Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Londoner on February 12, 2008, 08:12:56 am
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A lot of my business is paid for by cheque. It is clear that the banks want to do away with cheques because they are so labour intensive to process and debit cards are so much easier. A lot of supermarkets and petrol stations won't take them now. If you pay a lot of your utilities bills by cheque they charge you extra.
Although it won't happen overnight cheques are on the way out. A customer this week told me his bank doesn't issue cheque books anymore. I don't know if thats true or just something he had heard. I can imagine it being true for some of the internet based banks who don't have High St branches.
Most of my customers are not the sort to do internet banking.
What are the alternatives? I don't fancy going out collecting in the evenings.
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I spoke to my bank about this, the co-op. They said that if cheques do get phazed out it will take a very long time. Most of my income is in the form of cheques. I have toyed with the idea of internet banking but I don't want to give out account numbers etc to custies. Paypal is another option but it takes a cut of every payment you receive so I dont fancy that either.
I wont start collecting, never done it and never will so I think when i get my new web-site up and running I will ad a payment option on there. Until then its just a case of carrying on with the cheques. Like you said, not all custies are the type to do internet banking.
Its funny, if you say you would prefer cash over a cheque people automatically think you are trying to fiddle the books.
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Its funny, if you say you would prefer cash over a cheque people automatically think you are trying to fiddle the books.
I think we all know that's how to do it (but I don't btw).,.
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About 40% of my income is from cheques so i want cheques to continue for as long as possible although i will try to get bank transfers done as the money is there quicker
Dean
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A lot of my business is paid for by cheque. It is clear that the banks want to do away with cheques because they are so labour intensive to process and debit cards are so much easier. A lot of supermarkets and petrol stations won't take them now. If you pay a lot of your utilities bills by cheque they charge you extra.
Although it won't happen overnight cheques are on the way out. A customer this week told me his bank doesn't issue cheque books anymore. I don't know if thats true or just something he had heard. I can imagine it being true for some of the internet based banks who don't have High St branches.
Most of my customers are not the sort to do internet banking.
What are the alternatives? I don't fancy going out collecting in the evenings.
I've never calculated it but I estimate that between a third and a quarter of my income arrives through my letter box. I certainly hope that cheques are with us fore a long time to come.
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i think they will come up with some new way.. hopefully easier and one that doesnt take so long to clear!
today at my bank lloyds they have now changed the way of paying in cheques, because its easier without the paperwork, you just put your bank card in a little machine, put your number in like at the hole in the wall and they push the buttons there side and its done.
Most of mine pay by cheque too
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I just feel a bit vunerable about it at the moment. Mind you its a pain for the person behind the counter when I turn up with about twenty or more cheques.
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Think you'll find cheques around for quite a while yet. There are still far too many people who rely on them. One of my custy's who works for Alliance & Leicester confirms this. It's probably a good idea to explore alternatives, I know I am. I now accept online payments - have some custy's paying by transfer also.
Many older folk don't have computers let alone internet access (don't want it either)
I think cheques will be used for a while yet.
Peter
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Spoke with my bank this week (Lloyds TSB) about cheques, they said there is no plan to phase them out and that because there are certain people who can't use the chip and pin for one reason or another they will always have to provide a suitable alternative like cheques. Apparantely it is the shops that are pushing for them to stop not the banks.
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The majority of my domestic customers pay by cheque and commercial by BACS. However I have paypal set up on my website as I like to be prepared and familiar with it before it becomes a necessity owing to cheques slowly diminishing. I do get the odd OAP who doesn't have internet or a cheque book pay me by Postal Order. I rarely see cash nowadays. Makes no difference how they pay me, so long as they pay promptly, I'm not bothered. I would never go out collecting evenings as it's too time consuming, demoralising and expensive with the price of fuel escalating.
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Spoke to a customer today. I cleaned her windows a week ago. She said she doen't carry cash or have a cheque book anymore. She pays debit card only. I told her I had my bank details on the invoice I put through her door and she said she'd try that. If people think they can get by on one payment system only they're wrong. If she wants me to clean her window (£5 every 2 months), she has to sort herself out. And before you say drop her, I will if she doesn't sort herself out.
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The main reason that supermarkets and garages are refusing cheque payments is the cost that the bank charge them for each one they bank.
It is true that cheques will be around for many years to come, but be aware that the banks will start to impose charges for those who bank a lot of them.
I never go and collect or have customers who send me money or rely on them using online banking (except my commercial clients) or I do is telephone the night before and ask that they leave it in a suitable place for me.
At the moment there are only 5 customers who are outstanding with the bill and this figure rarely reaches 10 customers.
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I think you are right about the bank charging more and more for cheques. I remember years ago being told by a bloke how much the bank charged his company for every cheque they paid in, it was a lot even then.
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Hi all, We have now installed a chip + pin machine so clients can call on an evening to pay their bills.
Seems to be working quite well but still early days yet.
Machine is £15.00 per month and 2% of what you take over the phone.
I was paying my employees 10% when they were collecting so still make a saving.
Got the info from small business federation when we joined.
Hope thishelps.
Thanks
Robbie-Clearshine Ltd
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so does that mean that the y can pay you over the phone???? it sounds a good idea, but surely it would mean you have to be at home at specified times?
does the money go straight into the account on the day of payment?
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P.Holley - We tell them to call after 6pm when either myself or the wife can take calls.
The money goes to streamline (chip + pin provider) then to me in 4 days.
Hope this helps.
We put on the slip provided after cleaning that they can send a cheque or pay over the phone after 6pm.
Still educating some clients to this method but payments are becoming more regular and makes you look professional.
You keep a copy for the client of which you post through the door on your next visit (amount paid/date paid)
Thanks Robbie
Clearshine Ltd