[sandy]

anybody know any clever methods of collecting payment- leave under plant pot  etc what do you guys when customer comes out and hands one payment instead of the four back payments they have forgoten about - any ideas about cutting down hours spent collecting

[JM123]

take your book to the door with you - if they hand you one payment justpolitely explain about the last x months and show them the book.

[bumper]

ive had all that,like, im sure i dornt owe 4 times, i sure i paid you 2 times ago. when it builds up, oh can i cancel them now.If they are in i will knock on the door and collect the money,The more you collect the less you collect at night.

[pjulk]

Leave SAE it works i now give this to all my new customers if they are out when i clean.
If a customer has not paid after two cleans they don't get done again until they do pay.
Never let it go as much as 4 cleans your the one losing out.

Paul

[mark dew]

Leave SAE it works i now give this to all my new customers if they are out when i clean.
If a customer has not paid after two cleans they don't get done again until they do pay.
Never let it go as much as 4 cleans your the one losing out.

Paul

Good advice.
Try to get customers phone numbers as well and remind them by phone.

mark

[jeff1]

I tell all my customers who get a ticket, what evening I will be calling.

I have in red writing at the bottom of all my tickets.

IF YOU WON'T BE HOME OR IF THIS IS INCONVENIENT PLEASE CONTACT ME ON THE ABOVE NUMBER.
If there not going to be home I make arraignments to leave under a pot or something, with the ticket I left, I then tell the customer I will put the ticket back through the door to let them know I have collected there money. If I know there on holiday I put a different ticket in the door, asking them to send me a cheque.

These methods have worked for me for the past nine years, and will only change them when I change to wfp.

[windows_chepstow]

My system is similar to Jeff1's in the above post.  I only call once now and if they're not in, I leave a stamped, addressed envelope with an instruction sheet on how to pay and how much to pay.

It's easy enough to do.  You can print off your envelopes with your printer and the cost of the stamps are tax-deductable.

If I don't get a cheque, I don't worry, I carry it onto the next month.  Most customers cough up after three months by cheque if I don't catch them in.

[Spursboy1972]

I ordered the snazzy address labels that match my business cards from vista print. I stick them to envelopes and attach a first class stamp. No excuses. I still get the odd comment from people that prefer to see me but most accept that I am busy enough without spending hours collecting

[Sir Squeaky]

I only do customers who aren't in if I know they'll send a cheque, or if I know I'll see them when I'm in the area the next day.

Haven't gone out on collections for years.

[windows_chepstow]

I only do customers who aren't in if I know they'll send a cheque, or if I know I'll see them when I'm in the area the next day.

Haven't gone out on collections for years.

Rog,

On the face of it, your post sounds logical enough, however, what if the customer wants their windows cleaned every four weeks?  Do you still miss them?  How do you know they won't send a cheque?  Would carrying over a payment for one or two months not seem more logical, especially if they cough up in the end; which they tend to do 99% of the time.  How do you know they're out before you start cleaning?  Do you check they're in first?

It seems strange that you have only 16 days worth of work per month; by choice no doubt since you've been going for around five years (self employed); and further reduce your monthly income by missing customers out.

I collect because my/our cash flow is important to us; for the present anyway; but I wouldn't miss a customer because I didn't trust them paying us.  I'd drop them if that were the case.

[Sir Squeaky]

I'm increasing my income actually.
I'm not spending any money or time working out of hours.

The more good paying cutomers I get, the more crap ones I drop.
Yes I do knock on most cutomers first, just a good habit that's died hard.
Some I know don't care so I just get on with it, but not if it's early.

How do I know they won't send a cheque?
Because I've tried before....

...and what do you mean only 16 days a month work?
That's 4 days a week.

That allows for a wet day here and there,
or if I want a day off,
or if I've got something I have to do instead,
and don't forget, I never work past luchtime on fridays.

Any more work and I'd get behind.
I'm not that often on time as it is....
My round's well sorted.

Rog.

[JohnL]

  .  .  and so are you Squeaky - dont let them get you down               

no offence meant Tosh! just a joke  -  OK

( dont want him having a go at me now he's been let loose              )


JohnL 

[Moderator David@stives]

Collecting I never do it , I dont worry one bit about not being paid , they can pay me next year if they like its as good as money in the bank.

Send me your late payers i will have them no problem, some of my best customers are very late payers.

My current debt list to date is £3'219+50p,

Dave

[callum macleod]

I work for 3 cleans then if they still owe i chase it up

[Chris Cottrell]

My current debt list to date is £3'219+50p,

Dave

HOW MUCH    damn ME

[windows_chepstow]

My current debt list to date is £3'219+50p,

Dave

HOW MUCH    damn ME

Snap.  That's more my monthly turnover!

[Moderator David@stives]

The debt amount is relative to the amount of turnover and the amount of businesses i have now got.

Most business accounts take between 4-8 weeks to pay up. Also i am always on time on my 4 weekly round so 3 payments from one customer can soon mount up.

If you go and clean say 5 £40 properties in one day and none of them are in there is an instant debt of £200 and if this happens a few times in one month and carries over to the month after that it soon adds up.

Also i bill my shops every 4 weeks , a few businesses once a year mainly holiday lets.

The more successful you get the more your debt list will go up, add all this together with not collecting or leaving envelopes for customers and it is easy to get to that stage.

Funnily enough i dont see the debt list as a huge burden, I dont live hand to mouth and after 8 years it just seemed to build up and up.

Has anyone else got as big a debt list on here, I suppose some of the big boys could build that debt just on one clean.

Dave

[JohnL]

big business gets big debts

its the ones who control that debt that stay big and expand

JohnL

[Paul Coleman]

The debt amount is relative to the amount of turnover and the amount of businesses i have now got.

