[danny mckim]

 I am 34 now and have been cleaning since i was about 15. My dad (also a windowcleaner) used 2 get me 2 help him collect and it was murder. Now my own son is 14 and a great help with collecting but 2 nights isnt enough. Therefore most nights in our house its an argument. I know how he feels cos ive been there but at the same time he halves my collecting. He gets plenty of tips and gets on well with the customers but this is not fair on any of us.His mate comes out as well and they do a brill job (im always there).To cut down we manged to get some bigger estates to pay every 3rd time(this has been going on for 13 monthe and we have only lost one customer) But we still need ideas to cut down more collecting.Mon Wed n Fri night til 9 is like having a second job. Dont say DD its people wont do it for a fiver.P.S this is my first post

[danny mckim]

what is paypal or nochex mate

[Jon T.C.]

I am 34 now and have been cleaning since i was about 15. My dad (also a windowcleaner) used 2 get me 2 help him collect and it was murder. Now my own son is 14 and a great help with collecting but 2 nights isnt enough. Therefore most nights in our house its an argument. I know how he feels cos ive been there but at the same time he halves my collecting. He gets plenty of tips and gets on well with the customers but this is not fair on any of us.His mate comes out as well and they do a brill job (im always there).To cut down we manged to get some bigger estates to pay every 3rd time(this has been going on for 13 monthe and we have only lost one customer) But we still need ideas to cut down more collecting.Mon Wed n Fri night til 9 is like having a second job. Dont say DD its people wont do it for a fiver.P.S this is my first post

1) Do you actually collect when your cleaning?

2) How many customers do you have per week ?

3) How many do you have to collect per week?

[H h20]

I use to supply the customers with a s- a- e envelpoe and stamp for those who i could never catch in so there was no exuse,it did work but i sold the round as i do mostly commercial work now,give it a go,yes the stamps and envelpoes do cost extra,but atleast it saves collecting and your money is more likley to be there. and you can always add abit extra on your price! 

[rosskesava]

Hi Danny

For customers who are out, I put a letter through their door saying how much and who to make the cheque payable to and paperclip that to an SAE plus 1st class stamp.

In 3 years (or is it 4?) we've only dumped 2 customers who would not pay unless I called back when they were in for the cash.

A few times we havn't recieved a cheque and on each occasion it was simply they 'forgot' and havn't been a problem since.

Or, maybe put the prices up with a letter saying that you have to pay your son £1.50 or whatever per house to collect the money unless they wish to pay by sending a cheque in which case the price remains the same etc etc.

Cheers

Ross

[danny mckim]

We do about 60 custumers a day. If they come out and pay fine, but if u chap the door by the time they go n get the money other 2 guys r on the next house nearly finished. We only work Mon til Fri and dont collect weekends.

[windows_chepstow]

Or, maybe put the prices up with a letter saying that you have to pay your son £1.50 or whatever per house to collect the money unless they wish to pay by sending a cheque in which case the price remains the same etc etc.

Ross,

I think I have an idea brewing from that post!  It's going along the lines of 'I'm going to put your price up by £X if you don't sign up for a Standing Order!  Or something along those lines. 

[AuRavelling79]

I don't collect - they either pay me on the spot, drop the cash to me, send a cheque, or by standing order. If they forget they get a reminder next time I clean. Anymore than that and I drop them. Lay the ground rules at the start.

As you've got loads that expect you to call it takes time to change them over - resolve that any new customer gets the money to you, not the other way round. Then bit by bit encourage your existing customers to get the funds to you.

If in a years time half of them are doing it your way then that's a huge saving in time spent of an evening.

Go on. You know you want to.

[danny mckim]

In the eststes that i do i have at least 80% of the houses that because im good at canvassing and also i built up my run b4 a few of the new guys clicked on that windowcleaning was a good earner. These guys come into an estate for about 8 or 10 houses which realy annoys me as i wouldnt go where someone already cleans. My point is if i was  to stop collecting and it mounted up to about 25 quid i wouldnt blame the customer for canceling and this is whre the other guys would take the chance to grab some of my hard earned work.

[matt2323]

we just tell our customers to leave it under the mat for tomorrow,and 99%all do. you just have to train them

[texas girl]

Welcome to the window cleaning profession!

It is the best profession in the world!

 It seems wrong to me that you have to collect any money.  Doctors get paid at the time the service is rendered.

