[Tim Downer]

Hi guys

For the office cleaners out there......how often do you invoice for your work??
Do you invoice every 4 weeks.....thus the invoices are the same each time and you get 13 invoices a year?
Or....
Do you invoice monthly....each month being slightly different depending on the week worked that month??

Cheers

Tim

[*Chris Browne]

hi
i invoice every calendar month, it would be interesting to see what others do

chris

www.scsf.co.uk

[mobile valeting & Power wash Services]

Not in the same line as yourselves but all Blue chip companies I invoice monthly This was requested from them, I beleive it had something to do with paying via the BACS system, might be they have a 30 day policy for paying out as a lot of my clients (all 3 of them) do this anyway hope this makes some sort of sense.
Malky

[CMS]

I invoice calendar monthly and all monthly invoices are the same (weekly charge X 52 -:- 12).

Now here's a thing...(and this is very common within the industry) I invoice in advance.

That's right, all invoices are sent out on the 1st of the month FOR THAT MONTHS CLEANING. They have until 7th of the following month to pay for it by which time all cleaning for the period will have been completed. Any adjustments are made the following month.

Now, here's the clever bit.

My cleaners are on a monthly salary, paid in arrears on the 14th of the month.

i.e. For the month of March I will invoice on the 1st March. The cleaner starts cleaning on 1st March. Client pays bill on 7th April. CMS pays cleaner on 14th April.

Bloody great for the cash flow.

[blacksheep]

hi cms, i sent my first invoice out on the 28th of last month, so have i got this right ,you invoice on the first day of your contract, as i wanted to do that but felt they may not pay for somethink they had not had yet service wise, i will need to fallow your way or i will get into cash flow problums regards blacksheep

[CMS]

Yes I invoice at the beginning of the month but they don't have to pay until the 7th of the following month. They're not paying in advance as all cleaning is completed by then. That way really is quite common in this industry as it's such a labour intensive business.

[D woods]

If you invoice 4 weekly you get paid 13 times oer year
If you pay monthly you only pay out 12 times per year
that gives you a months turnover with no wages to find

[CMS]

Yes, but a short month nevertheless.

[garyj]

I  do  the same as CMS, weekly charge X52 / 12 but invoice one in arrears.  His system if you can get away with it would be more than ideal for us and anyone else.

Its also important to state clearly 12 equal monthly payments. saves any hassle at Xmas and Bank Holidays when they haven't been cleaned. 2 companies this year tried to get out of 2 weeks cleaning because they were shut.

[AJCleaningServices]

I invoice monthly domestic and commercial, in the end of the month.  To be honest I do not do a lot of commercial cleaning, but can say that my clients do not delay the payments.

...2 companies this year tried to get out of 2 weeks cleaning because they were shut.

One office, which we have been doing for 6 years now, is shut every Christmas, but they pay us for that period.

[garyj]

Talking of invoicing...........

We lost a contract in the middle of December and when we were told we said we'd leave that day, no point in hanging around if you're not wanted!!

Its now getting on for the middle of Febuary and the custard owes 2 months invoices still and hadn't returned any calls for last 2 weeks. Until today!!

He said if I wanted to go and see him he would explain why he hasn't paid the bills. I as there in less than 10 mins. For the first unpaid month he said the invoice was lost but now found and it will be paid tomorrow.
The second month he reckons he doesn't have to pay because we didn't work till the end of the week, like he said. He admits he was happy with the work ( one of his office girls is now doing it, so its cheaper for him ), but thinks I  should be punished for poor customer service!!!

What a joker, he even had the front to sit laughing and chortling at me, while I calmly explained he WILL be paying ALL of it. He said take me court then if you want me to tell everyone  what bad customer service you offer.
Throughout all this I honestly remained calm, even though I really wanted to smash his teeth through the back of his smug head.
Wound up again now 
I'll give him till Friday morning then go see him again.
Don't fancy a court case and really don't want any more punch ups but the guy is really taking the pee, and its got personnel.
Was I wrong to pull out staright away?? Probably, but there are plenty of other companies that want us, and they were never that great at paying the invoices anyway. We were there nearly 3 years and they  had an excellent service.
Is he having a laugh or what??

[Art]

Gary,

 Your going to have to count to ten on this one smashing his teeth through his head would only damage your reputation, but i'm sure you don't need me to tell you this as your probably only letting off steam.

Go through the small claims route, your a pro. and you run your business as such.
Remember business isn't personal.

Arthur

[the red carpet]

go back and pay him another visit and calmly explain to him that you dont wish to trouble him any further and that you will not pursue payment if he does not feel happy to pay as you wouldnt want to ruin your good reputation for customer service, also wish him well with the office girl. then go back once the office is shut and burn it down, job done

[garyj]

Arthur, you're right, my partner said pretty much the same thing.

Red Carpet, you're right, I said pretty much the same thing to my partner.

[Art]

Arthur, you're right, my partner said pretty much the same thing.

Red Carpet, you're right, I said pretty much the same thing to my partner.

Red,
Tell him you were JOKING 

[Fox]

Lol - garyj you do make me laugh!  It's a wonder you've got any customers left, what with taping the kipper to the underside of the desk of the last one who annoyed you and doing the washing up with mop water of the one before that ! ................. he he   

Anyway - invoicing - I also invoice, in effect, in advance.  I invoice on the 1st of the month and my clients have 30 days to pay so the invoice is due on the 1st of the following month but I invoice in weekly periods.  I invoice to the last Friday of each month so for example this month my invoices went out for 4 weekly periods - cleaning services to 24/02/06 next month will be for 5 weekly periods - cleaning services to 31/03/06.  I quote for 52 weeks of the year and thats what I invoice.  I also pay my employees weekly, this is for ease of staffing and retention.

Fox

[Tim Downer]

Thank you all for your comments.
I must admit that when i compiled the tender pack, i gave them the working out as per a 52 week year.....so bank holidays, christmas etc are accounted for. However, i have plenty to think about especially when to invoice as per the above suggestions especially when it comes to paying staff wages.
I have to set up a meeting for next week regarding a tender for 10 evening cleaners and 2 part-time day cleaners in a prestigious office!! I will have to take all your comments into consideration......cash flow etc etc

Thanks

Tim

[lisa123]

can i just ask, for your domestic cleaning customers, do you invoice them? like commercial?
just wondered. just looking into new ways of dealing with payment. Trying to convert everyone to standing order.

[garyj]

He paid today. In full 

[Art]

He paid today. In full 

I reckon fozzy bear scared him to death