Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: nathankaye on November 13, 2017, 08:30:12 pm
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Sorry I couldn't find a previous thread (not prepared to scroll through pages n pages to find it) how some said it was crazy for one man bands to limit their payment options.
Yet so far every new customer has signed up straight away. Infact Ive just started in a new area due to a facebook enquiry. A very nice area and this person accepted the quote and told me of two other neighbours. Left my cards with quotes on and one of them called back this evening and I had a chat with him and explained that my clients pay by direct debit and referred him to my website. He said it makes sense to do so and would set it up. I explained theres no hurry as Im not back there now till December but 15 minutes later I get an email from GoCardless telling me someone has signed up. Yes its the same person and the original person who enquired got her windows cleaned today and she registered whilst she made me a coffee as I set up ready to start.
This has been the same experience with every new customer so far. Its brilliant and so far cant see the negatives that everyone was worried about on the other thread
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You do like to waffle Nathan, other than collecting I don't give a toss how my customers pay me as long as they do,
that said I would even take collecting as a payment method if I needed the work.
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The only downside I forgot today is to stick an extra pound on my quote to cover the very small commision charge gocardless has. Its only pence but a quid will cover nicely ;D
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Ah he's seen the light.
We are working hard to swap over the last 20% of our customer base to go cardless. We are writing to our round as we go. We have swapped over 150 people in the last 2 weeks. We are well on our way to achieving our goal of every single customer on by October next year.
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Ah he's seen the light.
We are working hard to swap over the last 20% of our customer base to go cardless. We are writing to our round as we go. We have swapped over 150 people in the last 2 weeks. We are well on our way to achieving our goal of every single customer on by October next year.
Laying down the law to new customers only after you have filled your round isn't seeing the light, lol, there's a world of difference in what you are doing and what Nathan is pretending to do.
There's a sensible need for a business with thousands of customers to try and keep payment options to a minimum for a sole
trader with 300 or 400 customers it doesn't really matter.
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The downside, as far as i can see, is if you dont clean...you dont get paid.So if we all get wiped out over winter or you are ill for 3/4 weeks, no clean....No payment.
Thats why i have held back a £1000 per month on standing orders, yes i then owe them, (i usually off set it by doing an internal clean, at the next clean) but i will have the money coming in
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Ah he's seen the light.
We are working hard to swap over the last 20% of our customer base to go cardless. We are writing to our round as we go. We have swapped over 150 people in the last 2 weeks. We are well on our way to achieving our goal of every single customer on by October next year.
Laying down the law to new customers only after you have filled your round isn't seeing the light, lol, there's a world of difference in what you are doing and what Nathan is pretending to do.
There's a sensible need for a business with thousands of customers to try and keep payment options to a minimum for a sole
trader with 300 or 400 customers it doesn't really matter.
Your absolutely right dry clean
::)roll ::)roll ::)roll
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If there's one thing I hate more than pompous drivel its phoney pompous drivel.
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(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1510650295_tenor-3.gif)
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Nathan don't give up on your dreams.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg66kwRnOpw
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;D ;D
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What I like about you sean //dry clean is that were both alike and I know how much you love to hear that ;D
You see, we're both brave as we both post on here and no one really cares for it.
😂😂
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Another new customer came out as I cleaned her neighbours. (Shes newly moved into the house).
So I tell her the min charge and every 4 wks etc. Then I told her all my new clients need to register for direct debit payments first!..........
"Can I not pay with cash?" She asked.
"The reason I ask for D/D is that I dont collect in the evenings and even though you are home now, you may not be next time. I dont collect in evenings as many dont keep cash in the house or its the constant returning to catch people in!" I said.
She was perfectly in agreement and signed up there and then. Its that simple and definately not hindered my growth at all. In fact I think it helps get rid of the messers straight away. Because if they are serious about having 4wkly cleans they will register and if not, they wont!
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On the other hand, an existing customer who owed 2 payments has just phoned me. He got my note about going onto direct debit to prevent this from happening further. But he doesnt want to pay via direct debit.
Then the bit I dont understand!! He then asks for my details so he can do BACS instead. Haha not happy to put his details which doesnt matter as we know but hes happy for me to give mine out!!
So I was happy for him to do this on the basis that he sets it up as a standing order which he is going to do.
So a win win yet again!!
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So what happens with GoCardless if the customer hasn't got the funds in their account when GoCardless goes to take payment? In my experience, many younger customers especially, live very hand to mouth. I always seem to get a rush of payments at the start of the month just after their pay day I guess.
