Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: richardlingard on September 29, 2011, 06:09:27 pm

Title: a little advice please guys?
Post by: richardlingard on September 29, 2011, 06:09:27 pm
hi guys, just decided to stop collecting on evenings, i used to collect on a thursday night and i hated it with a passion, i was tired and it was harsh, so i have decided to collect on the day, if they are not in leave a stamped addressed envelople or they can pay via paypall (at horrendous cost to myself lol) but i would gladly give my kingdom to never collect again, maybee every couple of weeks or a month to get in the stragglers.

So what success have you guys had with these methods, and can anyone tell me what other online stuff i can use other than paypal to give me further options, any advice would be greatly recieved

Thanks in advance - Richie the barberian
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: Pope vader on September 29, 2011, 06:18:04 pm
i use nochex, paypal and bacs, and still get custy who forget to pay adn end up collecting,  i am slowky every month getting more and more to pay on line,    the only way to get every custy to pay online is to dump the ones who dont pay online
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: wpclean on September 29, 2011, 06:21:17 pm
Just leave a self addressed envelope ( let them pay for postage ), and your bank details so they can pay by bank transfer.  Only down side with paypal is they charge a percentage.
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: Dave. on September 29, 2011, 08:47:16 pm
Nochex is slightly cheaper than paypal, but up until last week nobody had used it, where as quite a few use paypal regularly.
Had somebody pay me via this week by nochex, when I went to withdraw there was a 25p charge for withdrawing (paypal is free)

Nochex link removed from website within two minutes!

To OP, I don't collect at all, never have, If they're not in they either send cheque, do bank transfer or paypal - I've a few oldies who wait until the next call.

The last thing I want to do in after work is drive round hoping people will be in.
Dave
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: northstar161 on September 29, 2011, 08:52:19 pm
I've only been going 3 months and have 75 houses on my round. I haven't ever collected. Just leave a slip with bank details and then email them the invoice that eve or next day. Almost all of them pay. Envelope (not stamped) for customers who want chqs.
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: Lee GLS on September 29, 2011, 08:55:04 pm
I've never collected in 8 years, you get the bad payers, who don't pay but I know will get it eventually.
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: Dave Anderson on September 29, 2011, 09:01:52 pm
Started 5 years ago and started with the intention of never leaving my house to go collection...Success...never have.

All customers get a card through their door on the day of the clean with my bank details on they pay into that.

It's simple and it works...

Cheers
Dave.
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: stuart mc on September 29, 2011, 09:13:25 pm
if you do it from the start it will work, but I tried a while back and nearly went under as no one well very few paid online, by cheque or direct banking

all new customers are ok but some of my older ones I collect, as I had no money coming in, they just get used to you doing it and think he will collect eventually, some are great and hand deliver cash to my door though
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: dave f on September 30, 2011, 09:52:36 pm
ive always collected its a bit of a ball ach but its good public relations in my opinion and not just another faceless person wanting money i always take time to have a banter
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: AS Window Cleaning on September 30, 2011, 10:05:38 pm
when we started 8 years ago bought a small round of someone who always collected. did it once, what a huge waste of time for me. spent nearly 2 hours collecting on Friday evening and less than half in. we just leave a slip detailing date of clean, price, and our PO box address. most post  cheque within 3 weeks. very rare to get non payer, got couple that forget and pay on month 2, odd few pay 3 monthly, were fairly relaxed as have good relationship with them. more and more leaning towards internet banking, so easy and less likely forget, most pay within 2 days and no bank charges. sweet!
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: Ben Peters on September 30, 2011, 11:25:15 pm

collecting payments is something that is really bugging me in the sense that when you call one evening and the next and the next and theres no-one home (although no problem them paying when they are home), just from reading here a good few use direct bank transfer, my question is do you supply them with your bank details? and if you do is that a safe thing to do? Not really sure how this works
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: wpclean on October 01, 2011, 12:10:02 am

collecting payments is something that is really bugging me in the sense that when you call one evening and the next and the next and theres no-one home (although no problem them paying when they are home), just from reading here a good few use direct bank transfer, my question is do you supply them with your bank details? and if you do is that a safe thing to do? Not really sure how this works
Yes it is safe to leave your bank details.  The problems are when you use internet banking without a good anti virus software !
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: H2GoKent on October 01, 2011, 12:38:02 am
I've only been going 3 months and have 75 houses on my round. I haven't ever collected. Just leave a slip with bank details and then email them the invoice that eve or next day. Almost all of them pay. Envelope (not stamped) for customers who want chqs.

