Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: sunshine windies on November 06, 2012, 09:20:46 pm

Title: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: sunshine windies on November 06, 2012, 09:20:46 pm
I dont do any collecting but usually get my money though it can be slow at times,

however a couple of custys havent payed for 5 cleans now starting to get pretty peed off about it, i  usually let them get to 3 then send as reminder text and get the money,
how many cleans doyou do before chasing them up?
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: Steve Sed on November 06, 2012, 09:28:10 pm
Not 5!!! Mind you I am 8 weekly. The most is 3, but for new customers just one clean.
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: king marko on November 06, 2012, 09:30:11 pm
New customers = 1 clean (for a period of about 4/5 months)
Any other/existing customers = 2 cleans

I don't mind a bit of grace, but I find anymore than two cleans and they will be less likely to pay up - leaving you well out of pocket

Make sure you offer as many different options for payment as you can - I've found this helps

Also, put on your slips "please don't ask for credit as refusal often offends"  ;D ;D
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: sunshine windies on November 06, 2012, 09:41:50 pm

Think i might put something on my cards like payment due within 14 days ,

i currently offer bacs and i even leave a self addressed envelope for cheques, i think it just boils down to laziness in most peoples cases........
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: king marko on November 06, 2012, 09:53:39 pm

Think i might put something on my cards like payment due within 14 days ,

i currently offer bacs and i even leave a self addressed envelope for cheques, i think it just boils down to laziness in most peoples cases........
You need to keep on top of them mate - I put payment within 28days on my slips but some still go to the next month
Just call/text the night before and ask them to leave the money out for you - most of mine are so apologetic for forgetting  they pay online that night or will leave it out for me
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: robertphil on November 06, 2012, 10:08:47 pm
after 2 cleans out the reminders go.  then i drop  if  the pay up isnt quick. 
  This year i got stiffed by a few very loyal customers who slowly paid half what they owed and i know they hoped id carry on,getting paid by dribs n drabs  . some of these had been with me 5 yrs of normal paying and tips at Xmas , so it hurt when they didnt pay up despite several reminder letters
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: SB Cleaning on November 06, 2012, 10:25:54 pm
Letting the debt go to  5 cleans is madness  :o

I will let it go to 2 cleans after that they're dumped!!
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: Blue Frog Systems on November 06, 2012, 10:31:58 pm
2 cleans and stop.
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: bobplum on November 06, 2012, 10:40:52 pm
1,dont understand anything above this ???
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: A & J Owen Window Cleaning on November 07, 2012, 07:50:01 am
We ask for payment within 7 days, and most do pay within that time.
We never allow customers to go beyond two cleans without paying up.
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: richard jagger on November 07, 2012, 07:57:28 am
I do one clean no payment in 10 days the get a reminder and add 2 quid onto the price 30 I will call on them is person and ask face to face. No more cleans after a house.I will call once more and hand over for collection. The more crap you take the more you will get.It is important to apply this from day one. I get 99% payment,  with  a good payment record.
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: Granny on November 07, 2012, 08:02:16 am
1 Clean and no more cleaning until paid but I have only been going since May so nearly all customers are considered "new".
Keep on top of it too.
I am owed nothing ATM ;D
G.
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: Mike #1 on November 07, 2012, 08:03:43 am
Depends on price on residential 2 cleans max moneywise is £15:00 , commmercial totally sometimes they get up to 3 cleans without payment which is nearly £200 but i know i will get paid if i ring finance dept to chase it up they sort it out and i get my money via bacs same day. Mike
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: roundbuilder on November 07, 2012, 09:09:53 am
If you dont go out collecting chasing your money once or twice a week your going to run into problems. I collect when i can or my debt list gets sky high, as it is i have an over 2k.
Collecting is part of the job. Anyone who owes more than twice i collect from, all custies who send cheque or pay online asap i dont worry about.
I dont drop if they dont pay online in time or send cheque we just knock them up for cash so it doesnt mount up to another clean.
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: formb on November 07, 2012, 12:56:27 pm
3 cleans for an established customer. No more. 1 for a newish customer.
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: james peters on November 07, 2012, 01:47:24 pm
1 clean.....if they havn't paid by next clean, instead of cleaning again , I leave a reminder....
if it happens again, thats them done with!

if a first clean fails to pay within 2 weeks, I never do therm again! they will be a pain in the but.....

harsh???? maybe , but I have a round where no one takes longer than 2 weeks to pay! 
give custies an inch and you will have continued problems.....
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: combat1 on November 07, 2012, 02:38:54 pm
just changed to one clean only, was losing about 4% of turnover. Getting a few soldiers marching out owing just lately.
Sent one a text: we notice you have marched out of ..... you now have 7 days to settle the account before our accountants pass the debt to other agencies for collection with the associated costs and consequences.
On day 7 got a text ' we sent a cheque will send another'
They had always been poor payers but heh ho got the cheque... result!
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: kaz and pete on November 07, 2012, 09:00:23 pm
hi we never let our customers go more than a week without payment, we collect every thursday evening for any outstanding money, this can sometimes take a couple of hours at most but due to this we sometimes never have money outstanding makes life so much easier ;D
Title: Re: How long do you let non-payment go?
Post by: H2GoKent on November 07, 2012, 09:17:37 pm
I never collect, people always pay pretty quickly.
For new cleans I wont clean again until they have paid for the first one.
For long standing customers I'll leave for two then thats it.

Only ever had one bad customer, moved house on me, scumbag owed 3 cleans never again. That must 5 years ago now but if I find him he'll get some eggs on his windows, and maybe a bit of WD40 for good measure.  ;D