Most business accounts take between 4-8 weeks to pay up. Also i am always on time on my 4 weekly round so 3 payments from one customer can soon mount up.

If you go and clean say 5 £40 properties in one day and none of them are in there is an instant debt of £200 and if this happens a few times in one month and carries over to the month after that it soon adds up.

Also i bill my shops every 4 weeks , a few businesses once a year mainly holiday lets.

The more successful you get the more your debt list will go up, add all this together with not collecting or leaving envelopes for customers and it is easy to get to that stage.

Funnily enough i dont see the debt list as a huge burden, I dont live hand to mouth and after 8 years it just seemed to build up and up.

Has anyone else got as big a debt list on here, I suppose some of the big boys could build that debt just on one clean.

Dave

Mine got up to about £700 a few years ago which is quite a bit for a sole trader doing mainly domestic.  Normally, £400 is about the maximum though.

[abacus]

 Hi
I use a addressed envelope and fed bill when people are out I used to collect in the eve when I first started as I needed the cash after being of work ill for two years

I tell people that as long as they pay within five working days unless on holiday that will help to keep costs and the price down it seems to work with most I dont put stamps on as 80% of my customers are not usually in and it would add extra cost.
most of my commercial take the full 30 days to pay some 45days  but with all three cleans are the limit without payment the money is better earning interest in my bank than in thiers.
Since I started keeping records on a pc most just dont bother to dispute it and a lot will even tell me if they owe from last month before I say.

regards grant

[Jeff Brimble]

David as you all know I am usual/unusual, I have £5k that customers owe me but I have no bad Debts ? just  the odd interest free loan here or there. At the end of the day I get paid. Usually before Christmas or in the street , but then they do pay well for the service.

[mark dew]

its as good as money in the bank.

That's a very relaxed way of looking at it.

But its money in someone elses bank and that would stress me out.

[Sarah Sarill]

Although I am ashamed to admitit we are very lazy on the collecting front.  We currently have £1055 worth of outstanding money with the oldest being from April.

Hubby only collects2 evenings per month now and then he targets only the customers who owe for  two cleans + or the bigger residential properties we clean.

In our 8 years of trading we have only written off two bad debt accounts and are quite relaxed about getting paid as we know we will at some point.

We get quite a lot of cheques sent without asking mainly due to the fact we ALWAYS leave one of our 'your windows have been cleaned cards ' which has our full postal  address on it.

There are exceptions to our relaxed style though.  We collect if we have been unable to work for a few weeks due to weather and just prior to going on our holidays (for the extra spending money !!!  )

Its all about what suits your finances and circumnstances though.  In the early days we collected most nights (and had to ).

Sarah

 

[P @ F]

I like to leave it for a while , or at least until the next clean is due , i like to do this cos my owed money book i look at as rainy day money , there is usually about 200 in it so its a bonus if things to get tight .

 Rich   P @ F

[Moderator David@stives]

bloody hell Rich your keen as mustard if you are only owed £200

What do you do shake them upside down on there doorstep   

Dave

[combat cleaning]

I have just started leaving a SAE and it works brilliantly.
The enclosed note states the address and amount owing.
I am using the smallest size of padded envelopes which together with the cost of the postage represent only a small percentage of the job.
Also time saved in revisiting is utilised more effectivley.
Its great to receive the envelopes in the post!
2 cleans maximum, then a visit, although todate everyone has paid up on time.
Regards.

[P @ F]

DAVE , 200 owing is probably a reflection on how much i do each day , Craig JWC will tell you how i like to chat !

 Rich  P @ F

[holland1945]

I leave a welcome letter with new customers and inform them that I leave a SAE for them to send a payment in. I've not had one person forget to send their cheque so it really does work.

And as someone else has pointed out the cost of an envelope and stamp, is quite small compared to the fuel and labour costs of going collecting.

If you really wanted to look professional you could set up a Freepost account with the Royal Mail and just leave a card with the amount owing and your Freepost address ... that way you don't even have the cost of the envelope to outlay.

[Mike George]

My system is similar to Jeff1's in the above post.  I only call once now and if they're not in, I leave a stamped, addressed envelope with an instruction sheet on how to pay and how much to pay.

It's easy enough to do.  You can print off your envelopes with your printer and the cost of the stamps are tax-deductable.

If I don't get a cheque, I don't worry, I carry it onto the next month.  Most customers cough up after three months by cheque if I don't catch them in.

That's the way I do it, except I only let it go one month.

I've got one customer who pays online with a card through Nochex and I'd like to get a few more doing it that way.

[semy]

Hi Guys,
I used to go collecting all the time until i asked the same question on this forum, now i never go out collecting.

I leave a "your wheelie bin has been cleaned" note though thier letter box. I give them 4 ways to pay
1. Pay on day leave money out under door mat / flower pot
2. Send by cheque ( address is on note )
3. Pay online using paypal.
4. this is going to be standing order or direct debit soonish


If it wasnt for this forum i would still be going out at nights trying to collect it all in, which i found to be a worse job than cleaning the bins in the first place.

I did start off by using envelopes but found that it was a waste as alot people just left the money out or pay online so now it is a small note.

Hope this helps

Regards

Semy

(yeah yeah whats a wheelie bin cleaner looking at the WC forum for ? ) Im just spying 

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

I don't collect.

I leave an Invoice with payment options on the back:

1. Leave till next time (if below £7 - at my descresion!)

2. Send a Cheque to address at bottom of Invoice

3.Py the bill in person at a local Taxi Office (Who have a book and tin that I have a key to)

Works pretty well, although one or two do need a polite reminder now and then.

David