Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Stoots on November 13, 2022, 05:46:05 pm

Title: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Stoots on November 13, 2022, 05:46:05 pm
Just wondering, with non payers or skippers etc its easy to get rid but what are poeple thoughts on slow payers

At the moment on cleaner planner i can see about 7 or 8 really slow payers that havent yet paid for their last clean. These are customers that always pay slow everytime without fail. They all pay eventually but some can take 5 or 6 text reminders to do so.

Part of me thinks who cares, they always pay in the end so why worry. But the other part of me is saying just dump them they are taking the p. It wouldnt matter to me at all if i dumped them i wouldnt miss the work i have plenty more than i can get round but they are all easy jobs and most them ive been cleaning years....

Whats everyone elses attitude to these types ?
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: SB Cleaning on November 13, 2022, 06:21:05 pm
5 or 6 text reminders , they are taking the p get rid!!
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Splash & dash on November 13, 2022, 06:27:17 pm
I would speak to them if there was no change in there payment credit would be a dump unless I was happy with that situation. Some  customers I might allow it if they work abroad or if it’s a holiday home etc but it would have to be by prior arrangements
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: richard connett on November 13, 2022, 07:14:13 pm
I’ve got 4 or 5 like this. I only ever text them once or twice though and if they haven’t paid by due date then they don’t get cleaned. I don’t ever let customers owe more than 1
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Splash & dash on November 13, 2022, 07:19:09 pm
I’ve got 4 or 5 like this. I only ever text them once or twice though and if they haven’t paid by due date then they don’t get cleaned. I don’t ever let customers owe more than 1

Problem then is if they take a couple of months to pay when you clean it next time it’s a 3 monthly job and will take a lot longer to do so the price should be considerably  higher we wouldn’t do that  it would either be cleaned on the due date or dumped .
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Simon Trapani on November 13, 2022, 07:58:30 pm
I don’t chase until it comes up in the aworka sheet the next time around. I just let them know on the slip that the previous clean is still outstanding. We’re mainly six weekly. I don’t see it as a problem though. It’s not ideal but I don’t live hand to mouth. I still got money to pay my employee at the end of the month & all my bills etc.  I’ve always got over 1k owing.  People often forget or pay at their leisure. It’s just one of those things imo.
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: deeege on November 13, 2022, 08:21:10 pm
Doesn’t bother me in the slightest. As Dazmond says, as long as you are not living month to month it shouldn’t make a difference as long as the money keeps dripping in through out the month.
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Stoots on November 13, 2022, 08:32:47 pm
Doesn’t bother me in the slightest. As Dazmond says, as long as you are not living month to month it shouldn’t make a difference as long as the money keeps dripping in through out the month.

No it doesnt matter from a financial sense at all i just notice its the same batch of customers that are always dragging their heels and it just annoys me slightly.

More annoying when it gets the their next clean due date and they still havent paid as then i skip the clean.
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Spruce on November 13, 2022, 09:10:54 pm
I’ve got 4 or 5 like this. I only ever text them once or twice though and if they haven’t paid by due date then they don’t get cleaned. I don’t ever let customers owe more than 1

Agree, especially in an economic downturn. We used to allow 2 cleans before pushing for payment. Now it's only one clean. No  further clean until the bill gets paid. I'd rather get caught for one outstanding payment than two.
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: windowswashed on November 13, 2022, 09:40:47 pm
Late payers no, persistently forget to pay before the next due clean ..yes as they are bad payers waiting to happen.
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: AuRavelling79 on November 13, 2022, 09:53:44 pm
5 or 6 text reminders?

Crazy. Who wants disrespectful customers like that?
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Pete Thompson on November 13, 2022, 10:47:13 pm
Slow payers like this are what GoCardless is perfect for. I don’t use GC much (only a handful of customers) but I have put all the slow payers onto it.

I have started to say to slow payers “we are moving all of our customers to direct debit. Sign up here”. (We aren’t doing that, but it avoids them feeling singled out)

They all have transferred across no problem.

