[Oliver James]

In June, I started moving the entire round to Go Cardless.

There were about 550 customers, and 400 were paying by Go Cardless.

I now have 637 paying by Go Cardless.

So, I had 150 customers who WERE paying by cash / cheque / bank transfer.

About 50 left, and approx 50 converted to direct debit. I still have about 50 who are suspended customers and that I'm still chasing.

I had just three commercial customers, and EVERY single commercial customer converted to DD.

I clearly remember a friend saying in 2015 that there was no point in trying to get customers to pay by direct debit because it was window cleaning, and people don't trust window cleaners with direct debit payments.

No more going to the bank with cheques or cash, no more faffing about with online banking to check if someone has paid £18 for their window cleaning, no more handling of cash or messing about with carrying change,  no more customers turning up on my doorstep to pay, and no more chasing customers for payment - EVER AGAIN.

Happy Days!

[jo5hm4n]

Well done, this is what i want longterm.  Long road ahead but you've got to start or you will never finish!  Sounds like you have been putting in alot of hard work and results following.

[HampshireWindowCleaning]

What's this obsession with Gocardless?90% of my customers pay by bacs within a week and it costs nothing, if they were forced on to Gocardless I'd still have to wait a week to get the money but it's cost me 1%. I do have got about 40 customers on Gocardless but they chose to go on it. Bad payers have to go on it or they  get dumped.

[Paul Wisdom]

I am trying to go 100% cash 

[The Jester of Wibbly]

What would happen if gc goes into administration or closes down?   They already closed down their app due to financial reasons.

Complete mess and hastle.

[John Mart]

What's this obsession with Gocardless?90% of my customers pay by bacs within a week and it costs nothing, if they were forced on to Gocardless I'd still have to wait a week to get the money but it's cost me 1%. I do have got about 40 customers on Gocardless but they chose to go on it. Bad payers have to go on it or they  get dumped.

Same. I can't see the point either.

[dazmond]

each to their own.........

so even less contact with customers then?

ill be out collecting at 6pm for an hour or so.....i only go 3 times a month now,if that.....i like a bit of everything myself(cash,cheques,BACS,standing orders and now card payments).......

personally i like to keep my eggs in lots of different baskets......

im not saying gocardless will ever go into administration or close down but it doesnt sit well with me to just have one payment method......

[paul alan]

Funny this, my account has been suspended by Gocardless for over 2 weeks while they "verify" my bank account as I have changed it to a business account.


It seems really odd how they have done this, they have been requesting information from me on 7 occasions. All different information each time, then something else. Really hacked me off it has.


After reading this I'm starting to wander if they are stalling payments?  There is around  £650 in limbo.


The last thing they asked for was a letter from my bank, which I uploaded days ago, and on my Gocardless account its still saying waiting for verification.

[nathankaye]

Thankfully I'm not having no such problems............. well not yet anyway.
For me it boils down to the simple fact I'm not waiting for the customer to get round to sorting out a bank transfer.  Sure I have customers who have set up a standing order and that works a treat but not all who pay with BACS do.  Your really lucky mate, if your customers pay you so quick by online banking.
So the standing orders I don't mind but the other customers have mostly changed onto D/D as its less faff than messing about with pin numbers and passkey or card readers (pending who they bank with)

However I still have some customers who pay with cash or leave it under a bin for instance and they have done so for years and that's fine. To be honest, it's nice to actually have some coinage in the pockets

[Stoots]

As much as I would like to have 100% go cardless I'm sure it won't happen anytime soon, a lot won't use it so will take many years to get them all on it.

I'm not too bothered, the main thing is do they pay, if they do I don't care whether it's within a few days or a few weeks as long as it comes in at some point it's all good. The fast payers make up for slower ones and as long as cash is flowing it really doesn't matter.

A few minutes twice a week to send out reminders is hardly a lot more work.

Of course there's always the ones who need 5 or 6 reminders and who take the pee, these should be offered go cardless or be dumped

[Arnold Palmer]

About 50 left, and approx 50 converted to direct debit. I still have about 50 who are suspended customers and that I'm still chasing.

A one third (possibly as much as two thirds) drop off is bad.