Genuine question as I'm interested in it although I currently mainly use BACS as it's free for me with Santander. I do have to manually tally it up with references in Aworka though. I believe GoCardless can integrate with Aworka to automatically mark off payment though. Is that right?
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So what happens with GoCardless if the customer hasn't got the funds in their account when GoCardless goes to take payment? In my experience, many younger customers especially, live very hand to mouth. I always seem to get a rush of payments at the start of the month just after their pay day I guess.
Genuine question as I'm interested in it although I currently mainly use BACS as it's free for me with Santander. I do have to manually tally it up with references in Aworka though. I believe GoCardless can integrate with Aworka to automatically mark off payment though. Is that right?
I have had just this happen for the first time the other day for £15. Basically you get an email from GoCardless (after about day 6-7 of the payment process) to inform you the payment has failed (giving you a general reason why it's happened possible insufficient funds etc. You then have the option to start the payment process again( which i have done) but it doesnt cost you anything for the failed payment.
If it fails again then i guess its just up to you to chase the customer up. Mines integrated with Cleaner Planner so you know straight away who it is but you can also find out from your Gocardless dashboard.
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As above.
Bacs is great as like you said its free.
Though on the other hand, its a very small fee from go cardless to collect your money. If your concerned with this just put your price up by 50pence or a quid or so.
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On the other hand, an existing customer who owed 2 payments has just phoned me. He got my note about going onto direct debit to prevent this from happening further. But he doesnt want to pay via direct debit.
Then the bit I dont understand!! He then asks for my details so he can do BACS instead. Haha not happy to put his details which doesnt matter as we know but hes happy for me to give mine out!!
So I was happy for him to do this on the basis that he sets it up as a standing order which he is going to do.
So a win win yet again!!
It's about being in control. Window cleaning isn't looked at as a 'profession' by many people, mainly due to a few bad apples and childish behaviour from many in our industry. Therefore some people want to be in control of how they pay you, due to a lack of trust.
I have no problems letting people pay me however they like, same as most other businesses.
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Picked up a new customer 2 months ago and told her the need to register and she agreed. I wrongly gave her the benefit of the doubt to donit later. 2 months later and a letter on 2nd clean, still no mandate filled in. Collected on her last night and got paid but told her I will no longer clean them untill she registers. No other choices because she aint followed the choice of Bacs or Paypal as suggested on the letter I left on her last.
Ive set my store out now and I intend to stick to it, even if it means dropping this customer who so far has been a messer so its no real loss.
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The 2 most important features that make all the difference with go cardless over ANY other payment method are
1. You pull down the customers money, they don't have to remember to pay you. I see this as the most important feature by far. Even a bank transfer free as it may be requires the customer to act, that's the problem with every other method except go cardless.
2. The customer becomes unaware of the spend in their mind. Every time a customer has to act to pay you the money stands out in their mind, especially if they go a clean or two or three before paying. Suddenly it seems like a lot of money and they will think about cancelling. How many times have you chased a payment and then they pay and cancel? Hold on a minute Mrs Smith, you owed me money and because I asked for it you want to cancel the service?!!........ How many times have we all had that.
I tell you now our retention rate has dramatically increased now we have most on go cardless.
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Picked up a new customer 2 months ago and told her the need to register and she agreed. I wrongly gave her the benefit of the doubt to donit later. 2 months later and a letter on 2nd clean, still no mandate filled in. Collected on her last night and got paid but told her I will no longer clean them untill she registers. No other choices because she aint followed the choice of Bacs or Paypal as suggested on the letter I left on her last.
Ive set my store out now and I intend to stick to it, even if it means dropping this customer who so far has been a messer so its no real loss.
We absolutely will not add a new customer to cleaner planner or do ANY work until the go cardless set up has been done. Its a black and white rule with no exceptions for any reason. It serves me very well.
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I agree go cardless is the best way forward
And all new customers are only taken on this way now also
How many payments declined do you get and how do you deal with it
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I agree go cardless is the best way forward
And all new customers are only taken on this way now also
How many payments declined do you get and how do you deal with it
Not many. Less than 5 in a 1000 I would say. If they bounce we just start the collection process again as mentioned earlier in this thread by others.
Litteraly no problems at all
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Picked up a new customer 2 months ago and told her the need to register and she agreed. I wrongly gave her the benefit of the doubt to donit later. 2 months later and a letter on 2nd clean, still no mandate filled in. Collected on her last night and got paid but told her I will no longer clean them untill she registers. No other choices because she aint followed the choice of Bacs or Paypal as suggested on the letter I left on her last.
