Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Suffolkcleaners on January 08, 2019, 08:24:43 am
-
Hi guys. Haven’t been on here for a while. I was just wondering if anyone had a template of a letter to send a select few customers about the changeover to go cardless.
Most pay online banking very promptly but just a handful of customers conntine to be late payers(do pay eventually) and I want to move them over to go cardless(and if they cancel then so be it)
Never used it... how do you invite a customer? Can you send a text message with link? Or a letter in post? I don’t tend to have email details but only contact numbers and addresses.
Thanks in advance
-
When you sign upto GoCardless you are given a link which you can attach on your website for instance. Then you can refer your customers to your website and tell them to use the link.
Mine isnt a profesional website, but this is mine with the attached link.
Http://1nkservices.co.uk/payments
Alternatively you can text them the link or send them it via email.
On my website i have some waffle explaining how it works, which is very similar to what i wrote on a letter to my customers inviting them to sign up and an added incentive of half price clean etc
-
All my new customers have no choice but to sign up as i do not give any other options and this has been met with no resistance at all. However i have just over 70 customers signed up, my difficulty is getting existing customers who i have had for many years to switch over. So this year im focusing on switching them over and using these flyers to do so (when ordered), which i will post with the windows cleaned tickets.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1546939474_Screenshot_20190108-092123.png)
-
Thank you for that Nathan. Given me a bit of a template to work with. I’m not sure about the 50% off clean though. I have a feeling the late payers probably won’t go with the go cardless and it will them be a choice of keeping them on and them paying late all the time or dumping them but as it’s only a handful I’m prepared to risk losing them as the constant late payments are really annoying.
Maybe I’m too strict but for example an 8 Weekly job and they aren’t paying until near on the 3rd clean or at best just before the next 8 weekly clean is due.
It’s like our payment terms (14 days in my case) just blatantly get ignored and thankfully it’s only a handful that are like that.
Any other advice?
-
Its really down to you, if you set out 14 days for payment what are your terms for not doing so?
I found it slightly easier to transfer the late payers onto gocardless, especially the ones who paid by bacs and didnt set up a standing order. Normally its because these ones just simply forget as its not a priority foe them and therefore when i explained about direct debit, they gladly signed up. This may be your experience perhaps?
It also depends how much you want thise jobs, even though they are late paying, do they eventually pay ok? If you dont require them or can replace with new work signed up to gocardless, then stick to your terms and conditions.
My new customers are told about gocardless when i quote them but they also receive a welcome sheet with the details on as well.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1546954072_aviary-image-1546954028733.jpeg)
-
All my new customers have no choice but to sign up as i do not give any other options and this has been met with no resistance at all. However i have just over 70 customers signed up, my difficulty is getting existing customers who i have had for many years to switch over. So this year im focusing on switching them over and using these flyers to do so (when ordered), which i will post with the windows cleaned tickets.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1546939474_Screenshot_20190108-092123.png)
You must be off ya nut offering 50% off....Don't do anything for free or at a reduced rate!!
-
Its really down to you, if you set out 14 days for payment what are your terms for not doing so?
I found it slightly easier to transfer the late payers onto gocardless, especially the ones who paid by bacs and didnt set up a standing order. Normally its because these ones just simply forget as its not a priority foe them and therefore when i explained about direct debit, they gladly signed up. This may be your experience perhaps?
It also depends how much you want thise jobs, even though they are late paying, do they eventually pay ok? If you dont require them or can replace with new work signed up to gocardless, then stick to your terms and conditions.
My new customers are told about gocardless when i quote them but they also receive a welcome sheet with the details on as well.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1546954072_aviary-image-1546954028733.jpeg)
I like this.
-
All my new customers have no choice but to sign up as i do not give any other options and this has been met with no resistance at all. However i have just over 70 customers signed up, my difficulty is getting existing customers who i have had for many years to switch over. So this year im focusing on switching them over and using these flyers to do so (when ordered), which i will post with the windows cleaned tickets.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1546939474_Screenshot_20190108-092123.png)
You must be off ya nut offering 50% off....Don't do anything for free or at a reduced rate!!
