How to remind customers to pay for a detail.

The only time I allow for there to be any sort of grace period is if the customer isn’t home when I finish. [I don’t like being paid until I’m done]
 
Unless it's understood and agreed upon beforehand any stand up person would pay immediately....I don't understand any other thinking it just makes everything else awkward going forward
 
Cleankat said:
I personally don't give them the keys till I have the cash in my hand.
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custmsprty said:
I agree, this is a service business, you pay at the time the service is rendered. I don't go to my barbers and after she's done say I'll pay you later.
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UncleDavy said:
I wonder if they would accept that type of explanation from their boss.
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PaulMys said:
Bingo. This isn't a mortgage payment with a grace period. Work is done, pay the bill. Now.
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I think you guys are forgetting the fact that he made a deal with the wife and not the husband... I’ve had times where I have a deal worked out with the wife and the husband has nothing, not even an interest in what I’m doing or how much I’m going to get paid for the job.

I’ve also had a situation where the husband wanted me to do a cheapo detail [I don’t cheapo details] but I spoke to the wife [it was her newly purchased used vehicle] and explained how much better it would turn out if I did what I recommended instead of the bare minimum like her husband wanted to settle for... She agreed with me and I ended up doing a proper clay, polish & seal.

I ended up getting paid alot more for that job than the husband planned on spending, but she wasn’t home when I finished and I had no problem with getting paid a little bit later. I even got a nice tip to top it off. That’s what happens when you deliver personalized customer service. That’s what makes what I [we] do different than a regular “job”.

It goes the other way around as well. I’ve had plenty of times where I let the customer know that it’s going to be a bit longer than expected... But IMO it’s better for me to keep their car longer or even overnight if it’s ok with them, as opposed to giving it back half arse done. “Give me a bit longer so I can get this deal done right”.

How would you like it if a customer made a huge commotion if you weren’t done fully detailing their vehicle by the time you said you’d be done? It would suck right? Especially if all you were trying to do was overdeliver for them. How about if they took it even further and said they weren’t going to pay you a dime because you’re not done exactly when you said you’d be.. Even worse right?

...Relax, everything’s gonna be alright. It’s not like they’re actually going to stiff him for the money. So what’s all this about not giving them their keys until you get the cash in your hands. Cmon now.
 
There's some real bad, sissy advice here. Get your money. Put your business owner pants on, call them up and ask for payment and go and collect your payment. Any time you waste will add to the fear of you ever even calling them back, then you'll be out money for a detail and you'll be more scared to move forward and more bitter.

Think about every situation where transactions are made: you get no leeway to take your time making a payment - your credit will take a hit, they'll slap fees on you, they'll take your car, etc. Take control of the situation you put yourself in dude
 
detailhustler said:
There's some real bad, sissy advice here. Get your money. Put your business owner pants on, call them up and ask for payment and go and collect your payment. Any time you waste will add to the fear of you ever even calling them back, then you'll be out money for a detail and you'll be more scared to move forward and more bitter.
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You say there’s “sissy advice” here... Yet you assume anyone here has any kind of “fear” regarding this type of situation..

“more scared to move forward”? Who’s the sissy here? Lol.
 
I agree about sissy advice. The thing to do is be polite and to the point. I am too nice (sissy?) so after I married my current wife she taught me to collect for our work and not to work collecting. Since I met her we do not allow people to owe us money. It is better to loose the customer than your time and money. We had a husband and wife team that agreed on 200 and when the work was complete we get from the wife "I forgot to stop by the bank so I will give you the other 80 tomorrow. I looked at my wife and the now bad faith customer and said you guys wait here a few moments as I take Kieth to the ATM. We got paid and rid of a bad customer at the same time. If the customer did not agree to the ATM trip I would eat crow for years because she warned me to collect upfront since they were a first time customer. My sissy problem is I think everyone is nice and honest. Thankfully she keeps me on alert for trouble.
 
