[Marc Stock]

I'm reducing the amount of cash I handle, so I thought I'd try PayPal here. Have to say I'm pretty impressed, I got a card reader with chip and pin and contactless functionality.

It's been getting increasingly difficult for those customers who don't do Internet banking, and don't carry cash all the time, plus sometimes I simply don't have the change available and I'd reluctantly accept a cheque.

Used it twice already yesterday to process £120 worth of payments, suprisingly it only cost a couple of quid in fees, normally paypal charge 3 odd percent plus 20p but with this paypal here it's a more competitve rate.

Have to say the prospect of not having to waste 40 mins in a bank to pay in the odd cheque or cash deposits is really good. Especially now since most pay online or through direct debit it's been a bit of a ball ache having to go to the bank for these few customers.

[chris turner]

Did you get a call from a guy in pantiles close in Woking yesterday Marc? I sent him your way..

[Marc Stock]

Did you get a call from a guy in pantiles close in Woking yesterday Marc? I sent him your way..

ahh thanks buddy. No I dont think i did yet.

 

[Stoots]

I always say to customers when I finish cleaning their windows, "I hope your gonna pay pal"

Where? 

[Marc Stock]

Did you get a call from a guy in pantiles close in Woking yesterday Marc? I sent him your way..

Hi chris. Yep I got him thamks buddy. 

[chris turner]

Did you get a call from a guy in pantiles close in Woking yesterday Marc? I sent him your way..

Hi chris. Yep I got him thamks buddy. 

No probs.
I use to clean nearly the whole of that close but ditched it as most of the houses had to be accessed through a garage to get to the back. Logistically it was a nightmare as always had to txt and ring every customer and often they were away or would forget to leave garage unlocked.
Although this particular customer has no access problems, i didnt want to resume cleaning in the close on a new job after ditching all the others.
Imagine the peers through the curtains... Awkward!

[Marc Stock]

Well paypal here is a winner. Just did that large house this morning, comes to payment "do you accept cheque" no need I say I can take a credit/debit card payment from you. "Ooh good is American Express  ok" yep...no worries I'll get the chip and pin reader...

[Steven Biggs]

So what were the set up fees and price of the gear Marc .

[Marc Stock]

PayPal isn't the cheapest. But I like it as it is the most secure, and everyone knows paypal. You even get a map of where the payment was taken.

I had to jump through quite a few hoops first, had to send proof of my Ltd company status and it took a while for all the limits to be lifted.

But once you have the paypal here reader and all limits lifted. It's very easy to use. Fees range from 2.5 percent to 1.5, it depends on what cards you process as they all have thier individual fees American Express being the highest and the lowest are debit cards. The reader itself is £45. 

Most of my customers pay by BACS and Go Cardless and I am happy with that. Biggest problem I have found now is the small amount of customers that pay by cash, it's a headache  and a pain to keep change in the van, a risk keeping cash anyway, and to pay it in your looking at wasting 40 mins to find a parking space, get a parking ticket and wait in line at the bank to waste time when I could be doing other jobs. Plus sometimes I had to halt cleaning mid round as the bank closes at 4 30 pm so..

So this is a way to increase my productivity  and open myself up to a type of customer that I wouldn't normally have acess to. And in my book it's well worth the extea cost.

The fact I was able to accept American Express really impressed my new customer and hopefully she will tell her other American Express buddies that she has found a window cleaner that doesn't say." Sorry love cash only"