Chasing payments

[swc1]

It's surprising how sending my 6'5"+ rugby playing son round to collect seems to work ??

Yup you don't want me to send my son after a payment...?

 

[cleaniac]

Hi guys/gals happy Sunday hope you are all well and had a nice xmas from what could be made of it lol, anyways to the issue I'm having, I cleaned a customer's windows Wednesday and even though they where in I message to say professionally that the clean has been completed they usually pay via bank trans a couple of times after previous cleans I've had to send reminder but this time I've sent 3 reminders and feel my messages are being ignored it's a £10 annoyed as yes its only a window clean to them but a small portion of my Bill's money lol

Hi All Gleam. 

The best way to go about it is to set out what's expected in your t's&c's, your payment terms and make sure they know where they stand. 

If they don't pay within the time frame you send them a DAILY text reminder until they pay up. 

The text should be a standard text, that does not deviate in it's content. You send one message per day, not on weekends.  

Something like.

Dear customer. Please can you remember to settle your window cleaning bill today as it is now due for payment. 

Best wishes All Gleam. 

Or something like

Dear customer, please can you remember to settle your window cleaning bill today as it now overdue for payment. Did you know you can also set up a direct debit for trouble free payments, visit....gocardless link.........for more information on how to set this up. 

Best wishes All Gleam 

And that's all you can do. I would also recommend you get a card reader from sum-up so if you have to go military, and collect in person you can accept debit/credit cards, by then I would be leaving them a cancellation of service letter once payment is collected from someone who isn't forthcoming.

 

[cleaniac]

Its terrible.....it smacks of desperation......he might need the money...I know I did at one time....needing every penny living hand to mouth.....

But it's a sure way of hacking off a customer and them sacking you off....

True, but I find a daily payment reminder that is exactly the same as the last message works very very well.

I very rarely have to chase payments, but it does say on my terms and conditions that they give consent for me to send payment reminder texts if payment isn't recived within 14 days. 

The most important part of collecting is to not make it personal. As soon as you deviate from your standard reminder message, or try to open up 'dialogue' by saying 'we still have not received payment' or 'why have you not paid yet or anything like that sort of content you completely loose respect from the customer and make it harder for yourself.

 

[AllGleam]

True, but I find a daily payment reminder that is exactly the same as the last message works very very well.

I very rarely have to chase payments, but it does say on my terms and conditions that they give consent for me to send payment reminder texts if payment isn't recived within 14 days. 

The most important part of collecting is to not make it personal. As soon as you deviate from your standard reminder message, or try to open up 'dialogue' by saying 'we still have not received payment' or 'why have you not paid yet or anything like that sort of content you completely loose respect from the customer and make it harder for yourself.

Cheers  mate totally agree I've been professional and reasonable with all texts to customers with experience I'll get more insight with missed payments 

 

[Dave B]

Daily reminders.. are you that desperate?

I work 6 weekly.. if not paid in a week or so they get a text.. same after another week or so.. no payment by the next clean then not cleaned until paid.

I wouldn't be chasing daily for a payment.. 

 

[dazmond]

True, but I find a daily payment reminder that is exactly the same as the last message works very very well.

I very rarely have to chase payments, but it does say on my terms and conditions that they give consent for me to send payment reminder texts if payment isn't recived within 14 days. 

The most important part of collecting is to not make it personal. As soon as you deviate from your standard reminder message, or try to open up 'dialogue' by saying 'we still have not received payment' or 'why have you not paid yet or anything like that sort of content you completely loose respect from the customer and make it harder for yourself.

i agree but to send  3 text reminders within a couple of days of the clean?

i have the same payment terms....please pay within 14 days......then the text reminders start but even then its only one a week until payment(most dont need a second text)

 

[cleaniac]

Daily reminders.. are you that desperate?

I work 6 weekly.. if not paid in a week or so they get a text.. same after another week or so.. no payment by the next clean then not cleaned until paid.

I wouldn't be chasing daily for a payment.. 

Nope not desperate at all. Hate it when people say that. 

If you skipped your credit card payment you would be called daily.

