[lee_dewing]

I don't know if i'm being over the top?  but i'm getting tired of a couple of custy's due to continued late payment.

example: one custy use to be good at opening gates; now hit and miss, i text her and hubbies phones.

also she' take's 3 weeks plus to send cheque, had to txt her a reminder the other day still nothing; had the old "posted it yesterday"

I even now put stamps on all my s.a.e.

would this be a bin it offence.

i think so,
been trying of finding a polite way to let these people go i.e

i will need 3 payments up front from now on and if the gate is locked you will still be charged full price.

do you think this is pie in the sky or if not how would you word this without causing offence?


Got alot of money outstanding nearly £500 usually £250 ave.

everyone seems to be out and everyone's dragging their heels in posting off payment

Don't know if i'm being a bit over the top here as of the harsh winter that left us all out of pocket, i'm analyzing custy's too much.

does p me off how other tradesmen gain respect.

nothing against gardeners but they get key for gate etc.

end of moan
thanks lee

[daz1977]

i know what u mean, i have a few custy that are crap at paying, some is when they get there money (monthly wages) and i can live with that, its the i dont really want to pay you and pretent i am not in brigade that get on my nerves  and i have dumped a few of them since xmas,  would rather spend the day leafleting than cleaning windows and not getting payed

[roundbuilder]

I don't know if i'm being over the top?  but i'm getting tired of a couple of custy's due to continued late payment.

example: one custy use to be good at opening gates; now hit and miss, i text her and hubbies phones.

also she' take's 3 weeks plus to send cheque, had to txt her a reminder the other day still nothing; had the old "posted it yesterday"

I even now put stamps on all my s.a.e.

would this be a bin it offence.

i think so,
been trying of finding a polite way to let these people go i.e

i will need 3 payments up front from now on and if the gate is locked you will still be charged full price.

do you think this is pie in the sky or if not how would you word this without causing offence?


Got alot of money outstanding nearly £500 usually £250 ave.

everyone seems to be out and everyone's dragging their heels in posting off payment

Don't know if i'm being a bit over the top here as of the harsh winter that left us all out of pocket, i'm analyzing custy's too much.

does p me off how other tradesmen gain respect.

nothing against gardeners but they get key for gate etc.

end of moan
thanks lee

lee do you collect or is that all cheques. i tried not collecting and relying on internet payment and cheques but it just didnt work

[lee_dewing]

daz, thanks for the feedback.

cleen, yep i don't collect, if in then pay if not then post a cheque.

I'm abit stubborn like that, and just dump late-payers, i would have a bigger round if i held on to all those late payers, or knock and collected from mr and mrs forgetful.

Maybe your way is a better way but, to me that's unpaid labour.

maybe you could give a new custy like a tick box options list i.e  how will pay if your  not in.

cheque in the post.
paypal.
leave money out.
OR call back to collect but say this has an extra charge of 10% or more?
say £15 job £17 to collect.

do you think that would push people to other methods of payment.
or just another waste of time?

thanks for the feedback guys
 

[paul rulton]

i know what u mean, i have a few custy that are crap at paying, some is when they get there money (monthly wages) and i can live with that, its the i dont really want to pay you and pretent i am not in brigade that get on my nerves  and i have dumped a few of them since xmas,  would rather spend the day leafleting than cleaning windows and not getting payed

thats how u do it  spot on daz 

[Johnny B]

I always have at least £200 outstanding at any given time. I collect immediately from those that are in. I leave a printed note through the door of 'not homes', with my address, landline and mobile numbers, and on which I state what evening(s) I call back, together with the option to send me a cheque.

As my work is spread out a lot, I only go back to collect if it's not out of my way. Those that I miss one time will usually see me the next time. Works reasonably OK but I am looking into ways of improving my clear up rate.

John.  

[formb]

I have considerably more outstanding than that. What you should think about is getting them to set up standing orders. Chances are they just forget. I let all my customers up to 2 months due then start sending them polite letters. If they don't pay up I send Barrie round in the evening.

[Jack Wallace]

I never have less than £2500 outstanding.  it just part of the job.

I dont get too worked up about late payers.  I know it will all come in eventually, sometimes a little push is needed but not often.
I have only ever lost about 150 quid due to not being paid which is written of against tax anyway so I dont worry.

[lee_dewing]

thanks guys.

formb; excuse my ignorance but can you set up a standing order for 5-6 week cleans. not sure if this works; thought you had to set up on certain day of month ie like today 25 th

then what happens if you don't fit in your 13 monthly cleans a year, which is impossible if one man band.

you'd be chargeing custy for 1 or 2 cleans a year they wouldn't get

[Sunshine/Cleaning]

It's part of running the business! I have 50% outstanding at any one time. A few years ago I made the decision that I wouldn't chase the money. I would free up my collecting/worrying time and wait for payment. All but the first month I have the same amount coming is as work being done. brace yourself for the first month and see it as part of business life.