Ive set my store out now and I intend to stick to it, even if it means dropping this customer who so far has been a messer so its no real loss.
We absolutely will not add a new customer to cleaner planner or do ANY work until the go cardless set up has been done. Its a black and white rule with no exceptions for any reason. It serves me very well.
Lee, do you reckon your lads do any "foreigners" *?
*Thats a eupemism for cash in hand work and not a race issue ;D
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Picked up a new customer 2 months ago and told her the need to register and she agreed. I wrongly gave her the benefit of the doubt to donit later. 2 months later and a letter on 2nd clean, still no mandate filled in. Collected on her last night and got paid but told her I will no longer clean them untill she registers. No other choices because she aint followed the choice of Bacs or Paypal as suggested on the letter I left on her last.
Ive set my store out now and I intend to stick to it, even if it means dropping this customer who so far has been a messer so its no real loss.
We absolutely will not add a new customer to cleaner planner or do ANY work until the go cardless set up has been done. Its a black and white rule with no exceptions for any reason. It serves me very well.
Lee, do you reckon your lads do any "foreigners" *?
*Thats a eupemism for cash in hand work and not a race issue ;D
No, all vans are tracked and timed on jobs and are on display on the office wall all day everyday. Never had that problem. If I even suspected it their feet wouldn't touch the ground on the way out.
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Besides, I pay them commission for picking up new customers on the job plus a percentage of the clean value. So they earn more handing it in than pocketing the cash. Also all my vans work on a single round so at any one house/ street it won't always be the same cleaner.
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Besides, I pay them commission for picking up new customers on the job plus a percentage of the clean value. So they earn more handing it in than pocketing the cash. Also all my vans work on a single round so at any one house/ street it won't always be the same cleaner.
Unless you pay them more than 100% commission there is no way they earn more handing it in than pocketing it.
If you do pay more than 100% commission, got any jobs going?
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Why do so many people insist on telling me how I run my own business!?
Once again I will say it clearly, they earn more handing it in than pocketing the cash which is exactly why I do it!
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Why do so many people insist on telling me how I run my own business!?
Once again I will say it clearly, they earn more handing it in than pocketing the cash which is exactly why I do it!
Untwist your knickers Lee. I'm not telling you owt. I couldn't give a monkey's arse about your business.
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What does "owt" mean???
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Then why do you keep asking me questions if you couldn't give a monkeys arse? Seems you actually do want to know things? Contradicting yourself there a bit
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Then why do you keep asking me questions if you couldn't give a monkeys arse? Seems you actually do want to know things? Contradicting yourself there a bit
Which questions do I keep asking?
I misread your post, that's it.
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What does "owt" mean???
Anything.
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Untwist your knickers Lee. I'm not telling you owt. I couldn't give a monkey's arse about your business.
My word, I'm exceptionally grumpy at the moment.
I am interested in your story, so keep it up.
Crack on Lee.
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That's more like it.
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(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1510865598_PhotoEditor-1510865522324.jpg)
Dont really know why ones either think its hard to do or dont like the idea of limited your clients payment options!!??
But wow be tired if anyone wants to skip winter cleans 😂😂
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Dafuq is ones?
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Nath.. you may struggle but "I" allow my clients to pay in which method suites them best. This can be cash, cheque or bacs.. I have zero issues receiving payment from any of my clients. I don't collect, I don't pay fees, I don't send essays etc etc. I am not limited and my clients are not limited, it works 100% bang on. I don't have to give it any attention. A sole trader with a quality client list should have absolutely no reason to insist on one payment method. You have signed a dozen new customers up to it and seem to think you're the new Alan Sugar!! ;D 👍
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Nath.. you may struggle but "I" allow my clients to pay in which method suites them best. This can be cash, cheque or bacs.. I have zero issues receiving payment from any of my clients. I don't collect, I don't pay fees, I don't send essays etc etc. I am not limited and my clients are not limited, it works 100% bang on. I don't have to give it any attention. A sole trader with a quality client list should have absolutely no reason to insist on one payment method. You have signed a dozen new customers up to it and seem to think you're the new Alan Sugar!! ;D 👍
Yep a slow start i know, but I have upwards of 40 customers on it now and yes ones still pay via Bacs or paypal and the ones who are in when I call will still pay cash.
Yet many have debated that a sole trader limiting its payment options will end up shooting themselves in the foot!! I just dont see it and disagree, hence my thread.