If i had 100% convertion from this all at the same time, then yes i would be mad and financially down.
However these will be posted per round in a systematic method and throughout the next couple of months.
50% off is a good incentive on one clean per customer as and when they sign up is a great plan and idea. Unless prices are that low in the first place that it makes no difference to the customer. Surely having customers owe you money is a worse idea than loose 50% off one clean...... ::)roll
-
I get sick of missing payments sometimes, especially areas where only a few are signed up. my bigger areas are about 60% gc or Bacs. these I don't forget because theres so many signed upto gc in larger rounds. but I rarely collect now
-
I would say those are quite poor leaflets, along with poor results I wouldn't take advice from NK
Start by having a gocardless link on your website, direct your customers there so they can sign up themselves
-
I would say those are quite poor leaflets, along with poor results I wouldn't take advice from NK
Start by having a gocardless link on your website, direct your customers there so they can sign up themselves
Hhmmm, so your advice is to have a link on your website and let them choose to sign up or not. Interesting as that was my first line of advice if you read my first posts.
What i didnt mention was that all my customers have known about gocardless from the moment i set it up and as said the info on my website is what i used on a letter and all my existing customers received one. So the flyer im using this year is way of a reminder but some customers have asked if its the same as a standing order, hence the brief info on the flyer which directs them to the website which has more info.
I have over 70 customers on gocardless, thats results isnt it? I also have existing customers on regular bacs and paypal and so im tryingbto convert the others.
What advice / flyers can you show/give me n others to help with our conversion rate scrimble? genuinely would like to know
-
I offer all mine go cardless, if that doesn't work I offer free cleans.
Do what you want Nathan don't listen to anyone else
-
I would say those are quite poor leaflets, along with poor results I wouldn't take advice from NK
Start by having a gocardless link on your website, direct your customers there so they can sign up themselves
Agreed
-
Thanks for advice guys and cheers again Nathan for taking the time to reply 👍
-
All my new customers have no choice but to sign up as i do not give any other options and this has been met with no resistance at all. However i have just over 70 customers signed up, my difficulty is getting existing customers who i have had for many years to switch over. So this year im focusing on switching them over and using these flyers to do so (when ordered), which i will post with the windows cleaned tickets.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1546939474_Screenshot_20190108-092123.png)
You need to greatly reduce the word count in the Go Cardless flyer, and keep any personal issues out of it (family health).
I'm no marketer but if I were a customer, I would fall asleep before the end.
Keep it simple and concise.
-
I have 625 customers, all signed up to DD, including 3 commercial.
This time last year I had about 150 paying by cash / cheques / bacs.
I converted about 60% of the above to DD, the rest are no longer with me.
DD is a game changer, because you have cashflow and it saves on admin time and cash / cheque handling hassle.
With Go Cardless Pro, you can sign up customers to DD on the phone and face to face, and also they can sign up directly online with no Go Cardless branding.
-
I have 625 customers, all signed up to DD, including 3 commercial.
This time last year I had about 150 paying by cash / cheques / bacs.
I converted about 60% of the above to DD, the rest are no longer with me.
DD is a game changer, because you have cashflow and it saves on admin time and cash / cheque handling hassle.
With Go Cardless Pro, you can sign up customers to DD on the phone and face to face, and also they can sign up directly online with no Go Cardless branding.
Do you use pro?
Does anyone on here?
-
We've used Go Cardless pro for a couple of weeks.
It makes life a lot easier when setting up payment face to face. I haven't set it up yet for phone calls and the website.
-
We've used Go Cardless pro for a couple of weeks.
It makes life a lot easier when setting up payment face to face. I haven't set it up yet for phone calls and the website.
What's the pricing like?
