Paying by Direct Debit

I like would to get customers paying by direct debit, but im guessing alot of people wouldn't want too.

Anyone have any customers paying like this? Or not really?

Would be nice to just text day before do windows and know money is going to be in bank in a few days after.. easier for managing?

Any thoughts? Would only work for the regular customers?

It really does work only for regulars Roy otherwise it is simply you relying on them for a bank transfer.

A few of us now accept automated payments through GoCardless very similar to direct debits and I also process about 40% of my payments through Paypal now.

yes I was thinking of using gocardless. It allows you to take recurring payments which is good but im thinking could be bad if for example you setup a customer for the 5th of each month then some reason didnt get the job done until later maybe they on hoilday changed date or any reason the direct debit would still come out and cause problems..

I like would to get customers paying by direct debit, but im guessing alot of people wouldn't want too.Anyone have any customers paying like this? Or not really?

Would be nice to just text day before do windows and know money is going to be in bank in a few days after.. easier for managing?

Any thoughts? Would only work for the regular customers?

Click to expand...

I rely on BACS payments - works great

not been collecting for years now

Direct debit is not flexible - I have one customer out of 300 uses DD - he pays £12 a month but I work on 6 weekly basis ( but he says just keep the change! )

Maybe if you take the payment on the 1st of the month and make sure you clean the windows within that month at same point agreed with customer

Oh I see that on gocardless once a authorisation for direct debit is made you can do unlimited one offs for the customer, so after each clean you just take payment petty cool.

Go cardless is awsome, love just clicking on take payment. I have about 15 custies on it, love it, just need to get em all on it and life would be great

Do you think it would scare away new customers if you said go to website and authorise direct debit for the window cleaning...

Thats what i always say to new customers, first thing i say is can you pay online

if they say yes, i say have you heard of go cardless and tell them all the benefits.

it easier for both the cleaner and the custy

if they say no then i dont really wan them as custys and try to arrange for them to leave money out, but i very rarely collect

Do you think it would scare away new customers if you said go to website and authorise direct debit for the window cleaning...

Click to expand...

If you are a well presented pleasant type then most dont mind, if you are pushy I think they may get a bit suspicious of it. I'm real easy on it, the always ask 'What about paying?' I tell them 'If you're home you can pay cash or card as I have a card machine otherwise you can pay Paypal or we also have a direct debit system' You would be surprised how many say 'oh, direct debit will be good as I am never home' and job done!

It really comes down to if the customer trusts in you I guess.

I am doing a canvass next week to top up a slowish day I have, I am putting up my general prices by £1 per clean on the new canvass and going to offer a £1 discount if they pay GoCardless per month, so what would be a £12 will now be £13 but they can get a month 'free' if they GoCardless! I will see how that works out.

It was the wheelie bin wash man that gave me the idea, he is 50p per week cheaper for his Direct Debit customers.

Do you need a phone signal for card machine to work?

Not with Paypal, you do however need a data signal so I guess the two go hand in hand.

If you are in an area with no signal you can take the card info and process it manually when you get to signal.

I will try the gocardless method and try to move some customers on it, next time I canvass probably next week i'll try to get them to use it and see what results I get.

I think its good if you can remove a stepping stone from them, cash - having to remember to have it - is a big factor to trying to change days, cancelling, etc.. "can you come next week instead no cash on me" or some other silly excuse.

Plus I have a business bank account and I have to pay to put cash in there, and gocardless would work out cheaper.

Pretty much all mine pay online, i think i have about 10 that pay cash or cheque, and about 5 that i have to collect from but they are local.