[StockClean]

Well in all my years of window cleaning, i never ever got spoken to like this.

This was a new customer, 1st clean done nearly three weeks back. The customer promised payment within our 5 day terms via internet banking. It never arrived, called her last week just to remind her, she was very nice and apologetic and said she would do it right away, and next time could i also clean the insides? Great i thought.

Anyway a week had gone by again, and still no payment. I attempted to call and every time I did it rang through to VM. I left a message, and no reply.

Decided to withhold mobile number, she picks up right away.

"Hi its the window cleaner here" I say

She says "oh hi, its not really a good time now as I have guests round, can you call back?"

"no actually it cant wait" I said "im calling about the payment, its very late and it way overdue now, considereing you are also a new customer can you please ensure you send us your payment either through the bank like you said you would, or the post please, as we have a 5 day payment term, to which we made it clear to you when you too up the service, and its nealry 10 days overdue, we may not continue the service otherwise"

Her reply was "Fine, dont continue, S*d off; a check will be posted to you via 2nd class next monday!"

She then put the phone down.

 

Was a bit moody eh? Never had that, oh well better make a cuppa.

[Tom White]

If they're bad payers from the word 'Go', they don't improve, in my experience.

I like your dogged determination; I'm too soft. 

[AuRavelling79]

I'd be round there quicker than soon! And if she didn't pay up I'd be making a very loud commotion on her doorstep.

[Pittmonkey]

I'm thinking of getting a cheap backpack. for none payers. If they dont pay I go back with a backpack full of filthy water and unclean all the windows again. Getting fed up of doing 1st cleans and having the P taken.

[H S and Son]

Just recently Ive had it with dodgy payers.


Here's an email conversation Ive just had with the worst payer on my round, (ex-worst payer now)

Re xx Pardown Oakley.
Payment made via BACs for £28 today.


Thank you for the service provided over the last couple of years.
For future ref please can you remove xx Pardown from your rota as we have decided to manage the window cleaning
ourselves.


Regards


Tony Wright


My reply was:

Dear Mr Wright,
 
Many thanks for your prompt payment for the window cleaning at xx Pardown.
 
I think the decision to remove you from our rota is probably the right one, you beat me to it by no more than 30 minutes; all I ever want from a customer is prompt payment, perhaps you might like to consider that with your next window-cleaner.
 
Matt (Oakley Window Cleaning)


His attitude stank. What, you want money too?

[GB Window Cleaning]

I'm thinking of getting a cheap backpack. for none payers. If they dont pay I go back with a backpack full of filthy water and unclean all the windows again. Getting fed up of doing 1st cleans and having the P taken.

well charge a 1st clean price, 100% increase!

[alanwilson]

why do you let it annoy you?

payment within 10 days? - I'm lucky if its paid before next clean date - government work I'm doing well if I get a payment after 3 months!

[windiewasher]

Just recently Ive had it with dodgy payers.


Here's an email conversation Ive just had with the worst payer on my round, (ex-worst payer now)

Re xx Pardown Oakley.
Payment made via BACs for £28 today.


Thank you for the service provided over the last couple of years.
For future ref please can you remove xx Pardown from your rota as we have decided to manage the window cleaning
ourselves.


Regards


Tony Wright


My reply was:

Dear Mr Wright,
 
Many thanks for your prompt payment for the window cleaning at xx Pardown.
 
I think the decision to remove you from our rota is probably the right one, you beat me to it by no more than 30 minutes; all I ever want from a customer is prompt payment, perhaps you might like to consider that with your next window-cleaner.
 
Matt (Oakley Window Cleaning)


His attitude stank. What, you want money too?

please let us know what mr wright's reply is to that,lol

[H S and Son]

I'd be surprised if he does mate, but will do if he does.

[Pittmonkey]

I'm thinking of getting a cheap backpack. for none payers. If they dont pay I go back with a backpack full of filthy water and unclean all the windows again. Getting fed up of doing 1st cleans and having the P taken.

well charge a 1st clean price, 100% increase!

Don't make any diff.
I can charge 1000% extra. But if they don't pay the don't pay. I would be even more out of pocket.

[dazmond]

i got a new customer a few months ago £10 and she said she would pay by BACS straight away.it took me a month to get the money off her.anyway i seen her the other month and she said "im hopeless with money always forgetting to pay bills and stuff!!"when are you gonna do my windows again?unbelievable!!

i just said im not taking anymore work on and i didnt have time to fit her in!!

im generally polite with messers and just drop them after payment without getting angry.whats the point?

they are very few and far between.most of my customers are good solid payers and friendly too.

i do think its also because of the friendly chilled out vibe i give off while conducting myself on their property plus im very well established.

