[craig jwc]

I'm trying to get customers to post payment instead of going out collecting.

Does anybody else do this and what did you find the best way was to get them to do this?

Some of them are doing it but sometimes they need reminding.

I think it could have been my fault there as i told them that they could post payment on later if they were a bit short that week.

I was thinking of finding out how much it would be to get a load of pre-paid envelopes and leaving them with my address on.
It has to work out cheaper in the end than spending out on fuel.

Craig

[P @ F]

Hi Craig , this is my prob at the mo , i seem to spend so much time going around after to get my money , and it always seems to be the same offenders , but i feel that if i spend the cash on envelopes and stamps i still wont get paid !

 Ishould just drop them but im not sure

 Rich   P @ F

[craig jwc]

i seem to spend so much time going around after to get my money , and it always seems to be the same offenders , but i feel that if i spend the cash on envelopes and stamps i still wont get paid !

 Ishould just drop them but im not sure

 Rich   P @ F

HI Rich

I know what your saying mate but don't like losing work.

I suppose waiting for them to post is going to put up the owing amount which is ok if you can afford to work like that.

I'm going out tomorrow night to try and collect and will be dropping one customer if i don't get payment. She owes for 3 months and hasn't bothered to contact me after i left a note twice now. I noticed the other day that she has a for sale sign outside her house.
I have a feeling i will have to right this one off

Craig

[macc]

hi craig, what i do mate is leave an envelope with my name & address on the front but no stamp, i do let mine know i dont mind if they need to send a cheque thats fine.

got a few that go twice before they pay but thats fine as ive done them for years but if i call they pay .

i do have a rule, if they dont pay quick after 2nd clean, they are dumped. never do a 3rd clean.

if they ask why i ask if they only get paid every 2 to 3 months, tell them politly my bills need to be payed monthly as well not when i can be bothered.

saying that 90% of mine are good at paying. 

[pjulk]

Nearly all my customers i call back for payment on fridays if they are not in.

But the ones that are a bit out of the way i have started leaving SAE about 4 months ago and i am getting no problems with these.

All new customers i take on i tell them i do not collect and will leave an envelope if out.
So far so good

Paul

[steve k]

I got a 1000envelopes for about £12, run them through my printer to add my address and leave at customers houses with no stamp and a card attached...250 for under £4.00 from Vistaprint...the card says:

windows cleaned today
Please send a cheque made payable to S. Kinsella
DO NOT send cash
please pay within 7 days

I have had 1 customer who never sent cheque...dumped on 3rd occasion that I had to drive around to collect from him.

I even have a couple of customers who drive to my house to drop money off!!

I`ve NEVER had one comment about not putting a stamp on.

[Grafters Cleaning Services]

i must be 1 of the lucky ones as i've always used SAE and it works well for me,
normally get them all in within 1 week
i think putting a stamp on makes all the difference
jay

[Paul Coleman]

I'm trying to get customers to post payment instead of going out collecting.

Does anybody else do this and what did you find the best way was to get them to do this?

Some of them are doing it but sometimes they need reminding.

I think it could have been my fault there as i told them that they could post payment on later if they were a bit short that week.

I was thinking of finding out how much it would be to get a load of pre-paid envelopes and leaving them with my address on.
It has to work out cheaper in the end than spending out on fuel.

Craig

It seems OK now apart from a couple of customers who are close to being dropped.  When I first switched though, I did incur higher bad debt levels.  If I had to start writing to them for my money more than once, I dropped them.  I realise that sending reminders is standard business practice but, for the amounts usually outstanding for domestic window cleaning, it wasn't economical.

[s woodliff]

you can pay 90 quid a year to the post office an that gets you a free post number then get that printed on ur labels an then  you pay an extra half a pence on top of the price of a stamp but the good thing about this is that 1 its easy for the customer an 2  you only get charged for the ones that get sent back to you

[squeaky-clean 1]

i do not collect but they can pay by
paypal on our web site
online payment with our bank details
cheque through the post
cash left on the day

i send invoice after 2 wks
letter after 4wks
this letter after 2 months

For PERSISTANT OFFENDERS TRY THIS

i had the cheque back in four days


PAYMENT OVER DUE


27 February 2006

 
Louise Carter
40 Wansbeck Close
Great Ashby


My accounts show that you still have the amount of £6.00 outstanding from the window cleaning on 02/12/05

If you have sent payment within the last few days may I thank you and please ignore this letter.

If there is a problem with making payment could you please contact us to disuse other ways to make payment.
Failure to make payments will mean that I have no alternative but to forward your name and address to all local window cleaners informing them of your Failure to pay.

Regards

Mrs Belinda Lovejoy


They are droped if i have to send more than two letters (4 wk)

if you need copies of my letters please just ask

Belinda

[KJG]

I keep most of my domestic jobs for Saturdays. The buggers are always in so I get paid there and then.

[Dick]

Try explaining that collecting costs you money, so any extra journeys will inevitably lead to an increase in prices and as you are trying to offer a cost effective service - blah blah blah. If they still don't send payment, don't do them again.
Dick

[sunshine windows]

Hi Craig,

I tell all new customers that if they're not in when i do the clean, i'll leave a self addressed pre-paid envelope with billing slip inside. 2nd class stamp on the envelope.

I've only got 2 customers who don't possess a cheque book and so far it's worked a treat.

When picking up new customers always make a record of their telephone number. You can just pick up the phone to remind them of payment then.

I allow customers 2 cleans with no payment. When the 3rd clean is due i make the call to ask if there is a problem with my services. Most have just forgotten to send bill.

Hope this helps
Sunshine

[stuart webster]

I agree with macc, i leave an envelope and bill, but no stamp.

If they fail to pay 2 bills, the next time round I put a bill in for the 2 lots and tell them I will put them back on my books when they have paid up.

As with the whole collect/envelopes thing, for me there is no difference with the amount owed, the money comes in at the same rate, only I dont go out pestering people at night for £10, (It does look desperate)

The Bear

[craig jwc]

Cheers for the replies they have been a great help.

Think i am going to give all my customers a letter telling them i will be leaving an envelope for them to post payment.

Been out tonight for almost an hour only to find noone home.

One who was in wouldn't answer the door but i had a feeling about this one as they haven't replied to anything for payment. Going to have to write this one off i think. Might drop a hint to their neighbours next time i clean in the street that they don't pay there debts.

Craig

[Andrew Streetley]

Good advice from all.

Last time I went out collecting was for my dad 22 years ago. Since he retired and he passed on the round to me I haven't collected once. Like everyone else says, I print off envelopes on my home pc with business logo and my address and I put this through the customers doors with payment slip. I get payments within a week and I don't put a stamp on.

Work out the time it takes to collect and work out how much money you should have made window cleaning for the same time. Window cleaning should be ONE job and not two. 

Using the same rule you should work out how much time (and ink, envelopes, stamps etc.) you are spending recovering the debt using letters and such. Investing large amounts of time and money in chasing a £6 debt (for example) is questionable in my books. I know it grinds when you know you've turned up and done the job, but some customers just have to be dropped.

Definitely apply the 2 clean rule. I have one of my biggest jobs about to be dropped as two cleans have been unpaid. No worries, I just leaflet drop to get another one (or two) houses to fill the void. It's a little bit of hassle to get the new work but it's also hassle trying to get money out of time wasters.

Eventually you will weed out out the rotten eggs and get top class customers who appreciate a regular service and you will benefit from regular payment (the important bit).

Good luck - those customers are out there waiting for you.