to offers of work.

We've also always been very active in promoting Morgensterns through advertising and editorial - because I believe the exposure we get is good for both my client's and for the business. Our original advertising slogan 'Getting messages to clients fast, is what distinguishes Morgensterns from other diaries' promoted our fledgling USP.

'As soon as possible' has of course come to mean something very different as technology has developed apace. I realised early on that speed is essential when trying to help fixers with last-minute bookings. That's why I've invested so much time, energy and money into developing database systems that provide today's instant solutions.

Clients tell me that they run sweep-stakes when they were abroad, to see who's the first person to receive a fax from Morgensterns.

Communication technology has changed out of all recognition since I started out in business Ð I remember buying my first brick-like mobile phone and the incredible sense of freedom it gave me. Of course there was a worry that musicians might not need a Diary Service once they had also discovered the freedom of mobile communications - but in fact mobiles have made our services even more valued.

Of course there are those unexpected technical glitches - mobiles not always in range; batteries not always charged up; the mobile is switched off because the owner is in a rehearsal or on the road.

What's most important however, is that events have a habit of getting out of control when they take place too quickly. Clients tell us that one of the great benefits of Morgensterns is that we act as an intermediary between fixers and themselves. We provide them with time to think about whether or not to accept a booking.

The faster our Teleteam chase clients with their messages, the more thinking-time they have - the key is, of course, to get their replies back to fixers ASAP.'

With this in mind, we introduced a new element to our list of USPs. We not only contact clients with their messages, but we also keep fixers up-to-date with the progress of their inquiries - now a vital aspect of our management services. Because while fixers know that we'll always do our uttermost to contact clients, there are inevitably times when fixers have to wait for an answer Ð a client is un-contactable in a rehearsal, concert or just on the road and not able to answer the phone.

'When it comes to progress reports on individual bookings' says Jane Lomas from the City of London Sinfonia, 'I'm confident that the Morgensterns Teleteam will phone through updates about my bookings whenever they are required.'

Charlotte Templeman, fixer for the ECO, agrees 'diary services are still absolutely essentialÉa diary service like Morgensterns will know just where that person is, and can say very quickly if a date is likely.'

Jane Moss from the RPO adds, 'I think the response time from the Morgensterns clients is probably the fastest. Their Teleteam seem to have every possible contact detail for the players in order to find them wherever they are. I know that in one of those emergency situations, Morgensterns Teleteam move heaven and earth to help, and have kept me sane in many a difficult drama!'

'Morgensterns was the diary service to the pioneer to use of computers', says Kate Crawshaw, fixer of the London Concert and Mozart Festival orchestras.'

Thanks to Apple Computers, I've been able to introduce a raft of unique new services to the management we now offer our clients and the fixers who book through Morgensterns Ð in particular our computerised 'diaries', by instrument 'availability-lists' and 'who's-doing-my-date lists'.

'It makes for a package', says Stephen Carpenter, Manager of the City of London Sinfonia, 'É.that's stunning, comprehensive and undertakes every combination of functions a fixer could wish for'

Computing is essential because, as Ian Brignall of the Milton Keynes City Orchestra pointed out. 'Life has become a lot more complex for freelance players in the 22 years I've been in the business. We now have a situation where players have the ability to accept work in many different places, including abroad, and be in three places in three days very easily. Players are more used to juggling work to get the best for themselves', but of course, they need support to be able to do this.

"The great thing about Morgensterns', says David Stewart, principal Bass Trombone of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, 'is that they offer me choice Ð their Teleteam refer dates to me, even when there are clashes in my diary. It means I'm always in control of my work That's why I've been a client for over 20 years."

David Wilson of the London Mozart Players agrees, 'I think if Morgensterns has a distinctive aspect it's in the efforts they go to track down players at short notice or in emergencies. We've all had the experience of receiving a phone call from Morgensterns while working in some far-flung venue in order to get an urgent message to a player. I'm probably more likely to turn to Morgensterns in a crisis as they're willing to trawl their biographies and find me players with the right sort of experience.'

Finding deps, with our computerised availability lists, is one of the great strengths of our service. Client's like to hear about all the work they are offered, and when they do decide to take on clashing work, it's usually on the basis that they can recommend an acceptable dep to the orchestra they're asking to release them, from one of our availability-lists Ð availability-lists provide a great way of expanding the pool of work, available for all of our clients.

'The ability of the database to extract information at speed is unrivalled,' says Helen Wilson, assistant orchestral manager at the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. 'Their availability-ists can be life-saving! And it's the only service able to generate a list of orchestras each person has worked for in a couple of seconds Ð essential when, in an emergency, you need reminding of the players who have worked for your orchestra during the past year or two'

How are we able to offer such a comprehensive range of management services at such a reasonable price? Our quarterly fees have been fixed at £115 + VAT since 2000, and are guaranteed to remain fixed for a further year!

It's all down to our systems, that are designed to provide our Teleteam with instant access to all the information that they require to provide a responsive and efficient service - our client diaries;: up-to-date client profiles; and our very heavily used 'availability' and 'who's-doing-my-date' list services.

Our systems are all developed in-house. which is important because it means they can evolve with great flexibility and speed.

And the (unsolicited!) message that came through from many of the people we spoke to?

It was that the combination of Morgensterns' Teleteam and computer developments give the service the edge, particularly in crisis management. 'For me, having access to Morgensterns' availability lists is a great help in moments of last-minute panic,' says Jonathan Taylor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. 'I always use Morgensterns as the first port of call in a crisis.'

'I'm often asked - usually by younger players - to recommend a diary service', says Adrian Rutter of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, 'or just to explain the differences between the services. Julian does seem to have cornered the market in the younger generation and part of the reason for this is that his is the only service which is proactive in finding work for clients. His Teleteam have always been eager to offer to help out. I'd also recommend Morgensterns because of wonderful efficiency and pleasant, knowledgeable staff.'

With Morgensterns I know I'll get a straight answer,' adds Mansel Bebb. 'I guess speed is the thing that distinguishes Morgensterns - very good, very fast, very efficient.'

Andrew Green

this article is copyright protected. Morgensterns is licensed to reproduce it. No further copying is permitted without Morgensterns or the author's permission