But take the above "dr Sparks" for instance. She pays by BACS but hasnt set it up as a standing order but she is extremely busy being a dr and working all hours at the hospital. Im sure getting round to paying the window cleaner is the last thing on her mind (i cleaned her windows 3 back). For her I dont mind as I know she will settle her account. But am I wrong for wanting that account to be settled each month rather than every 3 or 4 months?! Especially when its an outcome which I can do something about it
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Nath.. you may struggle but "I" allow my clients to pay in which method suites them best. This can be cash, cheque or bacs.. I have zero issues receiving payment from any of my clients. I don't collect, I don't pay fees, I don't send essays etc etc. I am not limited and my clients are not limited, it works 100% bang on. I don't have to give it any attention. A sole trader with a quality client list should have absolutely no reason to insist on one payment method. You have signed a dozen new customers up to it and seem to think you're the new Alan Sugar!! ;D 👍
Yet ones dont feel happy if the customer dictates what method suites them what time frame suites them......
Can we skip winter and pickup in spring == customer gets dumped!
Can we skip todays clean for this reason == customer gets dumped.
Dont like your method of cleaning can you use a ladder instead == customer gets dumped.
Yet you lot criticize the actual owner of a business to choose payment options that suit his or her own business.
There is so much double standards that go off on this forum its hard keeping up with them all
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Nath, I am at a loss as to what mind-altering substance you must be on sometimes. No one is suggesting you are wrong, more that most well established sole traders have no requirement to have to enforce a single method of payment upon their clients.
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Is 'ones' some kind of Yorkshire thing? Like 'yous' in Glasgow or 'lah' in Liverpool?
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Nath, I am at a loss as to what mind-altering substance you must be on sometimes. No one is suggesting you are wrong, more that most well established sole traders have no requirement to have to enforce a single method of payment upon their clients.
Ahh yes, ok i understand where your coming from.
Yet this forum is for beginners, fletchlings lol and experienced shiners alike.
Go cardless and card machines etc etc are coming to the fore with the constant improvement of technology//smart phones etc. So advancements and changes can only be a good thing for people unless some are stuck in their ways. If ones dont have a problem getting their money in then obviously thats ok for them and well done. Yet for many thats not the case and some are scared to offer such options because of being scared of change. Yet the 30's and under types of customers are used to paying in such manner and so its a good time to embrace change
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Haha im still waking up, not fully sure what waffle ive just posted
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Haha im still waking up, not fully sure what waffle ive just posted
Something sensible!! ;D 👍
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Am I missing something??
Is 'ones' a colloquial term in Yorkshire?? Only my Dad is a Yorkshire-man and I've never heard him use it.
"I'm asking if ones would sign up" seems totally wrong to me.
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Am I missing something??
Is 'ones' a colloquial term in Yorkshire?? Only my Dad is a Yorkshire-man and I've never heard him use it.
"I'm asking if ones would sign up" seems totally wrong to me.
"One would like to thank you, one would!"
I mean as in people
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Am I missing something??
Is 'ones' a colloquial term in Yorkshire?? Only my Dad is a Yorkshire-man and I've never heard him use it.
"I'm asking if ones would sign up" seems totally wrong to me.
"One would like to thank you, one would!"
I mean as in people
One, like that, refers to yourself not to others.
"I would like to thank you, I would!"
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Nath, I am at a loss as to what mind-altering substance you must be on sometimes. No one is suggesting you are wrong, more that most well established sole traders have no requirement to have to enforce a single method of payment upon their clients.
nathans probably got aspergers syndrome as he comes across like he s "not quite right".he cant help it.you should pity him really.
That's not very nice.
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Anyone use GC with Aworka?
Does it integrate well ?
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Nath, I am at a loss as to what mind-altering substance you must be on sometimes. No one is suggesting you are wrong, more that most well established sole traders have no requirement to have to enforce a single method of payment upon their clients.
nathans probably got aspergers syndrome as he comes across like he s "not quite right".he cant help it.you should pity him really.
That's not very nice.
I can be a bit schizo at times and sometimes that little voice dares me to speak to my IT friend who can track down IP addresses just for the fun of it.
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Why do some of my customers seem sceptical of Gocardless, I seem to have plenty readily forward email address then fail to sign up????
fear of the unknown??
why doesn't Gocardless start off with a brief description of what Gocardless is rather than" we want money"
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Why do some of my customers seem sceptical of Gocardless, I seem to have plenty readily forward email address then fail to sign up????
fear of the unknown??
I gave all my customers a letter explaining it and added some FAQ as well. Along with directing them to my main website which gave further details. Then finally gave them the incentive of a 50% reduction if they signed up within 7 days.