[bobplum]

morning everyone
well i took the plunge and decided to try and convert as many customers as possible to paying on line or posted cheque,so as to reduce or elimanate the collecting
so far going in the right direction,quite a few opting for the online method.
i have 340 customers so if i can get say 50% paying online / cheque thats a lot of collecting time saved.
any new customers dont have a option,i collect the cash on the new clean then they go online or cheque.
down side?
 i think i would say "forgetfullness"on the customers part,its not the most important bill so some take a little while,but i think its all about training them and it will take a while to get them use to it
any one else not collecting
bob

[Window Washers]

Not collected for years, unpaid labour no thanks. If they dont send the payment online or in the post they lose there place on my round, unless they want to pay me to collect and I would send someone to do it

[bobplum]

when you first started getting to pay online was it a long process
also do you put penaltys on late payers
bob

[Thomas Ecclestone]

put penaltys on late payers

Nope, I think it is better to put a discount on early payers, rather than a penalty on late ones.

[s.hughes]

Put a stamp on the envelope, not every1 agrees with this but then the custy has no excuse and at least your not out there collecting it

[chris@c.m.s]

I have no problems with envelopes I put the stamps on as well, there are some late payers but I almost always receive the equivalent in cheques and other payments, of the value of work completed for the week.

I do have a lot of reliable customers though and I don't take on customers who cant afford to pay.
     

[traps7]

Put a stamp on the envelope, not every1 agrees with this but then the custy has no excuse and at least your not out there collecting it

I agree.

Also run your envelopes through your printer. Don't hadwrite them.

[Window Washers]

I do not give envelopes out nor stamps, I do charge a late payment fee but only to people that are late with paying thier bills!. I felt that giving a discount to people for paying early was like telling them im charging you to much in the first place pay quick and I will discount it down. I do not penalise normal paying customers, but I myself am charged late payment fees and all of my bill if I dont pay on time. I have wages to pay and the money has to come from somewhere. overdrafts cost money. If a customer asks why I am open and honest with them. every new customer is told this when I take them on.

[dazmond]

im still collecting and im gona keep collecting one day a wk for 2 hrs.most of my work within a 6 mile radius and half is v. compact. ;Di do use stamped addressed envelopes and post these to my bigger houses or if im owed a couple of months.quite a lot of custys pay as i clean them or collect for 10 mins at the end of working day.works for me.im usually owed at least 150quid tho at any one time.not a problem.nice and simple like me .keeps good custy relations,sorts out any problems,gets me extra work etc


regards dazmond

[Sean Dyer]

i dont think collecting is that big an issue either my worry would be changing to cheques etc and not being able to go collect money when i want it, i will perhaps change some of the bigger ones, i have a handful or so that pay cheque online but collecting helps keep people happy too i think i do a wednesday and friday, never out more than a couple of hours a week

[Window Washers]

i dont think collecting is that big an issue either my worry would be changing to cheques etc and not being able to go collect money when i want it, i will perhaps change some of the bigger ones, i have a handful or so that pay cheque online but collecting helps keep people happy too i think i do a wednesday and friday, never out more than a couple of hours a week

The reason I changed was one it annoyed me collecting and not getting paid for doing it, alot of the time people were out anyway. two it cost me money to collect payments that was owed and three I would never of had any time at home with my family. I also cover a large area, fair enough if you clean in your own town and is walking distance (then saying that people I do in my town deliver cheque by hand as I still dont collect ) only time I ever collect is if the payment is not made after a certain time, I add the cost of the collection to there bill and cancel service unless there is a very good reason not to

[gerard mcmanus]

I spent half an hour there trying to get a few outstanding in, don't really have a problem with it either though. I do the job, if they are in great, there booking is arranging down to the hour so I do ask that they try be in, but if not, I appreciate things can pop-up so I do the work and post a note asking them to pay by cheque to call to arrange a time they will be in. Most adhere to it but you do get a couple that just ignore it.

When I get someone who is never in, doesn't call or send payment, they get two bookings and then they are dropped. Even if they don't do it consecutively but are in a habit of messing me about, I just wont go back, its just not worth the bother with some, they can end up costing you rather than you earning anything.

[bobplum]

quite a mixed bag!
ill keep pushing on and try and get 50% to pay online/cheque and see how it goes
bob