Hi,

Thanks for deciding to employ my services! I really look forward to working with you.

OK... time for us to do the detail.

Here are my ‘Notes of Agreement’. It’s like contract, except that it's in plain English.

It’s a long document, but worth reading. It outlines everything that you need to know about our deal. And it is a really handy guideline of what we can expect from one another.

That said, I have never had a dispute with a client – and I am not about to start. Nonetheless, it’s a really good idea for you to read it anyway. And to save a copy just in case you need to refer back to it at a later stage. Remember that this forms the basis of our agreement, which will exist in this electronic format only - and which you will be bound by once you confirm the booking.

Here's another good reason for you to save a copy: In our fast-paced world everything changes. As do my terms of agreement (as published on these pages). So, if ever you need to refer back to the basis of our agreement, it's possible that the content of these web pages may by then have been altered. And your only proof of the actual content of our agreement will be your saved copy of the terms at the time that you confirmed the booking - in the absence of which the terms as published on this website at any time in the future will be considered to be the basis of our agreement (which at that time may be to your detriment). Bottom line: save and retain a copy of the web pages listed hereunder. It just makes sense for you to do so .

Once you have read this, I really look forward to hearing from you. Let me know which parts really don’t work for you – so that we can make whatever changes we need to. Of course it’s best if we any changes in writing – but you can bet your last penny on this: If I tell you something, you can take my word on it. Period. Ask around. You’ll see that it’s so!

If I don’t hear from you at all, and receive your payment, I’ll just assume that you’re happy with our ‘Notes of Agreement’ as it stands.

Just shout if you need me to clarify anything! I’m on

Kind Regards,

PS As on the rest of my Website, I have used South African spelling conventions throughout.

NOTES OF AGREEMENT

Guarantee Of Satisfaction

1. I’ll only take your booking if I am confident that I can meet your brief. There’s just too much at stake – for both of us - if I accept bookings beyond the scope of my qualifications, experience and competence. From a selfish perspective: I stand to tarnish my otherwise sterling, and hard-earned reputation. So, if I’m not certain that I can meet your expectations, I’ll rather help you find the right speaker, presenter, workshop leader, consultant or facilitator. I promise. And, if I do refer you to someone else I will not take a commission or a handling fee of any sort – just as proof of the fact that my referral will be based on your needs, rather than on lining my own pocket.
2. Keynotes and Workshops: If you were to book me, then I guarantee that the vast majority of your audience will rate the presentation as worthwhile. And as relevant, educational, entertaining, uplifting, thought-provoking and inspiring – failing which I will waive my fee.
3. Facilitated Sessions: I guarantee that by the end of the session, the group will agree that I achieved the desired outcomes – failing which we will waive my fee.
4. *Return of fee if you invoke my guarantee: Should you invoke this guarantee, I will return the full fee without delay.
5. You can count on me: Once I confirm your booking, you can bank on me being there, as booked, on the day – and I will not change, cancel or withdraw from this commitment, except in the event of a situation totally out of my control like an incapacitating medical condition, accident, flight delays or Act of G-d. Just so you know: In more than 3,000 engagements over the last 20 years I have missed only two... one as a result of a miss-communication (for which the client took full responsibility), and the other because I was laid up in ICU with a very serious illness – and, even so, I arranged a substitute. But, if however I were to fail to appear as booked for any reason whatsoever, I will refund the fee immediately. This will be the full extent of my liability.
6. Back-up plan: In the event that I am unable to appear as a result of something really serious - and of course unexpected - I will then do everything in my power to provide a replacement of similar talent, willing to work for the same fee (their travel and accommodation would however be an additional expense for your account – as would mine have been).
7. Limit of my liability: In the event that I fail to appear as booked, the full extent of my liability will be to forfeit my fees. Any other loss, material or otherwise, deemed to come about as a result of my non-appearance (for whatever reason) will remain for your account.

Fees

1. Click here for Fee Schedule.

Travel

1. Refer to the Fee Schedule. In addition...
2. Except where the alternative is expressly agreed, Stef du Plessis will make all of his own travel arrangements.
3. All agreed travel costs paid by Stef du Plessis is refundable immediately on presentation of invoice.

