[slap bash]

Well mate it must just be in my culture to be forthright. I cannot see anything wrong by speaking up. I don`t understand the softly, softly girl thingy footing around. I am not by nature a rude person and know how to speak to folk, but I expect the same in return.

[Marc Stock]

In my opinion they aren't a customer until they have paid you for the last clean. Doesnt matter if you have been doing them 2 month, 2 years or 12 years. No doshy??? no washy!!!

When the next clean is due, they are goodwill. When they have settled their bill, they are a customer.  If you look at it like that you wont waste time giving extended credit to people who will cost you cashflow.

Honestly i have never let a customer go over one clean late.  its madness if you do.

[Plankton]

 No doshy??? no washy!!!
I liked that one, might have to steel the phrase.

[Tony dunmall]

No  doshy??? no washy!!!

Love it that should go on my payment terms rather than 7 days 

[Walter Mitty]

I once said to a customer: "You wouldn't ask your bank manger to clean your windows, so why ask me for credit?"

[windowswashed]

I dumped a customer by text tonight. Last cleaned 14 Dec 2016, suppose to be every 2 months. Last 2 times she made pathetic excuses, this time being the third got a polite dumped text as to why, politely but honest truth. Don't need irregular work on my round getting me negative, better to remove the ones that mess us around and take them off the books and replace later with regular work.

[LT carpet cleaning]

Not paid for last clean so sacked......wow bit harsh...I have several customers who go 3 and 4 cleans before payment....they do not do online banking and I don't do go card less.........always paid when I catch them in and a couple of months up front to boot....tbh I like it because it is a nice wedge when they do pay and am not desperate.

Sod that, been stung a few times with non payers, letting them go more than 1 clean only makes it worse.

I send half a dozen reminders before there next clean I'd due, if they can't manage to pay in that time and have ignores all my messages them they are an expletive and not worth bothering with. Anyone who hasn't paid up by next clean gets skipped and them told why, in most cases if it had got to this point they have no intention of paying and end up getting a debt letter.

The only exception would be the very few cash customers who I trust and have been good loyal customers for a long time. And even then I wouldn't go past 2 cleans at most.

Hilarious! You were boasting earlier you work about 15 hours a week.  Yet here you are scrapping around with 6 text reminders for a few quid 

Oh the BS on here is unreal.

[Stoots]

Not paid for last clean so sacked......wow bit harsh...I have several customers who go 3 and 4 cleans before payment....they do not do online banking and I don't do go card less.........always paid when I catch them in and a couple of months up front to boot....tbh I like it because it is a nice wedge when they do pay and am not desperate.

Sod that, been stung a few times with non payers, letting them go more than 1 clean only makes it worse.

I send half a dozen reminders before there next clean I'd due, if they can't manage to pay in that time and have ignores all my messages them they are an expletive and not worth bothering with. Anyone who hasn't paid up by next clean gets skipped and them told why, in most cases if it had got to this point they have no intention of paying and end up getting a debt letter.

The only exception would be the very few cash customers who I trust and have been good loyal customers for a long time. And even then I wouldn't go past 2 cleans at most.

Hilarious! You were boasting earlier you work about 15 hours a week.  Yet here you are scrapping around with 6 text reminders for a few quid 

Oh the BS on here is unreal.

Firstly I wasn't boasting I worked 15 hours a week.

I generally work 20-30 hours a week physically and usually at least another 10 or so doing advertising etc. But I've never Boasted about that, I work that many hours because that's all the work I've got. How is that boasting?

Secondly what has that got to do with sending payment reminders for overdue  cleans? Does it have any relevance whatsoever?

Thirdly how is that BS? Is it not possible to work 20 odd hours and week AND chase your debts? Is that not within the realms of possibility?

Fourthly how is it only a few quid? I don't personally think chasing up a few hundred quid is a futile exercise it's money that's owed and needed.

So basically what you have said is total BS based on no sound logic and I can only conclude that you are either just a ladies part  or or a thick ladies part.  Most likely both.

