[Ian Mason]

Hi all,

I have set up a SAE envelope system to receive cheques from customers that may not be in when I clean their windows, but I am also looking into BACS being another option.

Do any of you have experience of receiving payments via this method, & if so, do you know if the are customers able to include a reference, such as the date of clean, & say the 1st part of their address?

Many thanks.

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

I have 2 customers that pay by Bacs and they state their name and address.
I am with LLoyds TSB.



Matt

[cleewindows]

all my customers pay cash or cheque!
no problems!

[Ryan @ Transparent, Carlisle]

im starting to accept BACS.

got my firs BACS payment the other day. I told the woman to use her address as reference. checked the online banking and she hadnt  :

No big deal that time, as shes the only one paying by BACS so i know wherre it came from, but if i get more on BACS, then they will have to learn 

[Bartosz]

What if customer pays Cash in Hand? Do U have to provide invoice or reciept? I had a customer on friday - she paid me via Cash but I havnt provide receipt..... How it should be?

[Frankybadboy]

i use it,have a few custy that are happy to use it,aint had a prob yet

[Sapphire Window Cleaning]

I use WCP and each customer has a reference number and I write this on the windows cleaned slip I post after I clean the windows.
Bartosz if they dont ask for a receipt dont give them one.




Matt

[Ste M]

ive got loads of people doing this now, they all put there 1st line of the address in the ref bit. had a few that never but they only did it once when i told them that i receive loads of payments so i may miss theirs unless they put the address

oh and anyone that pays cash only gets a receipt if they ask for it

i do supply on line invoices though for the comercial work i do

if people pay by cheque then i put there address on the back of the envelope

[Ian Mason]

Great stuff,

Many thanks for the replies!

I just wanted to provide potential custys with another option other than cash or cheques.

I shall aim for cash, but I thought there is bound to be some that no longer use cheques & do most of their banking online instead.

Thanks again.

[cleewindows]

tell them paypal with a 5% surcharge

Great stuff,

Many thanks for the replies!

I just wanted to provide potential custys with another option other than cash or cheques.

I shall aim for cash, but I thought there is bound to be some that no longer use cheques & do most of their banking online instead.

Thanks again.

[Ste M]

i wouldnt use paypal as i wouldnt want to add a surchage

[williamx]

Great stuff,

Many thanks for the replies!

I just wanted to provide potential custys with another option other than cash or cheques.

I shall aim for cash, but I thought there is bound to be some that no longer use cheques & do most of their banking online instead.

Thanks again.

If I was you I would go down the bacs and cheque route if possible, the tax man will be a bit more kinder than if you where recieving it all by cash

[RO-Sheen]

A lot of my customers pay this way. Its so much easier for them to pay this way than having to write out a cheque and posting it.
On the slip I put through their door (after I have cleaned their windows and they are not in) I mention that they 'can now play be BACS - email me for details'. that way I have their email address so I can send them a reminder if they are late.
When I give them my bank details I always ask them to reference the first line of their address.
Works a treat!

[Sunshine/Cleaning]

I've had loads pay me via direct bank transfer for a while now. Great as long as they put their address on as ref.

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

yes here in wales mrs jones simply wont do 
lol loads pay via bacs u jus gota give them guideance

[Paul Coleman]

Hi all,

I have set up a SAE envelope system to receive cheques from customers that may not be in when I clean their windows, but I am also looking into BACS being another option.

Do any of you have experience of receiving payments via this method, & if so, do you know if the are customers able to include a reference, such as the date of clean, & say the 1st part of their address?

Many thanks.

The customers are able to include a reference.  However, don't try this with Santander.  Unfortunately, this bank expect you to be psychic and to know who has paid even though they will not display the reference.  After four years of hassling them about it, I finally put my complaint in writing.  The response was that they are aware of the problem but don't know if or when they will ever fix it.  Bunch of muppets really because they used to display the reference then they took it away.  You still get the surname and the amount.  For most small businesses this is enough to find out who has paid.  Not so good when you get duplicate surnames and duplicate amounts.  I've had to open a second business account elsewgere just so the BACS references get displayed.  However, Santander make it quite easy for me to deposit cash and cheques.  It is done via ATM and I live close by.  So I am in the daft position of having to run two business accounts for the same business - one to receive BACS and the other for easy deposits of cash and cheques.  As cheques are phased out towards 2018, there will be more and more BACS payments so it looks like Santander will eventually only be getting my cash deposits.
The BACS references that I get the customers to use are <door number or first three letters of house name><postcode>

[Ian Mason]

Hi all,

I have set up a SAE envelope system to receive cheques from customers that may not be in when I clean their windows, but I am also looking into BACS being another option.