(And no way would I be sending 5 or 6 reminders!)
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: KS Cleaning on November 13, 2022, 11:37:44 pm
I don’t send text reminders for payment, the few that might forget to pay I just get double the next time.  If you want to keep a compact round you need to have a little bit leeway IMO…..that said if I gave anyone a text reminder for payment ( never mind 6 text reminders ) and they didn’t pay they would be history.
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Simon Trapani on November 14, 2022, 06:12:52 am
Slow payers like this are what GoCardless is perfect for. I don’t use GC much (only a handful of customers) but I have put all the slow payers onto it.

I have started to say to slow payers “we are moving all of our customers to direct debit. Sign up here”. (We aren’t doing that, but it avoids them feeling singled out)

They all have transferred across no problem.

(And no way would I be sending 5 or 6 reminders!)
It’s not perfect - if the customer hasn’t got it in their account then gocardless can’t take it. Happened to me on a few occasions.
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: james peters on November 14, 2022, 09:27:04 am
Iam very fortunate as I don't have any slow payers.
The reason for this is that I got rid of them and replaced them.

when someone does work for me , I pay them strait away, or the very next day at least....

one text reminder is enough , for a customer to repeatedly ignore is down right rude .

Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Pete Thompson on November 14, 2022, 12:55:49 pm
Slow payers like this are what GoCardless is perfect for. I don’t use GC much (only a handful of customers) but I have put all the slow payers onto it.

I have started to say to slow payers “we are moving all of our customers to direct debit. Sign up here”. (We aren’t doing that, but it avoids them feeling singled out)

They all have transferred across no problem.

(And no way would I be sending 5 or 6 reminders!)
It’s not perfect - if the customer hasn’t got it in their account then gocardless can’t take it. Happened to me on a few occasions.


Very true, but their own bank will usually charge them a fee for an unpaid direct debit, and this acts as a deterrent.

Plus, if people are allowing their bank balance to get so close to zero that this happens, then they cannot afford to have a window cleaner.

If a DD payment failed (even once) that would be it. Off the list.
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: NWH on November 14, 2022, 01:15:45 pm
I have a few slowish payers but they always pay in the end i think you’ve got to weigh up how much the jobs worth and the relationship with that particular customer,it’s not always that their doing it on purpose they are busy and just need a couple of reminders.
If it was getting to the point it was stopping me paying my own bills it would be a problem but how many people are in that position,that would be a case of dumping if it was that many.
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: JandS on November 14, 2022, 01:44:03 pm
Some of mine only pay on a certain date each month so sometimes they are a bit late but I know they are going to pay.
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Bungle on November 14, 2022, 04:49:48 pm
We have a few slowish payers but they always pay in the end i think you’ve got to weigh up how much the jobs worth and the relationship with that particular customer,it’s not always that their doing it on purpose they are busy and just need a couple of reminders.
If it was getting to the point it was stopping me paying my own bills it would be a problem but how many people are in that position,that would be a case of dumping if it was that many.

FTFY Nigel 👍
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: NWH on November 14, 2022, 06:18:07 pm
Sorry Bungle about that mistake I made there me old m8 I was at that moment thinking how I could save a pittance of 23 notes on an item I’m after for work,if ya know what I mean that is pal.
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: G Griffin on November 14, 2022, 06:22:53 pm
What's the time period for the 5 or 6 texts, Stoots?
I couldn't bring myself to text 5 or 6 times. I'd maybe text twice and after that they would have to chase me to pay and to restart cleaning their windows again.
If they are serious enough about having their windows cleaned, it's not too much to ask of them to send the money over.
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Stoots on November 14, 2022, 06:52:42 pm
What's the time period for the 5 or 6 texts, Stoots?
I couldn't bring myself to text 5 or 6 times. I'd maybe text twice and after that they would have to chase me to pay and to restart cleaning their windows again.
If they are serious enough about having their windows cleaned, it's not too much to ask of them to send the money over.

I send all my reminder texts out once a week.