[windowswashed]

I have the decency to let customers know they are dumped as they will wonder why I don't clean theirs when I'm working opposite them across the road usually. By being straight with them I don't worry about hiding from them or being rattled by naff customers, sleep better and stay happy and positive. Don't let messers mess my good karma

[lee_dewing]

3 months in advance

I dumped 2 by text today, I'm a cowardly custard 

Basically getting pi55ed off when I started cleaning their windows around 5 years ago, both customers would pay if they were in and a nice cup of tea

Since paying online for the last couple of years it all feels a bit corporate.

No tea   if there in and never offer to pay.
Online payment's almost roll around to next clean date; monthly, or at least they forget to pay twice in the year meaning it's a rollover 

Just said in my text very sorry can't carry on, it's my fault for introducing online payment to save on postage stamps.

Getting cash flow problems.
Stopping online payment customers now.

Thanks for your custom.

If they get back in touch, which they haven't 
Will insist on payment"cash" if there in, online payment with in 5 days, or 3 up front.

Got one on standing order who was a bad payer, unfortunately only gonna get 11 cleans not 12 due to me running late, think she will have to go 3 cleans in advance.

I hate standing order😠

[windowswashed]

3 months in advance

I dumped 2 by text today, I'm a cowardly custard 

Basically getting pi55ed off when I started cleaning their windows around 5 years ago, both customers would pay if they were in and a nice cup of tea

Since paying online for the last couple of years it all feels a bit corporate.

No tea   if there in and never offer to pay.
Online payment's almost roll around to next clean date; monthly, or at least they forget to pay twice in the year meaning it's a rollover 

Just said in my text very sorry can't carry on, it's my fault for introducing online payment to save on postage stamps.

Getting cash flow problems.
Stopping online payment customers now.

Thanks for your custom.

If they get back in touch, which they haven't 
Will insist on payment"cash" if there in, online payment with in 5 days, or 3 up front.

Got one on standing order who was a bad payer, unfortunately only gonna get 11 cleans not 12 due to me running late, think she will have to go 3 cleans in advance.

I hate standing order😠

If they pay by bank transfer why sweat it? It's better than getting paid by cheques and having to take time out to pay them in the bank. BT better than having to collect for cash or cheque if out at time of clean. Some people are struggling to pay until pay day which is normally at the end of each month for most people. So long as they pay you regularly straight into your bank why worry if it's not within  5 days or similar. Who cares if customers don't make a cuppa for us everytime, they are our customers not our friends and we run it like a business so that's the downside to being efficient in treating it like a business. I'd rather run it like a business than previously dawdle about, earn peanuts and have lots of cuppas and long chats. I have more time off this way and don't spend the evenings chasing debts, so grateful for the way I run it now without the evening's chasing payments 

[tlwcs]

I tend not to say anything, I just stop going, they know why.
If they ask I will tell them and even take them back if they go GoCardless and pay b4 each clean.
I have found that it's never their fault, the fact they take ages to pay or there's dogs s41te everywhere.
They will however tell all their friends they sacked you!

[nathankaye]

The thing is, we rightly look at it from a business point of view. Them being late etc is a pain to our cash flow etc etc.
However the customer doesnt view it in the same mannar and they may be over run with other issues etc. Not that it makes it right, but the point is, they wont have a clue why your not turning up if you dont tell them. All they know is that you use to come every X amount of weeks and all of a sudden your not!!  They will think its your issue and more likely to ignor you and not for the reasons that you think!
So stop being cowards and simply explain why your not cleaning them anymore.
More than not these issues would be fixed.

Stop hiding behind lame excuses like you dont like to be confrontational or whatever and run your business as a business and be professional in all aspects and that includes dismissing work as well!!

[Stoots]

The only problem with online is cash flow. That's where having a few cash custys and using go cardless is a big help. Nothing worse than checking your online banking and nothings gone in for a few days despite you having a few hundred owing. My rolling debt seems to be about 10-20% or turnover.