Cancellation by Client

1. Cancellation needs to be in writing, and will be effective as the date received by Stef du Plessis.
2. Cancellation more than 90 days before the event: No cancellation fee. Client remains liable for any other pre-agreed expenses incurred by me (like travel bookings or custom-prepared resources). Any fees already paid to Stef du Plessis will be returned.
3. Cancellation 60-90 days before the event: Cancellation fee of 50% of my full published fee (as opposed to 50% of the contracted fee, which may include a discount), plus all other pre-agreed expenses incurred by me.
4. Cancellation less than 60 days before the event: Cancellation fee of 100% of my full published fee, plus all other expenses incurred by me.
5. In addition, all other pre-agreed agreed expenses which I will be obliged to further incur, will also remain payable by client in full in all instances of cancellation, regardless of when cancellation is made.
6. The same cancellation penalties will also apply in the event that the date or time of the booking is changed once the booking is confirmed, and I not be able to accommodate such change due to my schedule.
7. Should you however again contract my services at any time in the future, the fee of such future booking will be discounted by 50% of the cancellation fee (note that this applies only to cancellations in respect of date and time changes, and not to outright cancellations).
8. Where the client has already paid any or all of the fee and / or reimbursement of expenses to Stef du Plessis at the time that a cancellation fee falls due, then the portion of the monies which constitutes the cancellation fee will be retained, and the remainder of the monies will be refunded to the client without delay.
9. If the client has not yet paid any or all of the fee and / or reimbursement of expenses to Stef du Plessis at the time that the cancellation fee falls due, then the full sum due in terms of the cancellation fee will become payable immediately upon cancellation.

Handouts, Workbooks and Effectiveness Resources

1. andouts, workbooks and other resources are available for purchase at an additional fee.
2. Handouts are short summaries of the content, copied in black & white, and stapled together.
3. Workbooks are detailed and comprehensive, and are designed to assist participants in understanding and implementing the subject matter.
4. In the event of keynote presentations, you are free to decline both the handouts and the workbooks, or you may decide to present your delegates with either one.
5. You will be required to purchase workbooks for all attending delegates on workshops, team-building events, UGRs® interventions. Some programmes require more than one workbook per delegate.
6. I also have a comprehensive range of effectiveness e-resources available, designed to assist participating delegates in their quest for improved effectiveness, as well as to allow you to run in-house programmes, where an appropriate license agreement is in place.

Copyright

1. No transfer of intellectual property is ever implied. All rights vest with Stef du Plessis, through Stef du Plessis & Associates, or with other copyright owners where applicable.
2. The presentation may not be recorded in any format without my express written permission. Please contact me PRIOR to the event should you wish to record the presentation - I will gladly discuss options with you. Additional costs, as agreed, will apply.
3. Please advise delegates accordingly.

Confirmation and Acceptance of these Notes of Agreement

1. Notification of these terms will be by e-mail, and will be deemed to have been presented to the client except where an ‘undelivered’ notice is received by Stef du Plessis.
2. Your confirmation of the booking indicates your acceptance of my terms of agreement, which consists of three elements: (1) confirmation of booking, by e-mail from me, (2) these Notes of Agreement and (3) my Fee Schedule (Click here for fee schedule). Our agreement is based on (2) and (3) as published on this website as at the date that you confirm the booking.
3. Where we agree on any changes or alterations to either the Notes of Agreement or the Fee Schedule, such changes, once placed in writing (by e-mail), will then form a part of our agreement.
4. You should save and retain my e-mail wherein I confirm your booking; these Notes of Agreement; my Fee Schedule; and any e-mails wherein we agree to change or alter any of the above, as this forms the entire basis of our agreement (given that we are not signing a hard-copy contract). Please note that the Notes of Agreement and Fee Schedule pages on my website are bound to change from time to time, and that our agreement is based on the Notes of Agreement and Fee Schedule as at the time that you confirmed the booking. You should therefore save and retain copies of all of these pages at the time that you confirm the booking. Should you not do so, then the Notes of Agreement and Fee as published on this website at any time in the future will be considered to be the basis of our agreement, which at that time may be to your detriment.
   
