[supernova77]

Hi All,

I'm going to try and get all new customers to fill this form out before carrying out any window cleaning work for them...

http://www.iconicwindowcleaning.co.uk/register

What do you think? Any constructive criticism?

Andy 

[russ_clark]

Hi Andy

Would it not be more beneficial to give your customers your Business Bank Account
details so that they can pay you? or are you able to make a payment request if you
have their bank details??
Russ

[Dave Willis]

Should be able to empty a few accounts with that form and retire by Summer.  

[supernova77]

Should be able to empty a few accounts with that form and retire by Summer.  Shocked

How would I go about doing that?

It's exactly the same details as utility companies etc... collect in order to setup direct debits  

I then log their details onto a SECURE payment system!

[PoleKing]

Don't see how you can take payments with just acct and sort code?

[Dave Willis]

Well it looks like you are asking for account number etc and password. I'm not sure how I would react if someone asked me for those kind of details.
Try it but I would have thought giving your details was more preferable to most.

However I see where you're coming from,

[supernova77]

Don't see how you can take payments with just acct and sort code?

I will register the details with GoCardless.

[PoleKing]

Don't see how you can take payments with just acct and sort code?

I will register the details with GoCardless.

Oh, fair enough.
If it was me I'd push the gocardless bit a but more.
Show that it's their security not yours if you know what I mean?
I've told a few customers that they get an email, a few days later payment is taken from their account then about a week later I get it.
The fact that GCL 'holds' it for a week would be a securing feature if I was the customer...

[dave0123]

Well it looks like you are asking for account number etc and password. I'm not sure how I would react if someone asked me for those kind of details.
Try it but I would have thought giving your details was more preferable to most.

However I see where you're coming from,

Why not? you give out your account number and sort code when you ask customers to pay you? so its just the same lol but other way round.

Every time you give someone a cheque it has your bank number sort code and name on it.. and usually your address on the bank if you write it on.

[Bay View WCS]

Excellent Idea.

I would also change 'Name' to 'Full Name' as you will need that for GoCardless and you also then have it for your records - not just 'Doreen from number 26'

Like it

Cheers, Tom

[robbo333]

If it works then well done, but I think some people will be reluctant to give out their bank details.
Offer them your account details also, so they can pay you online as an alternative.

[dave0123]

I really don't no why some people are hesident to give out bank account numbers and sort codes.


I have a cheque here with the persons name on... address... sort code... account number.. i could just simply log into go cardless right now and set it up myself as a DD

[supernova77]

Thanks for your replies.

The majority of our customers already pay by bank transfer...

Most habitual bad payers are now setup on GoCardless - They have signed up via this link >> www.iconicwindowcleaning.co.uk/directdebit

The new customer registration form is for all new customers that we take on from 1st January 2014... If they want to use our services then they have to register online first - It then puts us in control of the payment after we have cleaned their windows.

If the customer is serious about using us then they'll sign up.

Andy

[dave0123]

Good idea Andy.

What do you think customers may think though once they fill the form in and receive an email from go cardless lol?

[tlwcs]

Don't see how you can take payments with just acct and sort code?

I will register the details with GoCardless.

Isn't that a third party? I know I know, but it reads that you won't share and then you put them with Go Cardless
Love the info gathering though make you come across as very professional.
Tony

[robbo333]

Thanks for your replies.

The majority of our customers already pay by bank transfer...

Most habitual bad payers are now setup on GoCardless - They have signed up via this link >> www.iconicwindowcleaning.co.uk/directdebit

The new customer registration form is for all new customers that we take on from 1st January 2014... If they want to use our services then they have to register online first - It then puts us in control of the payment after we have cleaned their windows.

If the customer is serious about using us then they'll sign up.


Sorry Andy, I think you are wrong.
If you have bad payers, don't try to make them pay you, get rid of them.
Good customers may be put off by this only payment method (although they are serious about using a good window cleaner) and you could lose good business.
If the rest are on bank transfer, then either put all the new ones on bank transfer or dump them.
It seems like you have some bad payers and are trying to work round it. Get rid of them and replace with good payer.

[supernova77]

Good idea Andy.

What do you think customers may think though once they fill the form in and receive an email from go cardless lol?

The customers will get this automated email from us as soon as they submit the registration form:

" Dear xxx xxx,

Thank you for registering with Iconic Window Cleaning.

You have now been added to our window cleaning schedule.

You will receive a separate email from our secure payment system (GoCardless) within the next 24 hours.

Kind Regards,
Iconic Window Cleaning
www.iconicwindowcleaning.co.uk "

Isn't that a third party? I know I know, but it reads that you won't share and then you put them with Go Cardless

GoCardless is the "secure payment system" 

Sorry Andy, I think you are wrong.
If you have bad payers, don't try to make them pay you, get rid of them.
Good customers may be put off by this only payment method (although they are serious about using a good window cleaner) and you could lose good business.
If the rest are on bank transfer, then either put all the new ones on bank transfer or dump them.
It seems like you have some bad payers and are trying to work round it. Get rid of them and replace with good payer.

I think your idea of a bad payer is very black and white...

I have a customer - It's £85 every 8 weeks... Did the first few cleans and they were very slow in paying... I found out that the reason was both husband and wife worked away from home for weeks on end, so obviously didn't see my "windows cleaned" slip until they got home from a business trip...

I offered them the option of signing up to GoCardless and they were more than happy to... Now I just go and clean their windows, get home in the evening and process the payment from the comfort of my swivel chair 

It would have been stupid to just dump them and loose out on £510+ a year from one customer!


In my opinion window cleaning payment methods need to be dragged into the 21st century.

[EandM]

Afraid I would never fill in a form of this type when dealing with a private / self employed individual as trust doesn't come easily.
I don't trust Big Business much but at least you have the capacity for redress.
In my case I give the sort code / account number of my account and monitor it closely.

[sham33]

Wouldn't people want a quote first before signing up?

[Soupy]

Absolutely no danger I'd fill that in. Ask your bank manager if it is a good idea to fill your bank details into an unsecured web page, I bet I can guess the answer.

There is not much I personally could gain from having those details but that does not mean there are not others who can. Also if I were a vindictive person I could easily use those details to set up direct debits for all kinds of things, just for fun.