Some of the 8 weekly ones are taking almost up until their next clean date to pay having had 5 or 6 plus reminders... some ive had to skip the next clean because of non payment although to date they have all coughed up eventually but its the same pattern every time for a select few.



Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: robbo333 on November 15, 2022, 06:04:09 pm
I think slow payers, and sending six text reminders, are two different issues.

I have a few slow payers, but they always pay by the next clean (8 weeks). They are good, well paid customers, with no major issues,  so I give them the 'benefit of the doubt'.

If I had to text six times, then that would pee me off and they would be dumped!

Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Small but perfectley formed on November 16, 2022, 06:37:53 am
Dump
Getting rid of our slow payers before it turns into a non payer
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Jay Le Huray on November 16, 2022, 11:26:14 am
I had one this morning, it's an £18 job done every 8 weeks and this morning when I went there and she was already late on the last 2 payments (making it £36) I managed to get her to pay the arrears plus todays £18 making it £56.
That amounts to 6 months work.

I was about to dump the job when she said to me "do you mind if we cancel after today? " to which I replied "no problem and thanks for your previous custom"

She saved me from doing it LOL
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Stoots on November 16, 2022, 11:39:17 am
I had one this morning, it's an £18 job done every 8 weeks and this morning when I went there and she was already late on the last 2 payments (making it £36) I managed to get her to pay the arrears plus todays £18 making it £56.
That amounts to 6 months work.

I was about to dump the job when she said to me "do you mind if we cancel after today? " to which I replied "no problem and thanks for your previous custom"

She saved me from doing it LOL


Yes thats happened to me loads of times. Chase a customer for weeks for them to eventually cough up and cancel at the same time. Like because they don't want them cleaning anymore they think it's ok not to pay.

Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Jay Le Huray on November 16, 2022, 01:44:54 pm
I had one this morning, it's an £18 job done every 8 weeks and this morning when I went there and she was already late on the last 2 payments (making it £36) I managed to get her to pay the arrears plus todays £18 making it £56.
That amounts to 6 months work.

I was about to dump the job when she said to me "do you mind if we cancel after today? " to which I replied "no problem and thanks for your previous custom"

She saved me from doing it LOL


Yes thats happened to me loads of times. Chase a customer for weeks for them to eventually cough up and cancel at the same time. Like because they don't want them cleaning anymore they think it's ok not to pay.
That just about sums it up Stoots
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: KS Cleaning on November 16, 2022, 04:07:49 pm
I had one this morning, it's an £18 job done every 8 weeks and this morning when I went there and she was already late on the last 2 payments (making it £36) I managed to get her to pay the arrears plus todays £18 making it £56.
That amounts to 6 months work.

I was about to dump the job when she said to me "do you mind if we cancel after today? " to which I replied "no problem and thanks for your previous custom"

She saved me from doing it LOL
Maybe she dumped you for overcharging her by £2😉😁
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: dazmond on November 16, 2022, 06:42:27 pm
I only have a handful that tend to pay very late.if I had a customer who took 6 text reminders to pay they would get dumped once I got their final payment.i usually only text once (or twice on the odd occasion a week apart)before they pay....
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: Jay Le Huray on November 17, 2022, 02:22:52 pm
I had one this morning, it's an £18 job done every 8 weeks and this morning when I went there and she was already late on the last 2 payments (making it £36) I managed to get her to pay the arrears plus todays £18 making it £56.
That amounts to 6 months work.

I was about to dump the job when she said to me "do you mind if we cancel after today? " to which I replied "no problem and thanks for your previous custom"

She saved me from doing it LOL
Maybe she dumped you for overcharging her by £2😉😁
LOL I've just noticed that, I have just checked my card machine payments and I did only charge her £54
Title: Re: Would you take SLOW payers off your round ?
Post by: johnny bravo on November 17, 2022, 08:48:41 pm
ive had a few   ends up around 3/5  cleans . been paid but after note reminders tooooo many times .     as im getting paid this time    i wont be going back unless they pay DD or set up a standing order paid monthly .     Had enough .