[Matthew JN]

Hi all,

Does anyone have their residential round customers paying by direct debit or a standing order

cheers

[Tom White]

I've a couple that pay by Standing Order; it's easy for the customer to set up these days what with interweb banking.  Or you can do it for them; just speak to your bank and they will give you a form your customer can fill in and sign, which then gets sent to their bank.

And if I'm late and receive two payments but only provided one clean (I clean calendar monthly for these), I refund the payment in cash through their letter box with a note of explanation.  It's quite weird actually, cleaning someone's windows and then giving them money; but it's right because I've been paid into the bank twice and only cleaned the once.

Direct debits are different and you need to be a business of a certain stature and fulfil a certain criteria to be able to do these; since with a direct debit you effectively can dip into or increase the payment amount at any time; you have control.  With standing orders, the customer has the control.

I hope that's been some help.

Other payment methods I use are SAE with a payment instruction note and I'm now starting to push bank transfers, where I give the customer my bank details (it's safe) and they pay me via interweb payments.  It's easy for them to do; once they've set the payment up; subsequent payments take seconds to do and the cash hits your bank really quickly - same day I think.

[EWCServices]

I went into the bank last week to pay cash in and enquired abot direct debit mandates to be told that that sort of thing was for big national companies not small businesses like mine tbh i thought she was looking down her nose at me a bit,little does she know i probably earn more than her and her hubby put together snobby cow 

[Tom White]

,little does she know i probably earn more than her and her hubby put together snobby cow 

You're being snobby straight back in pointing out that you may earn more than both of 'em put together! 

But we had a post about this some time ago where a member was going to use a company who would do the 'Direct Debit' thing for you; but they obviously took a slice of the payment.  I didn't think it sounded like a good idea, but this guy was one of those profeshunal window cleaners (I'm sure you know what I mean) and he was certain that this was a good idea.

But I couldn't see why he just didn't use standing orders, because the money just automatically goes from the customer's bank to his at a set frequency, just the same as a direct debit.  The only difference was that if he increased his prices (which he would have to get prior agreement from the customer to do so), he then could go through the Direct Debit company (who take a slice each payment each month) and ask them to do the administration to increase the prices.

With a standing order you would ask your customer to make contact with their bank (or use the easier method of on-line banking) to increase the payment.

I really couldn't see what the big deal was about direct debits, especially when you have to pay a percentage to another business.

[EWCServices]

yeah but i only look down my nose at snobby people tosh lol.