[nathankaye]

I always get my customers to text me the first time they pay online. I ask them to on the excuse that i can mark their account name on my books so i know whos paid.
Regardless of letting them know to put their house n street name as a reference.
But the real reason is, to get their mobile number so i can send them a reminder if they haven't paid. Do far i do not not have anyone paying online who i cannot contact.

[dazmond]

my "rolling debt"is usually hovering around £500-£600 (currently its £616.50)at any one time.sometimes it goes up to a 1K+.i know ill get it in eventually.luckily for me i still have a lot of customers who pay me cash or cheque on day of clean too so my cashflow is good plus im not in urgent need of the money as i can quite easily pay my bills with the money i get in every week.

i go collecting  on a monday around 3 times a month for an hour or so to keep it down and manageable.

more and more customers are choosing to pay online these days which suits me as less collecting.most are good as gold and pay within 14 days.others are a PITA and just when i decide to drop them they pay!(i do send a text reminder after 14 days without payment).some ive dumped esp if i have to send 3 or 4 text reminders with no reply.

i also have some customers who pay  in advance too.others dont pay for 3 or 4 months!(luckily these are very few!)

im seriously thinking about gocardless now though.upgrade cleaner planner to the £25 a month version and getting as many customers as i can on it.only thing i have to do is get their email address and get them to sign up.itll save having to send text reminders.

imagine having all your customers on gocardless?no collecting,no debt chasing whatsoever.all your money earnt goes straight into your bank after 5 days!bliss!

[dazmond]

I always get my customers to text me the first time they pay online. I ask them to on the excuse that i can mark their account name on my books so i know whos paid.
Regardless of letting them know to put their house n street name as a reference.
But the real reason is, to get their mobile number so i can send them a reminder if they haven't paid. Do far i do not not have anyone paying online who i cannot contact.

i tell them if they want to pay online i need a contact mobile number so i can send them my bank details and to remind them if they forget to pay.simple.

i hand them a business card and they text me their number,name and address(saves me faffing about jotting down theirs while im out working) and i send them my bank details and info like making sure they use their first line of address so i can identify their payment.

[nathankaye]

I only have a couple of custies who pay me in advance...........im not really keen on it as it feels like im working for free on the day. Lol i know thats ridiculous but its how I feel and often I would put those jobs last on my priority rather than first

[colin bird]

I only have a couple of custies who pay me in advance...........im not really keen on it as it feels like im working for free on the day. Lol i know thats ridiculous but its how I feel and often I would put those jobs last on my priority rather than first

I'm the same mate just had a customer pay me twice  by mistake for a £ 400 quid job,she's well minted but I did tell her

[colin bird]

my "rolling debt"is usually hovering around £500-£600 (currently its £616.50)at any one time.sometimes it goes up to a 1K+.i know ill get it in eventually.luckily for me i still have a lot of customers who pay me cash or cheque on day of clean too so my cashflow is good plus im not in urgent need of the money as i can quite easily pay my bills with the money i get in every week.

i go collecting  on a monday around 3 times a month for an hour or so to keep it down and manageable.

more and more customers are choosing to pay online these days which suits me as less collecting.most are good as gold and pay within 14 days.others are a PITA and just when i decide to drop them they pay!(i do send a text reminder after 14 days without payment).some ive dumped esp if i have to send 3 or 4 text reminders with no reply.

i also have some customers who pay  in advance too.others dont pay for 3 or 4 months!(luckily these are very few!)

im seriously thinking about gocardless now though.upgrade cleaner planner to the £25 a month version and getting as many customers as i can on it.only thing i have to do is get their email address and get them to sign up.itll save having to send text reminders.

imagine having all your customers on gocardless?no collecting,no debt chasing whatsoever.all your money earnt goes straight into your bank after 5 days!bliss!

I used to always have £3 k outstanding backs payments has brought this down to £2 k