I find it very insulting that people so under appreciate the work a detailer does, and this being a 15 HOUR JOB!!! Id be pretty upset to wait 2 or 3 days and after they pay this time they get a new deal next time...1/2 up front and 1/2 before delivery. You have to make that clear though before taking their car ever again. This is pretty sad the poor guy has to wait over 1 hour let alone a day for his payment. These people do not appreciate what you have done for them IMO.
 
why not text Her & ask if the husband is not happy with the work ? tell Her He hasn't paid you yet & is their a problem. how can they get in that vehicle each time & not mention how good a job you've done.
it's time to get paid. while they still realize how bad it was & how much time you had to invest in it. I would of paid you as soon as i got my keys. good luck.
hmardown
 
Sam, sounds like they’re fleecing you. I bet they want to trade or sell the car and wanted detailed prior.

You have a few options. I assume you have an attorney, you can always type an invoice and a letter demanding payment. At the bottom of the letter “cc” your attorneys name and him/her a copy as well. Send it certified with receipt. Usually seeing “cc ATTY so-n-so: Law offices of...” at the bottom of the letter might show them you mean business.

Next step would be to contact a collection agency where of course they will charge you a fee plus a percentage of the claim being recovered.

At the end of the day you got fleeced by the old husband/wife scam. It’s one of the oldest in the books and used by folks determined to get services for free.
Back where I lived in NH there were a band of these types and I stayed far away from them or else they’d rob you blind.

Use this as a learning lesson, make adjustments to how you conduct business and move on.

Your VIF or work order should be very clear with details. All jobs for now on when quoted should have “x” % down and the rest due upon receipt. Keys will NOT be handed over until payment is received.

Offer many payment methods:
Cash, check, square, PayPal, Square Cash App. The cash app is great!

I hope you recover what is due for your hard work, but I think this is more of a learning lesson than a payment.


Sent from my iPhone using Autogeekonline mobile app
 
I never let payments slide like that. When the job is done, I inspect the vehicle with the customer and ask them if there is anything I missed or if there is anything else they want done. When they are satisfied I pull out my invoice and confirm their chosen mode of payments with them (I ask them how they will pay when I confirm the price with them with the work authorisation form I ask them to sign prior to the detail). Once they have paid, I give them their keys and get on my way.
 
Don't let kindness get in the way of getting paid for your services! Give them a time hack of today by xx time and include a copy of the invoice. If they don't like it, as others have said, you just got rid of a bad customer. Think about all that time you spent on the their vehicle! Maybe it's my line of work, but never give anyone you don't know a benefit of a doubt. When it comes to money, people know exactly when they owe and when someone owes them. Don't procrastinate and get what's due to you.
 
I agree that this is most likely a husband/wife scam team. There really are people out there who think nothing of (or even brag about) cheating someone out of hard earned money. If they still don't pay in full, the next step would be a certified letter with a copy of anything they signed and request for payment within 24 hours "to avoid further legal action".
 
How much do they owe you?

You should’ve just drove over there yourself and picked up cash when she offered it and saved yourself this dumb waiting game.
 
funx650 said:
maestro, sir:

i say: Unless they have remitted payment,
in full, by the end of the next business day...

You should inform them that the next time
that you conduct beethoven's 9th: “victor”
will be the thumping their gourds—in lieu
of the timpanis!

Just a thought...



bob
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huh?
 
Klasse Act said:
huh?
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•I must ask for your patience:

-I'm still in the finalization process of
structuring a taxonomization-system
that's designed for answering vaguely
articulated follow-up questions.

-TIA.



Bob
 
You may want to call the local district attorneys office and see if you can issue a "mechanics Lein" since you performed a service, and have not been paid. If you can, I would notify the ex-customers (lol) of your intent, so to prevent this from being pursued, remit payment.

It may not come to that, but I'll bet they new what they were doing, and you didn't. There are assholes everywhere, just don't take any crap from them. They know they owe you, and new it when they got the car.

They may have every intention of paying you, so maybe it will all be good and wont come to this. Good luck, buddy.

Bill
 
FUNX650 said:
•I must ask for your patience:

-I'm still in the finalization process of
structuring a taxonomization-system
that's designed for answering vaguely
articulated follow-up questions. TIA.



Bob
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Aka he can’t find his thesaurus. Lol.
 
The best way to do it is like the Mechanics. Invoice at end of work, keys returned to you after you pay invoice through cash, credit card, or debit card/which ever.
 
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