"Volume based" +£200 p/m seems a bit vague..
-
I have around 500 customers now, and only a small percentage are on Direct Debit.
1st I prefer credit/debit card on the day of the clean (if they are in) as the money is in my account the very second they pay by card, so thats actually better than Go Cardless in that instance. Plus if they decide they want an extra, like a gutter wash or, upvc cleaning, it gives me more selling power as if its a big job they can pop it on their credit card and i can charge more due to the utilisation of their credit facility.
2. BACS is the next preferred method of payment, its free and immediate.
3. Direct Debit..is my last preferred method, its just for those who are either very busy of very forgetful, and i set up collection of all DD customers to come out on the 26th of the month no matter when the clean is due, or was done. This way all payments are in our account within the month they are cleaned.
Cash is no longer accepted with new customers, and is tolerated but discouraged amongst my very older customers.
-
£200 a month, plus 60p a transaction.
The transaction fee decreases a lot once you hit very high volumes like 100k a month!
-
You're going to need around £30K+ P/M before it covers the cost of standard GoCardless, which seems about fair. I suppose if I "did a Pryor" ;D it might be worth it. It'd certainly reduce admin.
-
Everyone should do a Pryor mate
-
Update on how I got on. Only tried it with 10 existing slow paying customers. Only 1 has signed up and the others haven’t replied (as I sent them the invite via text message and link but no response)
Also another thought maybe some people do live month to month so would be put off with the idea of me potentially taking money before payday. Hard to fathom in some cases they can’t pay a tenner or £15 bit perhaps some people are stretched.
Decision time try another approach or dump them..(these are late payers who do pay eventually after around 3 text message reminders)
Thank god a high majority just pay online promptly. It is annoying though as those few handfuls still add up!
-
To all customers. Please note we are now requesting payments via this option.
Since January 2019 I have introduced the option to pay by direct debit and thus making it easier to pay for your window cleaning service.
How it works.....
No clean,NO payment made!!
After I clean your windows I process a payment through a company I pay to process a direct debit(the same way in which you pay for most of your direct debits). You will receive an email several days before payments are collected, which is usually 7 working days AFTER the windows have been cleaned. Obviously protected by the direct debit guarantee.
Please see link below to sign up.
This is what I’ve been using to text customers.... is my lack of response down to the wording?
Any advice? Also I’m planning on requesting the money ad hoc(after I’ve cleaned not on a set day)
Excuse my complete lack of knowledge. I’ve only got one who has signed up so far (having said that only tried around 7-10 via text).
-
I’ve had a link added to my website also on home page and was thinking of printing a little slip to go with customers bill next time to explain. Quite surprised at only 1 in 10 actually responding and signing up.
Like I said though the majority thankfully pay normal online banking no probs
-
Offer them a free clean or 50% off or some other incentive.
Even doing that though a lot are reluctant.
I text about 200 a few months ago and only got 20 odd to sign up.
I'll keep offering though.
Might be worth printing an A4 sheet off giving a full explanation to how it work and s free clean offer if they sign up. Stick that it their letter box 2-3 times a year or even better get a double sided leaflet printed with it on the back of your windows cleaned today slips
As a last resort you could even say sign up or find another cleaner, if they are really slow payers this might be an option.
In future only take on work that signs up to GC. I don't do this to honest because I find about half of those I quote to turn their nose up at it. If I was full with work however it would make sense
-
Thanks Gomo
Maybe it would be better to see these customers face to face and explain. I just don’t understand why certain customers just ALWAYS pay late. It’s the principal that niggles me as they appear to have nice houses etc.
Maybe the option of sign up or dump is the way to go for these select few. Just need to work out how to word it......
-
About three years ago, we started putting details about how to sign up to Go Cardless on the slip we put the through the door.
It was printed on bright yellow card, an 3 flyer folded in two, and printed on 150gsm card, so basically four sides of a6.
