BACs question - is there a minimum period I have to offer?

[KenBoon]

Hi All,

Hoping for a bit of help please.

Is there a minimum period I have to offer for clients to transfer money over? Currently I'm doing 5 working days (I've got it in my head - that's the period you have to offer). I'm a bit worried about going over to Go Cardless as I don't want to lose customers.

Thanks in advance!

Kind Regards,

Ken

 

[Jonnyavfc]

Most my customers pay by bacs and if they haven't paid within 3 days I send them a reminder !! They usually pay straight away then !! 

 

[KenBoon]

Most my customers pay by bacs and if they haven't paid within 3 days I send them a reminder !! They usually pay straight away then !! 

Thanks so much for the reply! I'll change that on my Invoice now.

Any more input would be appreciated. I'm just finding customers are dragging their feet to pay. And I do a bang on job for a good price!

Thanks again.

 

[Jango]

I genuinely think some people just forget, I know some of my customers do, when I send a text to remind them they pay and apologise. Can be annoying though.

 

[Wind o kleen]

Thanks so much for the reply! I'll change that on my Invoice now.

Any more input would be appreciated. I'm just finding customers are dragging their feet to pay. And I do a bang on job for a good price!

Thanks again.

You’ll always have people owing you money ,  I always have about £300-600 owed in constantly , I can manage with that 



Few people on here have  thousands owed in at one time 

my brother has thousands owed in he’s got enough work to let that happen 

 

[KenBoon]

Thanks guys! I have preped a text to send out as a kind reminder. I'd say 90% of my customers pay by BACs which I have no problem with at all.

Thanks again!

 

[Pane]

Just dont get Clients to pay by a card machine.You'll be paying an additional charge!.

 

[KenBoon]

Just dont get Clients to pay by a card machine.You'll be paying an additional charge!.

I'm no longer offering PayPal for that reason! I use Smartround for organising my round and I can use Go Cardless with that - but again I'm worried some may not want to use it.

Thanks again for all the input guys! And the time to do so.

I only do this Part Time, I also work as a Part Time Caretaker and as a part time Football Coach for Derby County. It all adds up to a 40 ish hours a week. But my round is getting bigger and bigger! So the aim is to eventually knock the caretaking on the head.

Thanks again!

Kind Regards,

Ken

 

[Master Jedi Alejandro]

Thanks guys! I have preped a text to send out as a kind reminder. I'd say 90% of my customers pay by BACs which I have no problem with at all.

Thanks again!

Hello [customerName],

Hope you are well. This is a reminder that payment is due on your window cleaning. Total of [balance]. Please make payment to the following using address as reference:

BANK
NAME
BANK NUMBER
SORT CODE

Thank you,
Name
Website/email/phone number 

I send mine out a week after a clean. Like already said, many are just forgetful, no big deal. The week before the next clean is due they get another text explaining that we don’t let it build past one clean and we will need payment before hand. It pays off to be firm. I’ve had two who had been a issue for a while, I gave them a polite, friendly but firm call and explain we couldn’t let payments build and they both accepted it. 

 

[mupps]

From experience I have found that many customers just forget to transfer the payment, so now I ask the customer  in advance if they don't mind me reminding them after a couple of days as I'm sure they have other things more important to think about and therefore are liable to forget! This seems to work and I don't feel pushy asking for the payment after just a couple of days as agreed. So far no one has objected to the reminder and they usually apologise and then pay immediately.

John

 

[Pane]

Hi mupps:

I understand & agree re : Payment & not having to chase up & or client forgets.

Two words = Getting Older??.

 

[KenBoon]

Thanks guys! It's much appreciated!

And again - thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

[Pane]

Hi all guys,its only been a few days on the window cleaners forum.So far,ive seen friendly banter & chat along with helpful advice with fellas passing helpful tips on over years of experience.

Its really re freshing for like minded guys to take time to help one another.

Polite to.

Cheers guys ???.

 

[spruce]

I genuinely think some people just forget, I know some of my customers do, when I send a text to remind them they pay and apologise. Can be annoying though.

And a few who wait for payday

 

[Pjj]

You’ll always have people owing you money ,  I always have about £300-600 owed in constantly , I can manage with that 

View attachment 18026

Few people on here have  thousands owed in at one time 

my brother has thousands owed in he’s got enough work to let that happen 

Lol wish that was all Ime owed our outstanding balance is always between 2k and 4K depending what work we have been doing ???

 

[Part Timer]

Lol wish that was all Ime owed our outstanding balance is always between 2k and 4K depending what work we have been doing ???

All relative, probably all the same, percentage wise, based on turnover 

 

[Pane]

Pjj & part timer - how long have you guys been operating for ?.

 

[Pjj]

Pjj & part timer - how long have you guys been operating for ?.

20 years now 

 

[Part Timer]

20 years now 

I'm only young, ish, so nearly 9 years 

 

[Pane]

Cheers phj & part timer ?.

 

[P4dstar]

GoCardless takes 20p to collect £10. It looks professional and takes the stress away from you and in some circumstances the customer.  When I sign someone up I tell them we collect via direct debit. I would say 95% sign up before the first clean. The ones who don't I take on a case by case basis. If some random has walked up to me in the street and booked in they'll be dropped, if they're older people who are skeptical but likely to be home etc I'm not going to lose them. Similarly if they seem honest enough I wouldn't necessarily not clean them if they don't sign up.

What I'm saying is take it on a case by case basis. Don't let fees for card payments bother you, Stripe and SumUp are reasonably priced. If this stops one missed payment every couple of months it will pretty much pay for itself. Thats before considering the stress it takes off you.