If you didn't pay your broadband, you would get a daily reminder, sometimes twice a day. 

Why is it any different for us? 

A daily text that does not change, is standard and polite until payment is received is just an effective good credit control policy. It works very well. 

 

[Pjj]

Nope not desperate at all. Hate it when people say that. 

If you skipped your credit card payment you would be called daily.

If you didn't pay your broadband, you would get a daily reminder, sometimes twice a day. 

Why is it any different for us? 

A daily text that does not change, is standard and polite until payment is received is just an effective good credit control policy. It works very well. 

I have never received daily reminders for any over due utility bill , things must be more strict in Surrey ???

 

[Bwfc]

I have got someone who does eventually pay but takes around 6 weeks after a lot of reminders im still deciding whether to drop her just annoys me does it on purpose hoping I will forget?!

 

[cleaniac]

Ahhh ok..I see what's happened here.

Some of you think I'll send daily reminders 1 or 2 days after the clean?

No..?

If payment isn't received within 14 days, then a polite daily reminder is sent on the 15th day, and then daily until settled, it works very well.

 

[swc1]

If you skipped your credit card payment you would be called daily.

If you didn't pay your broadband, you would get a daily reminder, sometimes twice a day. 

That's laughable credit card companies and broadband or any account would never hounded daily or weekly. 

Sorry. Terms of your payments need to clear. If payment is do in 14 days or 45 days they need to be recieved by the date. If not the agreement you made with the home owner or business void. 

In that scenario service is stopped until payment is received and a new agreement needs to be put in place, if no payment is received the court system can take over. It's a crime not to pay for services rendered. 

 

[cleaniac]

I have got someone who does eventually pay but takes around 6 weeks after a lot of reminders im still deciding whether to drop her just annoys me does it on purpose hoping I will forget?!

I had a customer like that for a long time , but carried on with my daily reminder after the 14 days. To start with he'd pay on the 3rd reminder, as years went by it got to the 2nd and then 1st; eventually he paid on time, and now he pays before the clean..?

One day he was in when I was cleaning, he came out as was so polite and apologetic for forgetting in the past, and he thanked me for continuing with him over the years and the payment reminders, I have the whole road now 15 years later all at 30 quid a pop..he was the one who kept recommending me to his neighbours.

You just got to remember, it's not personal, it's business. They owe money? Outside of terms? You chase until they pay !! Simple as that.

 

[Bwfc]

I agree with you about sending reminders I normally send one every few days if they haven't paid after a week. Only had one non payer in 14 years..

 

[TWC]

I must be far too relaxed. Most of my customers are 8 weekly. If they forget to pay I just let them know next time their due and they pay two lots. Simple and don’t get any issues. I can only think of one customer who I ended up dropping an invoice round which he paid quite soon after

 

[AllGleam]

Daily reminders.. are you that desperate?

I work 6 weekly.. if not paid in a week or so they get a text.. same after another week or so.. no payment by the next clean then not cleaned until paid.

I wouldn't be chasing daily for a payment.. 

No mate not desperate,  learning so asked for advice to get views and obviously not had this with customer before and I'm taking things on the chin at the mo 

 

[NewGuy]

I never chase until 30 days have elapsed, and then it's weekly reminders. 

I've had one who never paid, and one who took 3 months to pay. 

Other than that, no problem. I also won't return for the next clean until I have been paid but I can be flexible on this if I feel customers are willing to accumulate some debts. 

 

[Part Timer]

i spent many years collecting...2 hours on a friday and 2 hours on a monday as well as climbing ladders for 17 years!

IMO this business is so easy to run these days...its a doddle.....

I'm owed thousands with my commercial customers, non overdue, and within 10 days of finishing my residential work I'm very rarely owed anything. I send reminders usually the Saturday or Sunday after completion. I just send them a text asking if they've forgot about me, usually within the hour I get a texted reply apologising and saying paid.

If any customer needed chasing everytime I'd let them know that if it continued I'd stop doing them. Really couldn't be @rsed chasing £10 - £15 debts.