This meant that about 35% of the round converted to Go Cardless over time. We combined this with ONLY allowing new customers to pay by DD, and after two years there were about 150 customers left who were non-DD.
-
Offer them a free clean or 50% off or some other incentive.
No, bin them. Its your business terms.
-
Having customers that pay late is just not worth it.
All that time you spend chasing debt, (and processing payments) could be spent on 'wowing' your current customers so that they refer, or on canvassing up new work.
-
Thanks Gomo
Maybe it would be better to see these customers face to face and explain. I just don’t understand why certain customers just ALWAYS pay late. It’s the principal that niggles me as they appear to have nice houses etc.
Maybe the option of sign up or dump is the way to go for these select few. Just need to work out how to word it......
Some people just have no idea how to or just can’t be arsed budgeting. I know a lot of couples who have been promoted in their jobs and they end up leasing a bigger car or going on another holiday abroad, go out drinking more etc , So they are no better off than before the promotion - some people earn more and spend more
-
Having customers that pay late is just not worth it.
All that time you spend chasing debt, (and processing payments) could be spent on 'wowing' your current customers so that they refer, or on canvassing up new work.
not really.....we all have customers who pay a bit late and "rolling debt".as a sole trader is doesnt bother me one bit...i see it as "money in the bank"....ill get paid eventually....my debt list is usually hovering around the £1000-£1500 mark but can go as low as £300-£400 sometimes......
im not desperate for the money to pay bills...im well ahead financially plus i get paid virtually every single day of the year.theres usually at least one customer whos paying me online! ;D
plus i get cash/cheques and card payments every day im out and about window cleaning.....
-
Do you really think people in this day and age don’t know how direct debits work? Too many words and sent via the wrong media - slow payers will/ maybe look at the text and delete it or forget all about it
If they are slow but always pay then announce this ‘great new way to pay’ by giving a half price clean on sign up - if they don’t let them know that from April this is now the only method of payment - failure to sign up results in the ending of services
Comes down to how much you need these customers and how much time you spend faffing with them
On the next clean deliver a proper headed letter in an envelope outlining the above
( keep it short and consise- no waffle and no silly justification)
Darran
-
My view is this.
If the customer does end up paying within a week, it's of no benefit anyway going to DD as it takes just over a week from making the collection request to the money landing in your account. You may aswell just leave it and wait.
If they are more than two weeks late, and it starts to become a problem then going into DD is a good way of retaining customers, but they may be put off with the money coming out of their account 7 days after you cleaned them, especially if you (like most on here) text the night before to give notice of the clean and it may not be enough time to ensure finances are in order by the time the payment is processed, this is why they are reluctant to sign up imo.
One way to get around this.
1. Give them a next clean date and stick to it
2. Take all payments on a set day, i do mine on the 26th, and tell them that payments come out on that day, no matter when the clean takes place, this is by far the easiest for me and my customers as they know that on a set date the window cleaning money gets paid and i get all due accounts in before end of month, they can budget for it and it helps me retain problem customers.
Now if you still have customers who wont sign dd, and are pad payers, either dump them or have an effective credit control procedure in place.
For me, once the customer is overdue by more than 7 days, they get a daily reminder text.."Dear customer, please remember to settle your window cleaning bill as it is now overdue for payment best wishes Marc Stock StockClean" it doesent change evey day they get that until they make the payment. It works very very well.
Finally if you do have a customer who cannot pay, then a credit card machine is always an option.
I know in an ideal world, it would be great to have everyone sign up for dd, but in reality you loose a lot of customer contact and control when they use dd, as i feel that a small portion of customer relationship relys on the credit control aspect.
-
Cleaniac. Are you saying you would send a daily text reminder if unpaid after two weeks?
Also why the earth would you offer a customer 50% off to join DD? Paying for the privelage to get paid? Sorry I don’t agree with that. However some good advice with perhaps making it less of a waffle and perhaps put a clear note with the bill on next clean.
