Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: tonyoliver on March 01, 2016, 01:11:23 pm

Title: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: tonyoliver on March 01, 2016, 01:11:23 pm
Got. Customers to pay via the Internet
 they get a printed sheet with bank details and so on yet even the ones who say to your face they will pay you don't .
Say you do ten jobs a day you'd expect ten to pay on avarage the reality is only two or three actually pay  every day
Being driven to bankruptcy by this slow and non payers that coupled with undercuters is killing all I've worked for for the last three decades any one else have this issue and how did you resolve it?
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: Positivity on March 01, 2016, 01:49:16 pm
Mobile number for every customer. Send text reminder after a few days.
Most pay then or next day and have simply put it off or forgotten.
I'm lucky my wife is the credit controller and guard dog!!
She keeps good records and never lets it go more than a week before sending a reminder then every 3 days until payment and no further clean until paid.
We don't double up unless it's known the customer is away and our outstanding debt is next to nothing.
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: tonyoliver on March 01, 2016, 01:57:15 pm
Thanks positive
How do you word your text message?
Too aggressive you lose both money and job too soft you lose your self respect
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: sunshine windows on March 01, 2016, 02:01:26 pm
I don't get how outstanding customer debt can topple your business if you've been operating nearly 30 years?

Try GoCardless, once they're signed up you're in control of collecting payment.
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: Positivity on March 01, 2016, 02:22:27 pm
Thanks positive
How do you word your text message?
Too aggressive you lose both money and job too soft you lose your self respect
Hello
Window Cleaners, online payment not received yet any problems please get in touch.
Thanks
If it is more than a few days more specific
Window Cleaners windows cleaned on (insert Day and Date)  online payment not received yet any problems please get in touch.
Thanks
Just make up a template and fire them off ;D
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: tonyoliver on March 01, 2016, 02:24:44 pm
Your a star positive will remember you when my lotto.numbers come up
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: M & C Window Cleaning on March 01, 2016, 03:50:28 pm
Thankyou Positivity for your response to Tony's question.
With more of my customers also switching to online payments I have pondered the challenge of how to couch my words in a text as a reminder without winding them up. I find some customers are brilliant at it, paying me within minutes of a text informing them that their windows have been cleaned whilst others need reminding at least a couple of times. So far I've had no serious problems.
Your post has been very helpful. A simple but effective suggestion
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: DaveG on March 01, 2016, 05:48:35 pm
Hi there, please can you arrange payment for window cleaning? Many thanks Dave

Template saved to my phone, all stragglers get the same text every Friday.
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: Shane sharples on March 01, 2016, 05:53:55 pm
Hi,

Your windows were cleaned last Friday , no payment has been received online, would you like me to collect instead?
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: Thr-windowcleaning on March 01, 2016, 06:08:44 pm
"Oi! WHERE'S MY MONEY!"
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: Thr-windowcleaning on March 01, 2016, 06:10:30 pm
Seriously though, most of my late payers just forget. A gentle reminder a few days later by text, and all sorted - usually accompanied by an apologetic text!
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: PCM LTD on March 01, 2016, 07:09:04 pm
Go GoCardless only.
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: duncan h on March 01, 2016, 07:29:16 pm
its not hard!! I give them a week, then text saying, "Quick reminder to pay windows, thanks Duncan"

If they don't pay SMASH ALL WINDOWS, SRATCH CARS AND PAINT WALLS. If its more than £10, do something serious lmao :)
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: dazmond on March 01, 2016, 09:21:09 pm
14 days i give them then a text reminder usually does it.people forget.we re hardly top of the "priority" bills for them to pay.

i have a certain amount of "rolling debt" every month but its not gonna put me out of business!! ;) ;D
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: bobplum on March 01, 2016, 10:18:48 pm
Dear Customer.
There appears to be an outstanding amount for your window cleaning.
If payment has been made please accept our apologies
Kind regards
......
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: dazmond on March 01, 2016, 10:31:35 pm
text reminder.re.window cleaning.date..........amount.........still outstanding.many thanks Darren.

Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: Johnny B on March 01, 2016, 11:35:39 pm
I still collect in person. Most pay on the day, or if they're not in I call back later in the week (usually Friday evening).

If I still miss them, I usually leave them until next time unless I am passing by.

John
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: the king on March 02, 2016, 06:24:25 am
im old school go round and bang the door ;D i have a few that pay on line not meny tho most send cheque

leter of i get a bad payer
you have a outstanding bill of x amount please pay with in 14 days thanks lee.           only ever sent 2 of these
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: dazmond on March 02, 2016, 07:00:12 am
im old school go round and bang the door ;D i have a few that pay on line not meny tho most send cheque

leter of i get a bad payer
you have a outstanding bill of x amount please pay with in 14 days thanks lee.           only ever sent 2 of these

you ll find more and more customers will want to pay online as time goes by.most younger customers dont have cheque books and hardly ever have cash these days.
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: tlwcs on March 02, 2016, 07:32:18 am
im old school go round and bang the door ;D i have a few that pay on line not meny tho most send cheque

leter of i get a bad payer
you have a outstanding bill of x amount please pay with in 14 days thanks lee.           only ever sent 2 of these



you ll find more and more customers will want to pay online as time goes by.most younger customers dont have cheque books and hardly ever have cash these days.

Spot on. The younger ones also tend to have mobile/ phone banking so pay quite quickly

Hi there, please can you arrange payment for window cleaning? Many thanks Dave

Template saved to my phone, all stragglers get the same text every Friday.

Mine go out on a Sunday  evening about 7.30 because I assume their sitting down and have the time to do it.
Friday night and they maybe at the pub or shopping
Tony
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: Marc Stock on March 02, 2016, 10:11:10 am
Dear customer.

Please remember to settle your window cleaning bill as its now overdue for payment. You can pay via BACS as detailed on your bill, or alternatively you can set up a direct debit for added convenience, just email ×××× to set up this facility.

This is mine, often they just forget and after a few reminders they go dd anyway.
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: Stoots on March 02, 2016, 11:26:57 am
Just choose a system and stick to it.

Mine is this

Post slip saying payment within 3 days

On the 4th day send a reminder

Few days later send another

Couple of days later send another

Everday send another

Try to catch them in for 2nd clean

If no contact or response after this send a letter threatening small claims and dump
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: dazmond on March 02, 2016, 05:52:54 pm
Just choose a system and stick to it.

Mine is this

Post slip saying payment within 3 days

On the 4th day send a reminder

Few days later send another

Couple of days later send another

Everday send another

Try to catch them in for 2nd clean

If no contact or response after this send a letter threatening small claims and dump

it all sounds a bit desperate that mate for me.lots of customers get paid monthly or go on holiday a few times a year.as long as i get most of my money in within a month im ok with that.
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: Blackadder on March 02, 2016, 06:04:40 pm
I only give them three days and then I send a text saying
Hi......
Could I please remind you about payment for windows cleaned three days ago, many thanks.

Like said above, 99 times out of a 100 have just forgotten and pay sharpish then.

Then the real stragglers get another text 3 days later. It generally never goes further than that.
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: capn sparkle on March 02, 2016, 11:26:52 pm
I give my on-line customers 14 days then:

Afternoon "insert customers name", if you get a chance could you process a payment for your last window clean - "insert day n date" thanks in  advance, Glenn.

Just polite enough without being too annoying and most apologise for forgetting or text that payment has been made now.

Same generic text to everyone just forwarded with the name and date changed. 80% on-line payers but still the same old 10% who need reminders.

I record payment dates and payment text reminders on each individual customers account so building up a history of slow payers (comes in real handy during the annual customer cull).
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: NWH on March 03, 2016, 03:44:18 pm
Always get a mobile number so you can remind them after a few days,give them a just a reminder from the window cleaner just making sure you got my ticket-invoice they know what you mean when you text them,it's a polite way of saying please pay me.
Title: Re: Internet non payers is it me?
Post by: Og on March 03, 2016, 07:46:35 pm
Give them two months then knock on the door. So far so good.