Payments and monthly cleans

[steve garwood]

Will you please stop sitting on the fence and tell it how it is. You're mellowing in your later years ?

Always been a straight talker, both my sisters and my brother are the same. Get it from my mum, a straight talking cockney type similar to Peggy Mitchell but with Black hair ?.

When any of my mates have a little fall out (usually after drink), they nearly always ask my opinion because I will tell them if they’ve been a d1ckhead ???‍?

 

[Iron Giant]

I get roughly £500 every year around Christmas

Now, now Steven boasting just isn't you ?

 

[steve garwood]

Now, now Steven boasting just isn't you ?

I never boast about wages, daily earnings etc unlike certain others on here. I was just making a point about online banking.

By the way, my name is spelt the superior way, with a ph ?

 

[Tuffers]

I think the way forward is by direct debit. Not sure what the charge is but that's the way forward, getting paid even before you have done the clean. Had two customers on it and never got bumped once. ?

I disagree. I've got one customer who's 6 cleans in credit. I keep telling him to cancel the direct debit but he keeps ignoring my plea. I have to keep an eye out when he pays so I remember to mark him down as paid. It's a ballache. I much prefer BACS.

 

[windowsurfer]

I like the idea of a monthly service charge, get paid monthly for cleaning their windows 4/6/8/12 weekly, 1x gutter clean  1x patio clean, divide by 12months.  Then you never have to chase them for payment, they have to chase you 

 

[Dave B]

.By the way, my name is spelt the superior way, with a ph ?

Is that because you're slightly acidic??

??

 

[Jaygti]

We all would mate but it’s about making it work for you. If all your customers pay with no reminders & no issues, that’s perfect and I’m envious! But a lot find they don’t so we need to find ways to combat it. 

Id imagine my customers are no different to yours. 
The difference is , is that I’m not that bothered by late payers. 
The one thing that all my customers have in common, is that I TRUST all of them to pay up. If I don’t have that trust then they are dumped. 
If some forget and owe for 2 cleans that’s fine. 1 customer only ever pays for 3 cleans at a time, but I trust him to pay so I’m not bothered. 
I understand that for people starting out cash flow can be an issue, so late payment can cause difficulties, but once established with a bit of cash in the bank, it’s not a problem. 

 

[Iron Giant]

GoCardless: 1% + 20p + vat. So a £10 payment they take 34p. It’s why you need to build it into the quote if your going to do it. A £10 job, charge £10.50

Exactly, I mostly just factor in an extra £1 on every job that levels out over multiple jobs, with GC jobs which are for me over 340 and counting I no longer bother with a calling card and haven't since last year, they get the email after and have complete trust in me that I've cleaned the windows on that day.

 

[Master Jedi Alejandro]

I disagree. I've got one customer who's 6 cleans in credit. I keep telling him to cancel the direct debit but he keeps ignoring my plea. I have to keep an eye out when he pays so I remember to mark him down as paid. It's a ballache. I much prefer BACS.

Disliked your post mate purely because what your talking about is a Standing Order, not a Direct Debt.

Standing Order IS bacs, but it’s where he’s told his bank to pay a certain amount to a certain account on a certain frequency. Basically to save him doing it each time. 
 

Direct Debt is where, in simple terms, you reach into their account & take whatever money is due. It works well because you can take different amounts (say they get insides done also one month) and also if you don’t clean for whatever reason you just don’t take the money. 

 

[Master Jedi Alejandro]

Id imagine my customers are no different to yours. 
The difference is , is that I’m not that bothered by late payers. 
The one thing that all my customers have in common, is that I TRUST all of them to pay up. If I don’t have that trust then they are dumped. 
If some forget and owe for 2 cleans that’s fine. 1 customer only ever pays for 3 cleans at a time, but I trust him to pay so I’m not bothered. 
I understand that for people starting out cash flow can be an issue, so late payment can cause difficulties, but once established with a bit of cash in the bank, it’s not a problem. 

Nah mate, been stung too many times with that. I’ve had good customers turn bad on me. I’ve also got folk who just genuinely forget and it’s better for them not running up 3 months of bills. Take a £15 clean. That’s £60 before you know it! 
 

I’ll add I haven’t implemented it for existing customers (asides a few who are slow payers) but it’s my new way going forward, with a added amount to cover costs. Just can’t be bothered with the chasing game no more. 

Exactly, I mostly just factor in an extra £1 on every job that levels out over multiple jobs, with GC jobs which are for me over 340 and counting I no longer bother with a calling card and haven't since last year, they get the email after and have complete trust in me that I've cleaned the windows on that day.

Was thinking that but also wondering, if I add say £1 to a £15 job, that’s £16. Would that maybe make them think about the price? Where as adding 50p, no one even notices it on the quote. 