Do any of you have experience of receiving payments via this method, & if so, do you know if the are customers able to include a reference, such as the date of clean, & say the 1st part of their address?

Many thanks.

The customers are able to include a reference.  However, don't try this with Santander.  Unfortunately, this bank expect you to be psychic and to know who has paid even though they will not display the reference.  After four years of hassling them about it, I finally put my complaint in writing.  The response was that they are aware of the problem but don't know if or when they will ever fix it.  Bunch of muppets really because they used to display the reference then they took it away.  You still get the surname and the amount.  For most small businesses this is enough to find out who has paid.  Not so good when you get duplicate surnames and duplicate amounts.  I've had to open a second business account elsewgere just so the BACS references get displayed.  However, Santander make it quite easy for me to deposit cash and cheques.  It is done via ATM and I live close by.  So I am in the daft position of having to run two business accounts for the same business - one to receive BACS and the other for easy deposits of cash and cheques.  As cheques are phased out towards 2018, there will be more and more BACS payments so it looks like Santander will eventually only be getting my cash deposits.
The BACS references that I get the customers to use are <door number or first three letters of house name><postcode>

Hi Paul,

I don`t so***** believe it, I have just opened an account with Alliance & Leicester, & I was on their website & noticed this great big red banner saying that Alliance & Leicester is changing to Santander, & all this after what you had written

More info further on down the page here, https://www.alliance-leicestercommercialbank.co.uk/content/HP000001.asp

[formb]

Hi all,

I have set up a SAE envelope system to receive cheques from customers that may not be in when I clean their windows, but I am also looking into BACS being another option.

Do any of you have experience of receiving payments via this method, & if so, do you know if the are customers able to include a reference, such as the date of clean, & say the 1st part of their address?

Many thanks.

The customers are able to include a reference.  However, don't try this with Santander.  Unfortunately, this bank expect you to be psychic and to know who has paid even though they will not display the reference.  After four years of hassling them about it, I finally put my complaint in writing.  The response was that they are aware of the problem but don't know if or when they will ever fix it.  Bunch of muppets really because they used to display the reference then they took it away.  You still get the surname and the amount.  For most small businesses this is enough to find out who has paid.  Not so good when you get duplicate surnames and duplicate amounts.  I've had to open a second business account elsewgere just so the BACS references get displayed.  However, Santander make it quite easy for me to deposit cash and cheques.  It is done via ATM and I live close by.  So I am in the daft position of having to run two business accounts for the same business - one to receive BACS and the other for easy deposits of cash and cheques.  As cheques are phased out towards 2018, there will be more and more BACS payments so it looks like Santander will eventually only be getting my cash deposits.
The BACS references that I get the customers to use are <door number or first three letters of house name><postcode>

Really Im with A&L santander displays the ref no problem.

[Paul Coleman]

Hi all,

I have set up a SAE envelope system to receive cheques from customers that may not be in when I clean their windows, but I am also looking into BACS being another option.

Do any of you have experience of receiving payments via this method, & if so, do you know if the are customers able to include a reference, such as the date of clean, & say the 1st part of their address?

Many thanks.

The customers are able to include a reference.  However, don't try this with Santander.  Unfortunately, this bank expect you to be psychic and to know who has paid even though they will not display the reference.  After four years of hassling them about it, I finally put my complaint in writing.  The response was that they are aware of the problem but don't know if or when they will ever fix it.  Bunch of muppets really because they used to display the reference then they took it away.  You still get the surname and the amount.  For most small businesses this is enough to find out who has paid.  Not so good when you get duplicate surnames and duplicate amounts.  I've had to open a second business account elsewgere just so the BACS references get displayed.  However, Santander make it quite easy for me to deposit cash and cheques.  It is done via ATM and I live close by.  So I am in the daft position of having to run two business accounts for the same business - one to receive BACS and the other for easy deposits of cash and cheques.  As cheques are phased out towards 2018, there will be more and more BACS payments so it looks like Santander will eventually only be getting my cash deposits.
The BACS references that I get the customers to use are <door number or first three letters of house name><postcode>

Really Im with A&L santander displays the ref no problem.

