SPARKS40
Member
- Location
- Northern Il
Tell him you're gonna pull his meter and hold it as collateral........
Question about customer paying bill
- Thread starter IrishRugger
- Start date
- Status
jmellc
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
- Occupation
- Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
Try showing up at the house unexpected, catch him off guard. If you'd missed a day on the job, he would have called all over town to find out why. In some cases, showing up at his job may shake him up a bit. Use discretion and good judgment on this though.
After seeing 2 bosses manipulated and having 1 nopay so far myself, I wish we had some type of RC device we could install in someone's service, ride by, push a button and open a relay, shutting down service or causing erratic lighting, etc. Customer calls to complain, advise we will come check out when bill is paid. That's wishful thinking but it would be nice.
After seeing 2 bosses manipulated and having 1 nopay so far myself, I wish we had some type of RC device we could install in someone's service, ride by, push a button and open a relay, shutting down service or causing erratic lighting, etc. Customer calls to complain, advise we will come check out when bill is paid. That's wishful thinking but it would be nice.
jmellc
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
- Occupation
- Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
1 of my bosses used a collection agency, which got a few of his bills collected. They took about a 3rd, which is high. But I guess 2/3 of something is better than 100% of nothing. And the deadbeat didn't get away with it.
readydave8
re member
- Location
- Clarkesville, Georgia
- Occupation
- electrician
stay calm, this is business not personal, if you do get shafted do all to collect that the law allows and learn how to not let it happen again.
hardworkingstiff
Senior Member
- Location
- Wilmington, NC
Once you perform the agreed upon work, the money is yours. There is nothing wrong with asking for your money. Get used to it. Remember, the squeeky wheel gets the grease. Squeek away.
N844AA
Member
- Location
- Los Angeles
Every time I sign up a job and go over the payment schedule with the customer I ask point blank "When I invoice you, I need to receive payment right away, will you be able to pay me when I present the invoice?". They say yes or they may explain that there is a delay because of their accounting department, etc. Now before I've done any work, they have committed to paying at a certain time, it's not vague, they know my expectations.
Later when I present my invoice, if they're late or whatever, I can call them and say "you agreed to pay me when I invoiced, so I need to collect that check"..
Much of the time when you're trying to collect money, the customer makes you feel like you're begging for money, but now the shoe is on the other foot, you are asking them to "keep their word" and now that their personal integrity is at stake, these calls are easier to make and collecting the money is quicker.
Later when I present my invoice, if they're late or whatever, I can call them and say "you agreed to pay me when I invoiced, so I need to collect that check"..
Much of the time when you're trying to collect money, the customer makes you feel like you're begging for money, but now the shoe is on the other foot, you are asking them to "keep their word" and now that their personal integrity is at stake, these calls are easier to make and collecting the money is quicker.
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
dmagyar
Senior Member
- Location
- Rocklin, Ca.
I've only gotten one so far
I've only gotten one so far
With my company I've only gotten taken advantage once from an out of town service company, I think it was Nations service in Texas that "got" me for around $250. I made about twenty calls to them which just frustrated me more, then I tried the collection route which didn't do much as it was out of town. As far as what the cost is for the collection, chalk it up to learning how to size up someone who you're doing business with. I don't take any calls from anyone out of town now.
Anyway try to get your money any way possible, even to the point of taking them to small claims (Under $5,000.00 in California). Then get up to speed on liening each job where you don't have a "relationship" with the owner. Make sure from now on that anything that isn't priced up and signed for changes, otherwise you'll have a hard time getting paid what's due.
I know one GC that did alot with handshakes, he's now just about out of business, its for many reasons, but not being able to collect just added to the total.
Good luck with your deadbeat customer.
I've only gotten one so far
With my company I've only gotten taken advantage once from an out of town service company, I think it was Nations service in Texas that "got" me for around $250. I made about twenty calls to them which just frustrated me more, then I tried the collection route which didn't do much as it was out of town. As far as what the cost is for the collection, chalk it up to learning how to size up someone who you're doing business with. I don't take any calls from anyone out of town now.