I know it’s only £1 we’re talking about & it’s nothing, but I’m just wondering if psychology the difference between £15.50 & £16 would cost the job. 

 

[scottish cleaning service]

Nah mate, been stung too many times with that. I’ve had good customers turn bad on me. I’ve also got folk who just genuinely forget and it’s better for them not running up 3 months of bills. Take a £15 clean. That’s £60 before you know it! 
 

I’ll add I haven’t implemented it for existing customers (asides a few who are slow payers) but it’s my new way going forward, with a added amount to cover costs. Just can’t be bothered with the chasing game no more. 

Was thinking that but also wondering, if I add say £1 to a £15 job, that’s £16. Would that maybe make them think about the price? Where as adding 50p, no one even notices it on the quote. 

I know it’s only £1 we’re talking about & it’s nothing, but I’m just wondering if psychology the difference between £15.50 & £16 would cost the job. 

Raised mine from £15 to £16 and no one blinked an eye last year.

 

[Tuffers]

I disagree. I've got one customer who's 6 cleans in credit. I keep telling him to cancel the direct debit but he keeps ignoring my plea. I have to keep an eye out when he pays so I remember to mark him down as paid. It's a ballache. I much prefer BACS.

For the pedants. I meant standing order. The one where the person sets up a payment to be sent on a recurring date.

Sheesh. Loosen up dude.

 

[Master Jedi Alejandro]

For the pedants. I meant standing order. The one where the person sets up a payment to be sent on a recurring date.

Sheesh. Loosen up dude.

Yes so what relevance does it have to this conversation? You said it annoyed you that he has overpaid by 6 cleans and that’s why bacs is better, but direct debt doesn’t allow that. Not trying to be pedantic or anything, just pointing out the difference. 

 

[Crystalalan]

Cant be arsed with go cardless. Just something else that has the potential to play up. Cash is king as far as I`m concerned. Simple and effective. Can understand it if I was a big player with lots of custys though. I also take BACs and cheques

 

[Davy G]

Cant be arsed with go cardless. Just something else that has the potential to play up. Cash is king as far as I`m concerned. Simple and effective. Can understand it if I was a big player with lots of custys though. I also take BACs and cheques

Yes, and another organisation dipping into my hard earned.

100 customers a week, charge each an extra 50p or £1 and give it to a third party for something we've already got organised inhouse. Or charge the extra anyway and bring it in to my family? £50~£100 a week. Hmm, I'll have to think about that one.?

Thought about. Didn't take long. Decision made. No third party for me. Our customer numbers don't warrant it. ?

 

[Jaygti]

^^This. 
I roughly worked it out at about £1200-£1400 a year, for someone to collect money that I’m  going to get anyway. ??

 

[Iron Giant]

Don't know why some are getting their knickers in a twist about how others choose run their business, change your tampons put cucumbers on your eyes and have a lay down, sheesh!! 

 

[windowsurfer]

Yes has got a bit excitable. Blah blah blah think that's the "in" expression at the mo.

 

[Iron Giant]

Was thinking that but also wondering, if I add say £1 to a £15 job, that’s £16. Would that maybe make them think about the price? Where as adding 50p, no one even notices it on the quote. 

I know it’s only £1 we’re talking about & it’s nothing, but I’m just wondering if psychology the difference between £15.50 & £16 would cost the job. 

I'm busy enough not to bothered though, maybe if it's already a new job within a cluster of other jobs it's worth going in a bit less as it reduces set up time on another job somewhat.

 

[Davy G]

Don't know why some are getting their knickers in a twist about how others choose run their business, change your tampons put cucumbers on your eyes and have a lay down, sheesh!! 

I saw no one getting upset... (till your post) ?. It's called discussion. Tis about efficiency and maximising profit in business, without ceding power, control or expense to a third party. ?

You go and have a lie down. ??

All good natured jest on my part. Don't anyone think otherwise. Please! ?

 

[Pjj]

Nah mate, been stung too many times with that. I’ve had good customers turn bad on me. I’ve also got folk who just genuinely forget and it’s better for them not running up 3 months of bills. Take a £15 clean. That’s £60 before you know it! 
 

I’ll add I haven’t implemented it for existing customers (asides a few who are slow payers) but it’s my new way going forward, with a added amount to cover costs. Just can’t be bothered with the chasing game no more. 

Was thinking that but also wondering, if I add say £1 to a £15 job, that’s £16. Would that maybe make them think about the price? Where as adding 50p, no one even notices it on the quote. 

I know it’s only £1 we’re talking about & it’s nothing, but I’m just wondering if psychology the difference between £15.50 & £16 would cost the job. 

We don’t bother with 50p on any job everything is straight pounds makes life so much easier , just add the extra on to the job if you are vat registered just add enough to cover that as well ,