It may be that the A & L business banking hasn't yet migrated onto the Santander system - or has it?  I'm with Santander via being with Abbey National (later Abbey) for 30 years.
In my complaint letter, I suggested to them that when I pay my Santander credit card by BACS, that I just provide "P Coleman" as the payment reference rather than my 16 digit card number.  I notice that they made no mention of this point in their reply.  But that is exactly what they expect their small business customers to put up with.  As cheques are phased out, I foresee a time not so many years away when I could be receiving 200+ BACS payments per month.  At the moment, I only receive a few so it's possible to keep track by account holder's name and the amount owed.  I have a number of duplicate names and amounts on my books but not many pay by BACS so I get away with it at the moment.  This will change as the number of BACS payers escalates.
I just couldn't believe that they were treating this issue as low priority (my words - not theirs).
I even wrote to the top dog's email address in this country in the hope that if the top people were aware of such a glaring ommission something would be resolved.
Bear in mind that they used to supply this info and took it away so it's not as if they can't supply it.

[formb]

Hi all,

I have set up a SAE envelope system to receive cheques from customers that may not be in when I clean their windows, but I am also looking into BACS being another option.

Do any of you have experience of receiving payments via this method, & if so, do you know if the are customers able to include a reference, such as the date of clean, & say the 1st part of their address?

Many thanks.

The customers are able to include a reference.  However, don't try this with Santander.  Unfortunately, this bank expect you to be psychic and to know who has paid even though they will not display the reference.  After four years of hassling them about it, I finally put my complaint in writing.  The response was that they are aware of the problem but don't know if or when they will ever fix it.  Bunch of muppets really because they used to display the reference then they took it away.  You still get the surname and the amount.  For most small businesses this is enough to find out who has paid.  Not so good when you get duplicate surnames and duplicate amounts.  I've had to open a second business account elsewgere just so the BACS references get displayed.  However, Santander make it quite easy for me to deposit cash and cheques.  It is done via ATM and I live close by.  So I am in the daft position of having to run two business accounts for the same business - one to receive BACS and the other for easy deposits of cash and cheques.  As cheques are phased out towards 2018, there will be more and more BACS payments so it looks like Santander will eventually only be getting my cash deposits.
The BACS references that I get the customers to use are <door number or first three letters of house name><postcode>

Really Im with A&L santander displays the ref no problem.

It may be that the A & L business banking hasn't yet migrated onto the Santander system - or has it?  I'm with Santander via being with Abbey National (later Abbey) for 30 years.
In my complaint letter, I suggested to them that when I pay my Santander credit card by BACS, that I just provide "P Coleman" as the payment reference rather than my 16 digit card number.  I notice that they made no mention of this point in their reply.  But that is exactly what they expect their small business customers to put up with.  As cheques are phased out, I foresee a time not so many years away when I could be receiving 200+ BACS payments per month.  At the moment, I only receive a few so it's possible to keep track by account holder's name and the amount owed.  I have a number of duplicate names and amounts on my books but not many pay by BACS so I get away with it at the moment.  This will change as the number of BACS payers escalates.
I just couldn't believe that they were treating this issue as low priority (my words - not theirs).
I even wrote to the top dog's email address in this country in the hope that if the top people were aware of such a glaring ommission something would be resolved.
Bear in mind that they used to supply this info and took it away so it's not as if they can't supply it.

I'm A&L for my BACS (I get loads of BACS payments). I got a letter through, A&L are changing to Santander in May.

Apparently A&L business (my bank) will be unaffected by the change.

If they start chuffing me about though I'll change it. I have no loyalty to any bank and view them all simply as money shops.

I have changed banks several times in the past 10 years, every time I do it it gets easier.