Chasing customers all the time

[hammers4spanner]

I am still having endless grief trying to get customers to pay up on completion. Wether its 50 quid to couple thousand it always seems to be a ball ache. Got a card machine couple year ago to try force it and its still as bad endless excuses , i cant find my card or wife does payments and she is not here.
Even small jobs now are a mare tell them payment upon completion and finish boiler service , issue invoice and hey presto its put on side with ' will pay in hour or so followed by some excuse '

IMHO customers have faster access to pay now along with more alternatives yet its worse than ever for me.

I ask for cash now on small jobs yet cash is now perceived to be an illegal payment !!!!

Any tips other than sitting in customers lounge for payment before leaving?

 

[Harvest Fields]

I rarely have an issue mate. Also what Greenstar was it in you worcester post?

 

[Best]

I get customers all the time delaying payments. I just accept it because nothing I can do once the job is done.
Very annoying when job also has expensive materials.
Unless the customer has an agreement with you of late payment, then it arrogant of them to borrow money from you

 

[Welder]

H4S Firstly, never do a job over £300 without a deposit for at least materials - EVER.
Secondly, when the excuses start, smile sweetly, and say, "That's no problem. I'll wait." or smiling say AND MEAN, "Okay. Fully understand. I'll take it back out. Give me a call when you have the money." When they complain, you listen patiently and ask, "Who do you work for? Ahh. So do you mind when they don't pay you" Or "When was the last time you went to Sainsbury's and paid two weeks later?"

You DO NOT NEED those types of 7ossers so don't worry about 'em never calling you again.

 

[hammers4spanner]

I rarely have an issue mate. Also what Greenstar was it in you worcester post?

28 junior

 

[chris watkins]

I take it that payment on completions is on your T&C's ?
& then you confirm this when you agree to carry out the work?

On the smaller (<day jobs) you could do the door step greeting bit quickly followed by "before I start you are aware it is payment on completion by card or cash" very difficult for them to start arguing at the end if you state it at the beginning.
Of course they may still refuse, at that point you move to Dave's plan B i.e. start to take it out, but don't leave until they pay.

 

[Harvest Fields]

28 junior

Check the motor and paddle on the diverter

 

[Phil]

I find bank transfers get sat on for 3-4 days then sent, don't look at their cars and get annoyed because its not theirs and they can't afford it, its either a company car, leased or on pre ballon PCP.

 

[Last Plumber]

Moved my post to Gas Safe only.
I know you 'liked' it Harvest. I just thought after that it might be in the wrong shop!

 

[Harvest Fields]

I find bank transfers get sat on for 3-4 days then sent, don't look at their cars and get annoyed because its not theirs and they can't afford it, its either a company car, leased or on pre ballon PCP.

I understand a lot of people have company cars, but that’s a little shallow do you not think?

 

[Phil]

Probaby yes! I just cant help but hate the pay monthly society...nothing personal to people who have brand new cars on pcp...its just when i was a kid having a new car meant you were really doing well but now it just means you have a massive payments and cant afford to pay the plumber.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Probaby yes! I just cant help but hate the pay monthly society...nothing personal to people who have brand new cars on pcp...its just when i was a kid having a new car meant you were really doing well but now it just means you have a massive payments and cant afford to pay the plumber.

Isn’t pcp different to a company car?

 

[Ric2013]

I no longer accept bank transfers from new customers. As I use a building society, it so often ends up in the clearing account and entails hassle. I find getting out the (paper) invoice book so they know it's going through the books and asking how they want to pay seems to work most of the time. Very often I find people expect to pay cash, but, frankly, a cheque is fine by me.

 

[Best]

I can see how some well paid customers have a lifestyle to match their wealth.
The more money they earn, the more expenses they bring on themselves.
Maybe a couple of houses, a holiday home and several new cars.
Then they try to live on a remaining pittance and are slow at paying from that

 

[Ric2013]

Yes, I think a lot of people do that. I recently met with a friend who, when shopping, bought a number of quite low quality and overpriced sandwiches for somewhere he needed to go the next day, yet lacked the money to buy new inner tubes for his bike. Had he shopped more wisely, he could have saved enough for one inner tube that very day. That said, he has the excuse of having mental health problems and probably is unable to manage money wisely.

I'm profoundly grateful that, growing up, we never had two brass farthings to rub together. So I've never felt the need to live up to my income since then. When I have money, I do manage to spend some of it on what I consider to be luxuries, but I have never committed myself to an ongoing expenditure that cannot be easily reduced should I need to do so. Nor have I ever kept a tradesman waiting for money!

I make a point of not feeling sorry for people unless thay clearly have less money than I do. Bizarrely, those with less money than myself are usually very good at paying.

 

[Phil]

Isn’t pcp different to a company car?

Yes I just went off on one, I spent weeks waiting for a few grand off a customer back in April and she was driving round in her brand new Range Rover, in the end her Dad had to pay. Just really wound me up.
I'm just saying new cars on driveways don't mean wealth.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Yes I just went off on one, I spent weeks waiting for a few grand off a customer back in April and she was driving round in her brand new Range Rover, in the end her Dad had to pay. Just really wound me up.
I'm just saying new cars on driveways don't mean wealth.

I know mate. Just messing with you.

 

[Ric2013]

Flash cars do suggest money is being spent though. Though that doesn't mean the keeper of that vehicle necessarily has money available!

 

[tomplumb83]

The worst part of the job for me. Businesses normally though. Landlords
Regularly chasing people and going back to the house begging for payment. People love a good bank transfer. It gives them a week or two to pay. Rare they get their card out - the cheque book comes out before that

 

[WaterTight]

Oddly enough this thread is giving me hope. Rare as hen's teeth for me having to chase payments but gone one at the mo.

And as mentioned above I've had to go back to the house unannounced as his phone has been off for a week. Got told he thought the wife had done the transfer. Told him she hadn't and to please get it done. 5 days later still nowt.

Its giving me hope because it's so rare for me I've been presuming they have no intention of paying but it sounds like - for the people who deal with this all the time - most will get round to it eventually.

 

[hammers4spanner]

Had to chortle , got a cust owing an invoice on a boiler change now 3 weeks and waiting.Had an email tonight saying heating is not working and i need to go out and sort it out as they have plasterers in doing work so need to dry the walls out .
Before i left i informed them of a leaking rad valve which needs addressing but will be an extra , they never bothered and here we go heating probably shut down due to low pressure from leak .

Now do i go because they owe me money ????

Nah pay me then i will go and investigate.

 

[Scott_D]

Had to chortle , got a cust owing an invoice on a boiler change now 3 weeks and waiting.Had an email tonight saying heating is not working and i need to go out and sort it out as they have plasterers in doing work so need to dry the walls out .
Before i left i informed them of a leaking rad valve which needs addressing but will be an extra , they never bothered and here we go heating probably shut down due to low pressure from leak .

Now do i go because they owe me money ????

Nah pay me then i will go and investigate.

Say you will go once they have paid then turn up 3 week later