[C o z y]

Just had a cull of messers and wasters. From over 350 domestics, just noticed that there's much fewer than I thought. Works out to less than 5%

I always had the idea it was a lot more, probably because they stick in your memory after not being paid AGAIN  .

Anyway, new year coming, means new policy. 2 strikes and off you go, it used to be 3. I never tell custies when I dump them or why. Can't be bothered wasting my time to explain, and I've taken custies back onto the books in the past, but they never change.

Even though the amount of Brit domestic custies are limited to me, because the MOD is pulling the army out of Germany over the next few years, it still means that people who don't pay are less than useless to me. Messers are worth nothing. Just names on a list.

Maybe it's because cheques are a non starter here, unlike UK, and German online banking is in German language only that makes bank trnasfers dfficult for young Brits here. Illegal to send cash by post too. We have PayPal and bank transfer details for them and I also collect cash 2 to 3 days after cleaning. If someone can't find a way to pay on time, off they go.

As I said, after checking payments over the last few months, (German tax year finishes on 31 12 2012 ) I found that I had not as many messers as I thought. So not all doom and gloom.  

[richywilts]

maybe look into card payments we use cardsave in england and prob take 5-10 payments a day using it its a mobile card terminal and can be taken to the customers property or over the phone

[Moderator David@stives]

BMW's

B= Bad Payers
M=Moaners
W=Wasters (Time wasters)

Don't just give them up, Give them to your competition, this has a 2 fold impact for you.

The customers you have just found a Window cleaner who can give them a better service, still thinks highly of you and won't spread gossip about you, they might even carry on recommending you.

The window cleaner who you have just given the work to, will be over the moon and will probably look out for you in the future, also he will be bogged down whilst you carry on finding more lucrative customers

Win Winn Win

[C o z y]

lol, I'd thought of handing them over to the competition   I'll do that.

Another point, we have PaPal and it's OK for some custies who also have PayPal. However, people can use credit cards and debit cards to pay onto PaPal but now I've noticed, they can also use their EC cards too.

Have  either of you got a PayPal pay button on your web site, and if so, does this cost much? Is it reckoned on percent of payment?

[richywilts]

i dont really like the idea of paypal its a bit too much hassle having to log on and enter email address and password etc thats my personal opinion

i prefer the card machine looks a bit more professional and you can chase the customer and get instant payment

[roundbuilder]

It gives you a bad reputation if you simply just dump customers, whilst canvassing i hear it all the time how window cleaner just uped and left for what ever reason, my business is running spot on and i never dump customers i just put prices up and wait to see what happens.
I  get a lot of customer recomendations etc because im reliable and friendly and always try to put errors right. If a customer says not this month i accept it and carry on withought a 2nd thought, if i just dropped every customer who says that then my recomendation rate would drop and id be known as an unreliable window cleaner who just ups and leaves.. If a customer does it 3/4 times a year then i up there price to make up for it, after upping there price its there call if they stay with me or not most of the time they stop the service but some do stay and accept the rise.
Just my thoughts on this.

[C o z y]

Yeah, great advice Mick thanks. Do you use PayPal and can you help?

[C o z y]

Richy, I checked out the card machine. Costs over 600 quid here to buy one and they take over 3% per payment.  So not really a good option for me. Thanks anyway.

[richywilts]

mines on a rental agreement i think i never had to purchase mine

[C o z y]

mines on a rental agreement i think i never had to purchase mine

lol, the rental is about 45 quid, so even worse  but at least they don't point a gun at you while stating prices Cheers anyway.

[roundbuilder]

Yeah, great advice Mick thanks. Do you use PayPal and can you help?

I have just started using paypal. Just go about your work as normal, just dont fall into the drop and replace mode as you will go around in circles as every customer has given me the hump 1 time or another. As long as your pricing right and not letting debts mou t up you will be fine.

[robertphil]

sounds as if it will be better for you to move into cleaning just the Germans windows rather than the brits .  do you speak the lingo yet?

[gavinb]

I've just done a cull too mind you that's all I ever seem to do is cull cull cull
Just gotta get round to replacing them lol .

[C o z y]

sounds as if it will be better for you to move into cleaning just the Germans windows rather than the brits .  do you speak the lingo yet?

I do work Germans too Phil. Been going over 20 years now.Yes I learned the language about 25 years ago. It's a bit of a long story mate, but Squaddie custies are easy money and count for a large part of the WC side of what we do. The rest is carpet & upholstery. When the army push off back to UK, we'll open te carpet side a lot more. Thanks for asking though.

Mick, I'm asking about PayPal mate, thanks for the advice, but I'm OK regarding replacing custies, even though they are in a limited number here.

I rang PayPal and asked them a few things I wasn't clear about. Got it sorted now. The custy must have a PayPal account to be able to pay. I thought they could pay onto PayPal by credit card without an account at PayPal.

So I'll just keep on replacing BMW's as dave said.  Thanks guys.

[Moderator David@stives]

Hi

Look into Nochex apparantly, you can enter your customers card details into it

[C o z y]

Checking that out tomorrow. Looks like a good tool as it takes all cards AND EC cards too, that's what I'm after. Thanks.

[stuart mc]

paypal does take credit card debit cards from non paypal account holders, can't remember the exact % but for every tenner it is only 30 or 40 pence and cheaper than double, treble collecting

[C o z y]

paypal does take credit card debit cards from non paypal account holders, can't remember the exact % but for every tenner it is only 30 or 40 pence and cheaper than double, treble collecting

PayPal here said that only works in the USA. In Europe they need a PayPal account to pay with a card. Sounds strange, but that's what the person said Stu. I'm goin to look at Nochex mate. Thanks for the post though.

[Joe Martin]

BMW's

B= Bad Payers
M=Moaners
W=Wasters (Time wasters)

Don't just give them up, Give them to your competition, this has a 2 fold impact for you.

The customers you have just found a Window cleaner who can give them a better service, still thinks highly of you and won't spread gossip about you, they might even carry on recommending you.

The window cleaner who you have just given the work to, will be over the moon and will probably look out for you in the future, also he will be bogged down whilst you carry on finding more lucrative customers

Win Winn Win

100% correct.

[stuart mc]

paypal does take credit card debit cards from non paypal account holders, can't remember the exact % but for every tenner it is only 30 or 40 pence and cheaper than double, treble collecting

PayPal here said that only works in the USA. In Europe they need a PayPal account to pay with a card. Sounds strange, but that's what the person said Stu. I'm goin to look at Nochex mate. Thanks for the post though.

just tried it on my website and it gave me the option as paying as a paypal guest (no account) to pay by debit/credit card, I will message you a link to try it and see for yourself, obviously dont go further than the click pay now now option, well unless you want to pay me something