[Scrimmer73]

Just a thought you may wish to consider , New Customers , in Streets where everyone else has a WC , are always thought upon with caution  i.e   Have they mugged of the over fella , and he has told them to do one !
 Rarely will I clean without recieving immeadiate payment under these circumstances ,unless they have just moved in ..

The other one to consider is the payer who comes out with the money halfway through the job , (knowing full well they owe from the previous month)- in the hope you may have forgotten .

Anyway don t let a bad customer put you off , they are few and far between , and some times , its a lesson learnt , before cleaan  a second time .

[R W C™]

5 day payment terms, to be honest if you wanting to grow as big as you say you do in a previous post then you may want to consider employing a full time member of staff just to chase up over due payments, mines 14 days and not everyone pays within that time, but I've got better things to do then chase up people that haven't paid yet. Very rarely have I not ended up being paid.

[richard jagger]

I to have a few bad payers and it does not worry me, but does frustrate me a little. When I have to pay my bills and they don't. I  was driving past a bad payer that still owes me some cash. Low and behold there front window was open so I got out the pole and backpack and empted the 16 litres in the bedroom I know from trading the windows, that the bed is at the window.I seemed to sleep well that night, but did they.

Ps  Please to those who will tell me its unprofessional, I just don`t care.

[bobby p]

I to have a few bad payers and it does not worry me, but does frustrate me a little. When I have to pay my bills and they don't. I  was driving past a bad payer that still owes me some cash. Low and behold there front window was open so I got out the pole and backpack and empted the 16 litres in the bedroom I know from trading the windows, that the bed is at the window.I seemed to sleep well that night, but did they.

Ps  Please to those who will tell me its unprofessional, I just don`t care.

take no prisoners ,i like it !

[richywilts]

iv gone back to charging first cleans at double the price and customer must pay up front, by charging double i think it will put off the silly tramps who use you to get there windows looking great again, i got sick of doing council house jobs spending 45 mins gettin them right to wait for a measley tenner!!

[StockClean]

5 day payment terms, to be honest if you wanting to grow as big as you say you do in a previous post then you may want to consider employing a full time member of staff just to chase up over due payments, mines 14 days and not everyone pays within that time, but I've got better things to do then chase up people that haven't paid yet. Very rarely have I not ended up being paid.

We feel that 5 working days for domestic customers is more than adequate.

We actually dont really get any huge problems with late payments normally, and sometime we have a few customers that always pay late. But this post is not focusing on the late payers as such, more so being told to s*d off.

Its water off a ducks back, im not bothered i have lots of work, for our contract work with Total, NHS and the care homes and some property managment companies we do we have standard 30 day terms.

The fact we are offering credit at all to domestics shows that we are professional. I know alot of WC s who do cash on the day only. (And i can see why to be honest)

[colley614]

Its annoying when you spend ages on a first clean then they aren't interested in the service. I've had this a few times when canvassing, so I started charging double for first cleans or one offs

[Dave.]

I'm with RWC on this one - 5 days does seem a little harsh, I also state 14 days on my invoices - although most companies like 30 days as standard.
Many of my suppliers give me 30 days too.

I give monthly customers, who are unpaid, a second clean with a reminder that previous month is unpaid  - that usually prompts them to settle almost immediately - if it goes another two weeks without payments I'll either write or visit them. I don't resort to treats or revenge - just polite persistence.

My customers are a nice bunch of people on the whole, and they like me for some reason - maybe it because I concentrate on cleaning - rather than stressing terms and conditions

[StockClean]

Like i said, 5 working days for domestics is more than adequate. Especially when you are dealing with small ammounts of money 20-50 quid at a time. That also applies to check payments, so in real terms even if we get the payment on the 5th day, it can take up to a further 6 days to clear. Thats not an issue though, we just get on with it.

All my customers (around 450) are pretty much good payers. I have the right to impose my terms, and if they dont like it then i wont wash it.

Never have i ever had to do a clean whilst the customer is past owing. In my view they are not a customer until they have paid.

I love that saying, No doshie, no washie. Cant remember who said that on here now.

We are running a business, so i expect to have my terms respected. It works well for us, and i personally cant see why there seems to be so much negativity with the 5 day term on this forum.

But puttiing that aside, i havd around 30  customers who have set up a standing order, and i have one customer who pays in advance sometime six months.

So its swings and roundabouts, but i do expect my terms to be honoured if they want the service.