My terms are 14 days but a load pay after this bit perhaps 18 days or 3 weeks but I’m fine with that. It’s the small handful that take 8 weeks to pay or more on day a 8 weekly job. So it could be near on 16 weeks before you’re paid....
However if you don’t need the money right now I guess if you eventually get it some people are fine with that.(A comment on here)
Personally for me I get a little annoyed at repeat offenders who constantly need reminding. So my view is.....
One final less waffle note with next clean or perhaps a polite text saying I will cancel of not signed up or..... DUMP them!
-
To all customers. Please note we are now requesting payments via this option.
Since January 2019 I have introduced the option to pay by direct debit and thus making it easier to pay for your window cleaning service.
How it works.....
No clean,NO payment made!!
After I clean your windows I process a payment through a company I pay to process a direct debit(the same way in which you pay for most of your direct debits). You will receive an email several days before payments are collected, which is usually 7 working days AFTER the windows have been cleaned. Obviously protected by the direct debit guarantee.
Please see link below to sign up.
This is what I’ve been using to text customers.... is my lack of response down to the wording?
Any advice? Also I’m planning on requesting the money ad hoc(after I’ve cleaned not on a set day)
Excuse my complete lack of knowledge. I’ve only got one who has signed up so far (having said that only tried around 7-10 via text).
No clean no payment made?
That stood out on Nathon leaflet and I thought it was poor.
It’s as if your giving them a choice to skip.
Tony
-
Offer them a free clean or 50% off or some other incentive.
No, bin them. Its your business terms.
lol ok mate i will just bin half of my round overnight :D
-
I send all my reminders on a sunday evening every week. Anyone who comes up at 7 days or older on cleaner planner gets a text.
I dont mind sending 2-3 reminders as long as they pay before next clean, because if they dont pay before next clean they will get skipped...so thats when its costing me money.
Anyone who gets skipped is told why and i send further requests for payment weekly.
If it gets to another clean cycle still no payment they are removed from round and "final reminder" text. Then its debt letter. Then its either write it off, commit an act of revenge or pursue in court.
I know some window cleaners will let it go 2 or 3 times and still get paid, but i think 1 clean one payment is fair....having 3-4 weeks to pay before your next clean should be enough even for the most skint.
-
Cleaniac. Are you saying you would send a daily text reminder if unpaid after two weeks?
Yes correct. Its on the bill that they will get automated daily reminders until paid if more than 1 week late. And it is daily yes, the same text, exactly the same, robotic.
Also why the earth would you offer a customer 50% off to join DD?
I wouldn't. That's just stupid.
-
Can anyone be kind enough to provide me a template as to what to say with a note with next bill? I agree it is a bit of a waffle. I just copied and pasted Nathan’s wordings (not that I’m not grateful Nathan as appreciate it 😀)
Cheers guys 😀
-
here's a starting point http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=213469.msg1916948#msg1916948
-
P1W1 that's fantastic. thank you so much. Will use that as a letter/note or text to late payers :-)
If they refuse to take up the DD then dump them. It's not worth the time and effort to keep chasing. Replace with customers who actually pay on time. I know people say they have their reasons and some people live day to day but if they can't afford to have the windows cleaned don't mess us Window cleaners around then and either cancel or pay promptly!
-
Fantastic letter. Would you advise sending a letter? Would a text message be as good? Or would you say actually post a letter?
-
I only really use it for a consistent late payer (someone who hasn't paid there bill before the next clean on say 2-3 separate occasions, but fairly rare nowadays that i need to use it). I personally prefer to post it / pop it through the door as a letter, at least i know it will be seen and they can make their choice on what they want to do.
Its always my intention to try and keep the customer and the letter is always the last resort, I will have before I resort to using the letter leave a slip stapled to my window cleaned tickets on the first couple of occasions that says
Dear Sir/Madam
We kindly ask that you please ensure your payments are always made within 10 days from the date that your windows are cleaned.