[Jonny 87]

Imagine if one day you get that dreaded email.......... we’re having to put our prices up.

That was always my fear. 1% low rate fee to get people using their service and then start increasing.

I can see if your a larger company and have staff then go cardless is great, but for myself I’m happy receiving my money within 30 days.

[paul alan]

As much as I would like to have 100% go cardless I'm sure it won't happen anytime soon, a lot won't use it so will take many years to get them all on it.

I'm not too bothered, the main thing is do they pay, if they do I don't care whether it's within a few days or a few weeks as long as it comes in at some point it's all good. The fast payers make up for slower ones and as long as cash is flowing it really doesn't matter.

A few minutes twice a week to send out reminders is hardly a lot more work.

Of course there's always the ones who need 5 or 6 reminders and who take the pee, these should be offered go cardless or be dumped

Do you find now your limited its more important to get payments in? Having an employee too.

Is he out alone yet?

[dazmond]

chasing payments has always been part and parcel of this job...ive been collecting for 25 years!

however these days its minimal and the job has become a lot easier to get paid.i actually like the chit chat with some customers that i collect from...some of them have been with me for 20+ years.......

people actually stop and chat to you occasionally up north....

[The Jester of Wibbly]

Also I can't remember ever getting a tip from a gc customer at Christmas.

As Daz said.  It's a about building a relationship with the customer.  Chit chat does slow you down but it's improves customer service.  A customer is more likely to see you as a person rather than just a trader which in turn improves loyalty.

[John Mart]

Also I can't remember ever getting a tip from a gc customer at Christmas.

As Daz said.  It's a about building a relationship with the customer.  Chit chat does slow you down but it's improves customer service.  A customer is more likely to see you as a person rather than just a trader which in turn improves loyalty.

I think it's more important to have profitable customers to be honest. Loyalty doesn't count for much these days.

[jo5hm4n]

I used to think that having the best relationship with customers and chatting for ages was also really good to develop loyal customers.  I also did collecting twice a week and loved the £250-£500 in tips that i got at xmas.

But when all said and done, my business is way more profitable now that i dont go collecting at all, we only chat to customers for a few mins max, and we choose to be efficient with time, than to be the friendlist chattiest window cleaner.

I'd rather do £300  day in day out all year round, than say £250 a day if it means chatting to lots of customers.  The difference far exceeds losing any customers to loyalty issues imo.

It's like the argument with price rises.  Up your prices, and you will lose some customers, but you will end up doing less work for the same money, so its more efficient.

[Simon Trapani]

I agree. Don’t kid yourself that your customers overly care about you. Some won’t even want to see you doing too well. They just want their windows cleaned by a reliable, trustworthy person(s) who looks presentable, for a reasonable price. I’m not too interested in their personal lives, or them mine. It’s a business, a two way street. I do it for money & in return the customer gets clean windows. Then I go home to my family, the people that really care about me. End of.

[The Jester of Wibbly]

Although I agree loyalty it not guaranteed it certainly helps by building a relationship. It's just pain and simple good customer service that the older generation appriciates. 

Magority of referals I get are from those I get to know.  So it works ok commercially.

I have a few elderly customers who live on there own.  Some tell me they are lonely and no one hardley goes to see them.  Always nice to have a cuppa with them and they love the chat and they tell me it's made their week.  With cases like this it's not always about the money it's more about doing a good turn for someone that needs it.

I went to one last month and no one answered the door.  The neighbour came out and told me she had just passed away and that she only had a son left in her family who never went to see her.  Sad times.

[dazmond]

I agree. Don’t kid yourself that your customers overly care about you. Some won’t even want to see you doing too well. They just want their windows cleaned by a reliable, trustworthy person(s) who looks presentable, for a reasonable price. I’m not too interested in their personal lives, or them mine. It’s a business, a two way street. I do it for money & in return the customer gets clean windows. Then I go home to my family, the people that really care about me. End of.

its still nice to have a bit of a chat with some customers IMO....it helps the day along whether its when im window cleaning or collecting payments.....

from my experience customers seem glad im doing well(as lots of them are wealthy retired folk)....