chasing late invoices

[Spazz]

Out of interest what way has everyone found is the best way to chance late invoices?

I have tried phoning them, sending letters, sending emails, texting and I always get a not so good reply from the customer which results in them not using me anymore.
These invoices I usually chance are between 2 weeks and 2 months late.

Any ideas would be great, also for those using letters can you attach the letter you use that you find gives the best result.


Thanks all in advance

 

[Spazz]

Thanks Phil

I was thinking last night - I been looking after every other F***er and not me!
It stops here.

All future invoices will undergo pay on receipt of invoice (usually before I leave).

The 1st agent has just paid me - just waiting for the 2nd now.

If they don't like then I will tell them to pass my details onto the landlord or find someone else. Im going up to see the 1st agent on Monday so Im not sure how thats going to go.

Im also increasing my prices back to what they should be - I have had enough of doing favors for people

 

[Guest111]

Thanks Phil

I was thinking last night - I been looking after every other F***er and not me!
It stops here.

All future invoices will undergo pay on receipt of invoice (usually before I leave).

The 1st agent has just paid me - just waiting for the 2nd now.

If they don't like then I will tell them to pass my details onto the landlord or find someone else. Im going up to see the 1st agent on Monday so Im not sure how thats going to go.

Im also increasing my prices back to what they should be - I have had enough of doing favors for people

Yes well done mate now make sure you stand on it! when I was doing the job I used to call myself Dirty Harry,people asked why and I replied well I get all the crap jobs.Need a spark to come out cheap at 10pm friday? phone Phil,need a spark to crawl through a filthy sub floor? call Phil, need a spark to do a live joint in the rain? call Phil.Need a spark to do a nice bit of pat testing and pay him up front? oh yes we,ll ring Tommy down the road! been there done it mate just made me ill if you,re a decent spark they should pay when jobs done, if you dont want to sound funny next time someone rings up tell them its strictly payment on completion with no exceptions as you had someone not pay up and you can,t risk it happening again. best of luck with the job just keep going and you will get there.

 

[Spazz]

Thanks Phil

I only have 3 customers who I gave credit to:
2 Agents and 1 multinational company

the multinational company was for pat testing - I know I will get my money from them - they work for power stations, but could not find a spark to PAT office equipment in a power station so I explained the problem with insurance and told them if they wanted to bring it down to the carpark where I would do them all in my van then happy days - they snapped at the offer - 80 items later and 6 hours Im happy - £200 in my pocket (with fuel) - dinner and drinks provided as well - easy job!

For everyone's info the items where computers, scanners, printers (small), electric radiators, phone chargers - all used in offices - so never out in the power station.

The company in question does the scaffolding in the power station.

My insurance was happy

 

[Guest111]

Just proves the agents are t****** then doesn,t it!

 

[Rockingit]

Thanks Phil

I only have 3 customers who I gave credit to:
2 Agents and 1 multinational company

the multinational company was for pat testing - I know I will get my money from them - they work for power stations, but could not find a spark to PAT office equipment in a power station so I explained the problem with insurance and told them if they wanted to bring it down to the carpark where I would do them all in my van then happy days - they snapped at the offer - 80 items later and 6 hours Im happy - £200 in my pocket (with fuel) - dinner and drinks provided as well - easy job!

For everyone's info the items where computers, scanners, printers (small), electric radiators, phone chargers - all used in offices - so never out in the power station.

The company in question does the scaffolding in the power station.

My insurance was happy

Did you ring the insurers first and explain the situation? They'd have probably OK'd that as you're not actually working 'on' a power station.

 

[Spazz]

They didn't want me onsite as there was a risk, and the underwriter was not to happy with it.
I put the carpark option to the client (under the insurance advice) and they where happy - so was I

 

[Spazz]

Out of interest what is everyone's opinion about quote charges - say you visit a premises to quote for work - charge them £20 + fuel) then if they accept the quote that charge comes off their quote?

Or should I think about free quote visits?


Opinions please

 

[Rockingit]

Insurers can be bloody stupid and ignorant sometimes!!

 

[Spazz]

The client is usually responsible for any fees like this, as the insures usually tell them to get 3 quotes.
If I get any insurance work then I will take that as it comes.

Also depends on who it is - if its a regular customer and I know they are going to use me (just getting other 2 to please insurance) then I might not charge - at my discretion!

 

[Plonker 3]

Out of interest what is everyone's opinion about quote charges - say you visit a premises to quote for work - charge them £20 + fuel) then if they accept the quote that charge comes off their quote?

Or should I think about free quote visits?


Opinions please

Can't see you even getting a quote if you were to that, especially when companies like mybuilder will quite happily make a tradesman pay just for a lead.

 

[Spazz]

The problem I have which Im sure everyone else has who lives in a rural area - you can travel between 50 - 100 miles round trip to quote for a job you might not get.

In London/Cardiff/Manchester/other cities most of the quotes, will be within 10-20 miles (round trip).

 

[Plonker 3]

Unfortunately, that's something you have to foot the cost for unless all the other local electricians in your area are doing a similar thing. How would you feel being told to get a quote for work on your home is going to cost money, people usually get 4 or 5 quotes for work which would lead to £100 outlay before anything is actually done if we all did that.

 

[RISElectrical]

IMO you cant charge for quotes, all you can do is build the price into your quote and then if the job is accepted youve covered your costs. Same as with building in the time to complete Operational manuals etc. Budget it into the quote.

 

[Geordie Spark]

Insurers can be bloody stupid and ignorant sometimes!!

Tell me about it ..... I've had quotes ranging from £220 all the way to £1,200 to insure my 22 year old Toyota MR2 GT !!!!