We offer a hassle free Direct Debit payment system, just go to www.impactcleaning.co.uk and click on the payments page for further details or to set up a Direct Debit with us.
Kind regards,
Impact Window Cleaning
If in the future it happens again after leaving a little reminder slip on a couple of occasions then I'll use the letter and its either sign up or i let them go.
Although i send out text reminders for payments, I tend not to try and deal with issues like this with text messages and e-mails as its easy for the customer to just say they didn't receive it, even when you know their lying there's nothing much you can really say.
Doing it the above way i feel I've tried my best to keep the customer and been fair with them.
-
Still trying to understand gocardless 🥴
I’m monthly but run late, holidays bad weather etc
Is it setup monthly like direct debit?
It would only work for me if you invoiced customer on day of clean
Not on some fixed schedule
What’s to stop customer not paying for clean?
As when you request payment from customer they have a few days to challenge don’t they?
Sorry just trying to understand 🤔
-
Still trying to understand gocardless 🥴
I’m monthly but run late, holidays bad weather etc
Is it setup monthly like direct debit?
It would only work for me if you invoiced customer on day of clean
Not on some fixed schedule
What’s to stop customer not paying for clean?
As when you request payment from customer they have a few days to challenge don’t they?
Sorry just trying to understand 🤔
You can choose a regular frequency and amount or bespoke payments such as after each clean or after a set number of cleans or capturing all cleans within a set period, the choice is yours.
It works very well with applications such as Aworka and cleaner planner.
You can choose which option best suits each client, some may require a set date, others such as weekly shops may require a monthly bill.
Clients have full control and can cancel the mandate (Direct Debit) at anytime, likewise insufficient funds will result in a failed transaction, however these can be resent easily and often pass second time round.
HTH
John
-
Hi guys. Haven’t been on here for a while. I was just wondering if anyone had a template of a letter to send a select few customers about the changeover to go cardless.
Most pay online banking very promptly but just a handful of customers conntine to be late payers(do pay eventually) and I want to move them over to go cardless(and if they cancel then so be it)
Never used it... how do you invite a customer? Can you send a text message with link? Or a letter in post? I don’t tend to have email details but only contact numbers and addresses.
Thanks in advance
In addition to promoting (regulary and by whatever media suits) the benefits to clients and appealing to the good nature of some by stating how it will assist you greatly you could remove all payment methods other than Direct Debit from your receipts, invoices, payment reminders etc, this does not mean you cannot accept other methods it simply focuses the attention and by using embedded links (emails & text) creates a hassle free solution.
Some will continue to use other methods of payment which you may find acceptable, for those that cause more trouble than it worth then convert or dump seems the logical choice.
HTH
John
-
On my window cleaning slips, (full size bills) the engine that runs off my bills are customised with a bit of VB code to synchronise with ACT! All direct debit customers are checked with "by direct debit' so when i run off the payment slips it says "By Direct Debit: £35". If not it just reads "Total Due £35"
Then my dd runs are set to run automatically to come out of their account on the 26th.
-
I use all methods, some will not gocardless, I have lost a few as collecting they never in, leave slips to let them know online payment details as we cannot catch them in. got sick of knocking , like begging to be paid. when I bump into them they say have you stopped, ive got another chap to do them. I look at them and say ive dropped endless amounts of payment details in their letterbox. we don't need it. I got fed up going out collecting for them to say ive got no cash, can you come back tomorrow. no see you next month. if your lucky. if I don't like them ill dump them
-
When i did collecting i started to use "sumUp" which is a card reader. So if they say they had no money in the house i would pull out the card reader and say no worries, i can take card.
Even with go cardless i overcome one particular objection. That objection os normally seen on their face first of all and i assume i know it and tell them if they prefer me to set it up on a particular date, as long as im aware of it, i can do so. Then i see a sigh of relief and they sign up. Easy peasy lol