Mechanics collect when they have fixed your car.  You pay the dentist. When you buy food you pay.  I think it is an image or a habit thing.

I always collect at the time the service is rendered, but our markets are different.

Think about the cost of fuel, the time, the wear and tear on your vehicle, THE TIME AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY.

I would recommend that advice from the "oldies" may come in handy with  this topic.

I do no (or very little) collecting here; but again; our markets are different.

You will figure out what works.

Good luck,

Hugs,
Texas Girl

[ICG]

I'd go for a bank standing order, or Paypal. Remember though that Paypal charge you a fee, so remember to build that into your price!

[The Bear]

My advice would be to collect on the spot, if you cant afford the time while you are cleaning then put your prices up.

For those who are not in, I leave a bill and ask them to send a cheque.

It may take them 6 months to get the hang of it but they will send one if they know you dont collect.

The benefit is, if you have time off, you still get regular money in the post.

I now offer them to pay by BACS or Standing Order.

You have to educate your customers to pay you how you want them to.

[Ian Rochester]

Due to similar problems and time contrstraints we have stopped doing door to door collections, now put this leaflet though door, had 15 cheques though the door today and 8 online payments:

LIONHEART WINDOW CLEANING
Your windows have been cleaned today.  Please note that due to time constraints, door to door collections have now ceased

Amount Owing:  £______:_______

If amount owing is £10.00 or over, please send cheques to
“LIONHEART CLEANING”,  XXX, XXXX, Northumberland, NEXX XXX

BACS payment to: Sort Code: XX-XX-XX  Account No:XXXXXXXXX

Please quote first line of your address as reference, any problems call Ian on  01665 XXXXXXX

[c w window cleanin]

this has been a really interesting &useful thread for me--thanks chaps! i flaming hate collcting --i actually work out my round, into the definate payers on one side and the 'call back merchants'  on the other. well chufffed i found this site

[jsm]

I use to supply the customers with a s- a- e envelpoe and stamp for those who i could never catch in so there was no exuse,it did work but i sold the round as i do mostly commercial work now,give it a go,yes the stamps and envelpoes do cost extra,but atleast it saves collecting and your money is more likley to be there. and you can always add abit extra on your price! 

I do the same as this , if they not in I do a invoice and stick it in the top of the envelope - on the invoice i have ' PAYMENT TERMS - 14 days from invoice date '   
I find i get all the money in , in a month this way , you get the odd one lose it but then they get a INVOICE REMINDER the next month - Ive been doing it like this for 8 years, the customer's like it - they think I'm some great big company 
 I now never go out at night at all .

[dustycorner]

Hi all

I may buck the trend here, becuase i enjoy collecting but i do the following

1.Take payment on the day whenever possible

2. Collect on Thursday evenings if they are not in i leave a payment slip with s.a. envelope.

I collect because i enjoy the interaction with the customers it helps build customer loyalty and i pick up additional work through recommendation alot.

I also think that if you have a price conscious customer they are less likely to drop you for guy who turns up in spring offering to do the windows for half your price. The 1st thing you sell in any business is yourself. Once the customer has bought into your brand ( sorry for marketing speak ) its nigh on impossible to lose the custom.

Cheers Mark.

[Ian Rochester]

Mark,

As your business grows, which it will if you are good, you will find that time doesn't allow you the luxury of going out collecting and having a family like, we have 2 vans out every day, covering different areas and by the end of the day there are probably 30-40 unpaid accounts, by the end of the week this total can be close to 200. 

To travel each week collecting all that is impossible, plus in the winter nights it is not enjoyable.  All I do now is get home, check the mail and check the online account for payments, then mark them off as paid, max 20 minutes work....unless I get on this forum then the wife doesn't see me for a couple of hours "Problems balancing dear!!"

[rosskesava]

I collect because i enjoy the interaction with the customers it helps build customer loyalty and i pick up additional work through recommendation alot.

That is such a good point.

[dustycorner]

Hi Lion ,

 i appreciate your point re impact on family life , but i only collect on 1 night which suits me, secondly my rounds is large enough to support 3 full time staff plus 1 part time i get at least  90% payment on the day which leaves collection minimal . Also and i know this is sad but winter really doesn't bother me i like the cold weather personally i struggle with weather in the summer due to the fact i'm fair skinned and suffer alot of headaches due to the heat. Still it would be a boring world if we all took the same approach.

Enjoy your bank holiday all

Cheers Mark