Your method of handling non paying customers?

[samillingworth]

I've always been partial to a bit of advice in this area across all trades, how do YOU sort out non paying customers?
Say the work went well and as planned, as agreed before work starts but the customer decides this wasnt what he wanted for his m oney and refused to pay up, whats your methods first?

What about 'warranty jobs' how does everyone feel about that? Obviously its a very fine balance operating here between money and reputation - ultimately.

and then finally what about straight up non paying customers simply because they just don't want to pay? I'm guessing most people have had experience with these.

 

[telectrix]

ask politely for payment, then , if refused, start breaking things. first a vase, then legs.

 

[dazza1981]

Having my rottweiler in the van with me usually ends in me being payed

 

[telectrix]

hope you shere with the rotty. hobnobs instead of bonios.

 

[dazza1981]

I was joking tel really ive got a chiwawa i carry around in my tool bag.....

 

[telectrix]

come on. i letr you get away with payed instead of paid, but chiwawa for chihuahua, that's taking the ( dog ) pi$$

 

[dazza1981]

Ha ha ok i will let you get away with letr instead of let but only if you admit you had to google how to spell chihuahua????

 

[samillingworth]

This conversation escalated quickly haha. So you're basically saying, get a dog? Haha

 

[GMES]

I have an 8 stone Rhodesian ridgeback cross ( see avatar) he weighs more than most snotty faced MD'S if you want to borrow him it will cost you 100.00 per day and you have to feed him.

 

[Newbyspark]

Just say ' no probs, I just sell the dept onto some Polish dept collectors, you will now be dealing with them. Have a nice day'.

 

[samillingworth]

how does the proper business end of debt collectors work? you sell the debt for a percentage of money owed? Never been down this line personally at all..

 

[Newbyspark]

Yep, they take a percentage. Depends on who you deal with as to what percentage. Generally not worth it for small amount of money, but the threat is usually enough.

 

[Kate]

Cry for a few weeks then roll over.

Solicitors are not worth ----

 

[dan86]

don't really have many issues with non payment tbh. on the odd occasion, a stern letter along the lines of if non payment, debt collectors will be contacted does the trick.

 

[R G]

I say Hang on I am gonna get my mate Bill, then I go and get my mate Bill out the van a 2 lb Lump hammer , then I tell them I can not be held responsible for what my mate Bill is gonna do next ,,,,,,works most off the time,,,

 

[Geordie Spark]

don't really have many issues with non payment tbh. on the odd occasion, a stern letter along the lines of if non payment, debt collectors will be contacted does the trick.

I take it that for the benefit of the non-Jocks among us you translated that from its original " Och! aahl be seein ye Jimyee. Thistles up yer kilt, porridge in yer sporran, treacle in yer bagpipes an' a caber up yer jacksie'!!"

 

[dan86]

erm, nae quite Geordie! I'm English remember, so probably couldn't speak that level of Scottish to be fair. maybe I just have honest customers. very rarely get non payment. I have the odd, as I'm sure we all do, that always push the time limit to the max, and occasionally stretch it a few more days, but I know who they are and I know I will always get it. never had to get 'heavy' with anybody for non payment.

 

[Geordie Spark]

erm, nae quite Geordie! I'm English remember, so probably could speak that level of Scottish to be fair. maybe I just have honest customers. very rarely get non payment. I have the odd, as I'm sure we all do, that always push the time limit to the max, and occasionally stretch it a few more days, but I know who they are and I know I will always get it. never had to get 'heavy' with anybody for non payment.

My apologies to you my Friend.

That was a classic example of assumption being the mother of cock up.

I have no issues with Jocks BTW in fact I like them - they are similar to Geordies and thankfully nothing like bloody Scousers or Cockneys.

The paramedics came to visit me the other morning - two meat wagons and four paramedics - how's that for overkill? Anyway, one of them was a very pretty young Scots lassie who had a very nice pair of personalities that I enjoyed chatting to.

 

[dan86]

haha. I'm a sucker for Irish lassies when they talk.probably the reason I like my dentist so much... she's also f***ing hot! Hmm, mebbe That's the reason :/
as for the 2 meat wagons at your house, maybe they just know what you're like..?! and four paramedics does sound a tad overkill if I'm honest.

 

[Geordie Spark]

haha. I'm a sucker for Irish lassies when they talk.probably the reason I like my dentist so much... she's also f***ing hot! Hmm, mebbe That's the reason :/
as for the 2 meat wagons at your house, maybe they just know what you're like..?! and four paramedics does sound a tad overkill if I'm honest.

Yes, if I'm honest I like an Irish accent on a ls as well - as long as it's not a Belfast accent.

Coincidentally, a couple of years ago I was a patient of a lady Irish dentist, but she moved somewhere else ..... I'm now wondering if yours is the same one!