Payment Terms

[Mesterh]

i used to be the same, cheques in and out and pay as much as possibloe with switch, it did make my books easier to do BUT i could never get parked at the bank, when they did go in you have to wait 3-5 days, the bank charges you to put it in, take it out etc etc.

 

Your right it is a bit of hassle and I can do without the bank charges thats for sure!

 

But, when I have cash it disappears on nothing! Safer straight in the bank for me.

[skyhuck]

Reading this threads, it incredible how different peoples experiences are.

 

I have very few problems getting paid, in fact I get people ring me asking for an invoice so they can pay me, as I tend to be a bit slow at sending them out.

 

I can think of very few, if any circumstances where I would want payment up front. I would never pay a trades man up front for work he was doing for me and if I felt some one was not going to pay me I would just not work for them.

 

I find in life that people tend to live up to your expectations, I trust my customers and treat them accordingly, there has to be trust other wise you could not do business, if I asked for money up front why should they then trust me to then do the work??

 

As for getting 50% up front, I don't understand that either, if you think they may not pay why do the work?? what if they don't pay the other 50%.

 

I just trust people and they tend to live up to that trust, I think if you start treating people as though they are crooks they may just prove you right.

Edited September 9, 2010 by skyhuck

[robbo 110]

a good subject.... today i finally got the hump with a few people, & they will know it 1st thing in the morning!!! all my firewood customers pay on delivery.... no probs.

we supply a large stable yard with hay... one girl has owed £60 for about 6 months, gets all shirty with me everytime i ask for the cash 'im waiting for an address to send a cheque' have supplied that several times, still not been paid!! she now has 3 stagnent rotten silage bales in front of her hay store!!!! then theres the people on the truck repairs, propshaft centre bearing i supplied an fitted in january...... in the snow!! still unpaid!! i dont mind as i now have his propshaft with my centre bearing in the back of my van!!!!!! i normally trust people, we all have the odd one or two non - payers, cant wait for the phone calls in the morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mesterh]

a good subject.... today i finally got the hump with a few people, & they will know it 1st thing in the morning!!! all my firewood customers pay on delivery.... no probs.

we supply a large stable yard with hay... one girl has owed £60 for about 6 months, gets all shirty with me everytime i ask for the cash 'im waiting for an address to send a cheque' have supplied that several times, still not been paid!! she now has 3 stagnent rotten silage bales in front of her hay store!!!! then theres the people on the truck repairs, propshaft centre bearing i supplied an fitted in january...... in the snow!! still unpaid!! i dont mind as i now have his propshaft with my centre bearing in the back of my van!!!!!! i normally trust people, we all have the odd one or two non - payers, cant wait for the phone calls in the morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

How long before he realises whats up with his truck.

[Stephen Blair]

 

I can think of very few, if any circumstances where I would want payment up front. I would never pay a trades man up front for work he was doing for me and if I felt some one was not going to pay me I would just not work for them.

 

I find in life that people tend to live up to your expectations, I trust my customers and treat them accordingly, there has to be trust other wise you could not do business, if I asked for money up front why should they then trust me to then do the work??

 

As for getting 50% up front, I don't understand that either, if you think they may not pay why do the work?? what if they don't pay the other 50%.

 

I just trust people and they tend to live up to that trust, I think if you start treating people as though they are crooks they may just prove you right.

 

the second i answer the phone, i am working for them, i am giving them my time, i will be using my fuel and vehicle to go and see them, i will not be some where else making money so i am already spending money on their job whether i have it or not. If the customer isnt going to be available when i am there, and cant find the time to meet me for a meeting then i want paid first and this isnt a problem for a person who is very busy and just wants things done, all my jobs are through recomendation, so i am coming with a good reference already, if it is a new customer then i have no reference of them. I am not treating any one like a crook, i am telling them my terms and conditions, like any other business would.

[Mesterh]

the second i answer the phone, i am working for them, i am giving them my time, i will be using my fuel and vehicle to go and see them, i will not be some where else making money so i am already spending money on their job whether i have it or not. If the customer isnt going to be available when i am there, and cant find the time to meet me for a meeting then i want paid first and this isnt a problem for a person who is very busy and just wants things done, all my jobs are through recomendation, so i am coming with a good reference already, if it is a new customer then i have no reference of them. I am not treating any one like a crook, i am telling them my terms and conditions, like any other business would.

 

 

Please dont get offended at this but things are definitely different North of the border.

 

I not only speak from my experience but from a mate who worked for a sub company of Scottish power.

 

I remember him telling me that the way contracts worked in Scotland were very different than down here.

 

He said they got paid up front on jobs (we are talking 100k's+ here) and they thought nothing of it, it was the norm.(well it did change before the recession when times were very good and then changed again into the recession but thats beside the point).

 

I remember him saying because he was saying something along the lines of "You know the way they say the Scottish are tight, well........"

 

I always find it hard to take payment before even starting a job, and I know you will see that as a failing but its just something I find hard to do. Plenty of customers try to pay before they go to work etc but I always prefer them to be happy with the job before payment.

 

Besides once they have paid me they are never getting a refund.