Anyway try to get your money any way possible, even to the point of taking them to small claims (Under $5,000.00 in California). Then get up to speed on liening each job where you don't have a "relationship" with the owner. Make sure from now on that anything that isn't priced up and signed for changes, otherwise you'll have a hard time getting paid what's due.
I know one GC that did alot with handshakes, he's now just about out of business, its for many reasons, but not being able to collect just added to the total.
Good luck with your deadbeat customer.
Buck Parrish
Senior Member
- Location
- NC & IN
boboelectric
Senior Member
- Location
- Eighty Four,Pa.15330
I have a denist that owes me $622,01 for 3 years. The people that you help and would wait or not worry about,pay now. College or what?
IrishRugger
Senior Member
Well it's been about twenty days since my original post on 2-19-10 regarding this customer . Since then I have called, left messages, stopped over once and personally spoke with him, stopped a second time, he wouldnd't answer the door, called and left more messages, then stopped there a third time yesterday morning at 9:00AM with my wife and asked him if we could get this settled. Boy he began to raise his voice and get defensive accusing me of bugging him. I reminded him that he made a promise to pay after he moved some money around three weeks ago. He said that it doesn't matter what he said he just doesn't have the money right now. He then attacked me personally and said that I must be a terrible businessman if I had to depend on his payment on time. With that being said I remained calm and polite, thanked him for his time and left before I began to feel like making it personal. I do want to thank you for all your advice guys. I believe even though I haven't recieved payment yet I have learned something from this experience and have gotten over my fears of confronting people about payment.
jerryalan
Member
- Location
- Perry, Mi. Shiawassee
- Occupation
- electrician
slow paying customer
slow paying customer
my next stop would be with the Clerk of the Court to file a mechanics lien, send a copy to the client, (return receipt requested), and go about your business.
in most states those things expire after a year, at which time an attorney is required to keep it alive, but by then you'll either have been paid or absorbed the cost.
God speed
slow paying customer
my next stop would be with the Clerk of the Court to file a mechanics lien, send a copy to the client, (return receipt requested), and go about your business.
in most states those things expire after a year, at which time an attorney is required to keep it alive, but by then you'll either have been paid or absorbed the cost.
God speed
Ok hope you will get signed contracts on everything from this point on, and consider, start using credit cards for down payment and term payments.
IrishRugger
Senior Member
Yup that is what I'm going to implement. I'm sure I can search older posts and some on this thread for some really great advice. If anyone has any suggestions on writing contracts and terms, or specific threads I can research I would much appreciate the direction. Credit card payments sound great but I don't think they are a common way of payment in my small community area I should investigate this option as well.
I am in a small community and the service companies all want credit cards, that is one way they see if the customer is credit worthy before they do the work.
In my area every trade and service company from gutter cleaning to sewer cleaning and electrical or plumbing all use credit cards to qualify the customers, if your a small operation you need it to surive.
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
I used to do a lot of service work on an apartment building. I would always give the bill to the manager and he would pay it. The "last" time I worked for him I handed him a bill for $150 and he told me that he was going to send this one in to his boss as it was taking him to long to get his money back. That was the last I heard from him. Called once and came to find out that he didn't even really know who he worked for. About six months after that I get this envelope in the mail from a law firm. I open it up and the only thing in there is a check. No letter, no copy of an invoice nothing. I'm figuring that an uncle died or something. Took me a week before I finally connected it to the job.
It always seems that the people with money were the worst payers.
It always seems that the people with money were the worst payers.
gadfly56
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
I would add to that, HURRY!! Your window of opportunity to file a lien is usually 90 days max. I some states, if it's against a residential property you first must file a notice of intent to lien before the actual lien. Your state's website should provide the details. Don't delay, lien today!
To file a lien is many states, you first must file a notice of intent to lien well before the actual lien, and you would need a copy of the signed contract which he din't have.
A lien would be great for my grand kids, everyone likes to throw the word lien around but never understands the mechanics of them, get signed contracts, and credit backed deposits and follow up with credit billing from approved payments on small resi and commercial jobs, once you leave without payment, your chances of getting paid so down to nest to nothing.
- Status