To be brutally honest if you are fretting about £250-£500 being owed and cant live without it for a week or 2 then either your business plan needs attention or your not cut out for self employment.

These types of posts sort the wheat from the chaff. Concentrate on doing the work rather than collecting the cash and you will be transformed from chaff to wheat my friend.

[R W C™]

I have some custys who pay 2 monthly, some pay within days, its all part and parcel of the job, I wish my debt list would be under £1000 but ive always got a months money in the bank so dont really notice the debt, the worst part was after the bad snow because I had gone back to work no cheques where dropping on the matt for about 2 weeks but now the work i done previously is starting to pay.

[dazmond]

get out and collect then matey!!WHAT WRONG WITH SOME OF YOU GUYS??

some of you dont want to work more than 3 hours a day and dont collect then moan about outstanding debts and not earning enough money!!

lee quite a lot (usually over half) pay me when i clean.i have SAE for out of the way stand alones.then i go collecting once a week for 2 hours usually on a monday(sometimes a fri).i have no problem with collecting at all.i double some custys up till next time.some pay a few cleans in advance by cheque etc.i dont clean again after 2-3 times until i get paid.

we ve all got some custys who take a while to pay but we all get paid in the end!if you need the money go and collect it!!

regards

dazmond

[lee_dewing]

stuart,

looking at your website i take it you concentrate on high end resendential work?

Out of intrest how can you make the whenever time day frequency work?

Just imagine running round like blue ar5e fly.

I try and make everything as compact as possible and only offer the one frequency.

just curious really

[Sunshine/Cleaning]

stuart,

looking at your website i take it you concentrate on high end resendential work?

Out of intrest how can you make the whenever time day frequency work?

Just imagine running round like blue ar5e fly.

I try and make everything as compact as possible and only offer the one frequency.

just curious really

That's the impression I want new customers to have. Basically if they want me it will cost. They know this from the start.
I have lots of compact work, some of which I have had for 15 years. It's great work, same village for days.
I also have quite a few 'anytime' customers. They get booked in and are quite reliable for time and day now. The new ones know the drill from day one. I'm not cheap, they think they are in control. That said I fit them in when I don't have 'contracts' to fulfill.

If you make £100 from compact work in half a day (Choose your own value) you still only need 2 £50 houses in the morning to equal the value.

Remember there is a price point for every customer. Not all cars are Fords some are Mercs or Bugati's. Not everyone wants cheap. Some want to be in charge and are willing to pay for it. Find them, make them feel in control and make them pay.

[prestige cleaners]

i give custs a few chances, but if they really take the mick, like ignoring 5 texts and ans fone msgs, each time i clean then its  bye bye mate.

usually a text does the job, dont worry about cancelling people im sure you would only do it as a last resort.

sod collecting, youve got to be a mug doing that, when theres paypal, s.a.e, bank transfer, etc. on another note, i do ask some custs by text to leave gate/cheque for me that might cut down on some late payers?

[lee_dewing]

thanks stuart, i recently found this; nearly threw job away due to my own silly fault, underpriced it.

Put price up 20% take it or leave in a politest possible way, happy to do it on a call.

usually saturday.

£100 half a day

I'm doing a lot wrong :

have you a min price stuart £10-£15?

thanks for your reply moggy's

[Ryan @ Transparent, Carlisle]

  most i have ever had outstanding is about £100 

[formb]

thanks guys.

formb; excuse my ignorance but can you set up a standing order for 5-6 week cleans. not sure if this works; thought you had to set up on certain day of month ie like today 25 th

then what happens if you don't fit in your 13 monthly cleans a year, which is impossible if one man band.

you'd be chargeing custy for 1 or 2 cleans a year they wouldn't get

Not too sure on that one, I go round monthly anyway. We have a few 2 monthly customers who pay via the bank, but I think they just go via bacs, not a standing order.

[Window Washers]

Add an early payment waiver, payments in by 28 days get price on sheet late payments £5 added to bill, this will stop many of them forgetting.

your business will run into a lot more than £500 of debt when you grow, my outstanding is in the ££££'s I am in no way worried about that debt, and I ceartainly will not be out collecting it.

3 weeks is not a longer time for payment, some commercail have to wait 90 days thats a pain but always pay

[The Jester of Wibbly]

If they are regular customers and are late payers, but do always eventually pay up, I just leave them be.  Sometimes make a bit of a joke with them hoping they take the hint, but will never drop them.

My concerns are with new customers for at least the first three months, where I keep a tight control on things.  I bring in late payment charges but giving them a few extra days on the letter to pay at normal price.  Similar to parking tickets really.  This usually works.  Any customers that dont pay at all I just add up all the late payment charges and put on one large bill.  And then sell the dept onto a Capex dept recovers.  They give me a fee for the dept, and thats it, it is out of my hand.