I am exactly the same as this guy except it's been over 8 years.

Time flies when you have fun (so I've heard)
Only ever had 1 guy not pay at all, they did the old 'moonlight flit' owing 3 lots never again.
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: Dougaldum on October 01, 2011, 05:35:41 pm
If you pay tax would be a good idea to get stamped envelopes because you can declare the full hundred percent  against your tax just like paying wages I would rather pay £2.50. For stamps them pay for diesel and time to go out collecteding and that is what works me but some you have to collect and am finding now that the customer doesn't like me leaving it 2 claims before I collect you don't like it to mount up ;)
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: bumper on October 01, 2011, 06:37:09 pm
cash is best nobody knowes what your earning like taxman,tell him if he wants his 25 percent to go collect it himself
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: dai on October 02, 2011, 02:59:04 pm
After years of collecting I stopped about 18 mionths ago, most now pay on line or send cheques. I lost a lot of customers doing this, they were letting it mount up and when they had to pay me it hurt,  quite a few cancelled .
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: Pope vader on October 02, 2011, 03:04:59 pm
so was it worth it dai
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: james51174 on October 02, 2011, 07:07:17 pm
we always collect

i think its a good thing to spend a few mins chatting to the customers we dont meet

it builds a great rapport, that can keep customers from dumping you when they get canvassed

those who live too far away to collect we call up and gently remind them that they havent paid yet, then spend a few minutes passing time of day :)
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: cozy on October 02, 2011, 07:17:33 pm
we always collect

i think its a good thing to spend a few mins chatting to the customers we dont meet

it builds a great rapport, that can keep customers from dumping you when they get canvassed

those who live too far away to collect we call up and gently remind them that they havent paid yet, then spend a few minutes passing time of day :)
´

Word for word, totally agree. It's got to the point that from collecting, you lose the fear of rejection when knocking doors. I really enjoy both and have found it easy to canvass. This domestic work is easier to get loyalty from your custies when they deal with a person. When paying for a service, 90% of selling it is the person they deal with.
So if anyone got into this malarky and doesn't like contact with people, they're always going to find things harder than some of us.
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: Dick on October 02, 2011, 08:09:24 pm
Most of my round is compact so rather than making special journeys to collect I leave 'windows cleaned' slip with a plastic coin bag and ask customer to leave payment somewhere secure and I'll collect the next day or when passing. Collecting is a real time wasting exercise and costly if no one in.
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: perfectpanesplymouth on October 03, 2011, 06:25:31 pm
I collect on one night a week which is Wednesday and only between 6 and 8pm and I tell custies this. If I miss them I tell them I will collect next time. I also leave S.A.E. (2nd class) for those who like cheques(got quite a few who don't do anything online let alone banking!) I also do paypal not worried about the cost of it as it's tax deductable anyway ( I think  :D )
I just think custies like to see a face they recognise when they are paying a bill,makes it a little less painfull! Also if they have any complaints you can deal with it there and then for them. And before you say it I don't get a lot of complaints ;D Only get them when I take on staff! Not doing that again!
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: wfp master on October 03, 2011, 06:31:37 pm
ive always collected its a bit of a ball ach but its good public relations in my opinion and not just another faceless person wanting money i always take time to have a banter
agree. ;D
Title: Re: a little advice please guys?
Post by: Paddy Woods on October 03, 2011, 06:49:56 pm
what about the custy when you call & they say oh i have no ££...and you call again in two nights & they pretend they not in (car there tv on!)  >:(.......but i like the idea of the simple coin bag to be left somewhere discreetly i think that would work & done once they would do this ongoing .