5. Unless specifically notified otherwise in writing Stef du Plessis will assume that the person who negotiated with me on behalf of the client, and / or to whom I directed the notice of confirmation, is an appointed official of the client, fully authorised to act on behalf of the client.

END OF NOTES OF AGREEMENT FOR PAID ENGAGEMENTS

PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION - CLICK HERE

NOTES OF AGREEMENT FOR 'FEE REDUCTION' OR 'NO FEE' ENGAGEMENTS

The following is applicable ONLY to ‘donated’ engagements, i.e. bookings where Stef has reduced or waived his fee. This would typically include, but may not be limited to, worthy causes, charities, schools and government departments. It could also include joint ventures with event organisers.

Although Stef has delivered well over a hundred ‘donated’ engagements to worthy causes over the last 20 year, the truth is that he gets more requests for ‘fee reduction’ or ‘no fee’ presentations than he can handle.

Here’s the thing: in our experience, organisations that actually pay to engage Stef are, almost without exception, serious about committing towards a successful outcome. Contrary to this, we very often find that there is less urgency when he donates his time. Dates are rescheduled and cancelled at short notice, attendance is often poor, and attention to detail falls short.

Given the demand for Stef’s time, and that the actual commercial value of the ‘donated’ presentation is significant (click here for Fee Schedule) we need to be selective in accepting requests for ‘reduced fee’ or ‘no fee’ presentations.

In accepting your request, we are eager to work with you towards achieving success, and you can be assured that Stef will be as committed to your cause as he when working with full-fee clients. To be candid, you need to be equally committed to the success of the event.

It’s a good idea therefore for us to make sure that our mutual expectations are aligned, and there is no better way than for us to agree on our respective responsibilities.

In confirming the booking, you agree to the following:

1. Make the most of the opportunity. It really is a waste for Stef to speak to an empty room – so please do what needs to be done to get a good turn-out. Be aggressive in your marketing, and please meet the agreed minimum number of attendees.
2. In exchange for donating a part of / the full fee, you undertake to provide us with the full database of attendees including first name, last name, email address and other data we may require. We will need this in the form of an Excel spreadsheet, 14 days before the event. Failure to provide us with the database will constitute cancellation on your part. We respect privacy and will handle the data responsibly. We will use the database only to distribute free resources to the attendees, and to keep them abreast of interesting developments.
3. Once we agree on a date, you may not rescheduled or cancel. If you do, Stef retains the right to invoke his standard cancellation cause, with a 50% reduction. Click here for Fee Schedule, and here for Cancellation Terms. Worst-case scenario, this could mean that you would need to pay 50% of Stef’s full standard fee. Relax. Breathe. We are not trying to scare you: we simply want to make sure that you appreciate the real commercial value of this undertaking; that you are taking this seriously; that you do your homework before confirming the date; and that you then do what needs to be done to make the event a success.
4. Stef retains the right of cancellation. This also sounds way more scary than it really is. In more than 3,500 presentations, Stef has never missed one. This clause is not aimed at Stef simply not pitching up on the day. If he’s booked, he will – in so far as is humanly possible - be there on the day. Should he however receive a full-fee booking for the same date MORE THAN FOUR WEEKS ahead of your event, he retains the right to cancel your booking and take the paid engagement. If this has not happened four weeks before your event, we will not cancel you. Please be sure to include a cancelation note in your marketing materials / invitations. In the event of such a cancellation, Stef will offer you one of the following options: (i) Reschedule/postpone to another suitable date; (ii) Or Stef will go out of his way to replace himself with another speaker of equal talent, at no charge, for the original date; (iii) Failing these alternatives, your event will need to be cancelled.
5. Sale of books or other resources: Stef may make books or other resources available for sale at the event. If so, this will be done tastefully. We will handle all logistics.

PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION - CLICK HERE