"so....hows bizness"

[CurSedVoyce]

You can just take her to small claims court also. It's not real hard to do. Costs you court fees and serving fees up front however, but they can be sought after in the suit also.
I have used that in the past. Never even got to court. Went to customer and hand delivered the letter of my intent and collected the check at the door. Never even went to the court house to file. Just the threat of court worked. When people know they will lose in court, they pretty much pay before it gets there to save money from having to pay the fees and just not have to go to court. Just my .02

 

[No_Bivy]

go pay her a visit............sometimes the look on thier face is priceless

 

[Wagnaw]

I like you're idea John. I'm not really interested in pursuing any legal action, but I am interested in little tricks or things people do to coax delinquent customers into paying up.

 

[No_Bivy]

most people cut the bullshit when you are right there in front of em....


you can bring my collection agent with you if you like

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Truth be told I have a customer that always forgets to send the check. Not on purpose... She's just older and forgets. She is out of town a lot so I usually have to do the work when she is not around. Have to remind her from time to time and eventually I get paid. Granted I also won't do any more work on a property I have not been paid on for previous work either. Some people are truly honest and just forget. Some are just not honest
Side note on the customer that forgets. I have stopped by after not hearing from her for about a week. She was home and the check was in my self addressed postage paid envelope still on the table with the rest of her payments (bills) a week after I had talked to her on the phone and she told me it was on the table with the rest of the bills to go out.. LOL I know her daughter too... Her daughter might be taking over the bills here shortly. Seems her mom is forgetting a lot these days and forgets to run the bills into the mail etc....

 

[No_Bivy]

forgot to mention....I deal with a lot of out of towners, so I have to take payment by mail sometimes. If I get a weird vibe, I get e deposit.

 

[Blinky]

Chloe the collector... how much does she cost?

 

[No_Bivy]

priceless

 

[squisher]

I haven't had much problem with payment, except once and not for much. I find that if all else fails, basically threatening them in a unprovable manner will motivate people.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

 

[okietreedude]

I had a guy payme on complettion, then his fn check bounced. I sent him a note and have been by several times. One of these days im gonna catch him at home.

 

[Wagnaw]

I used to sub for a guy who would occasionally write bad checks. After the first one, I told him, no more. After the second one, I told him never again, I won't work for him anymore. I don't play the bounced check lottery.

 

[sotc]

cash up front for him! i dont usually bother till 1 month after completion, then i make a call. 99 times out of a hundred that works, if not a knock on the door usually does.

 

[SkwerI]

A couple of my regular guys are stringing me out a little as well, everybody is tight right now. Since I only have a limited number of clients using me on multiple jobs, it's hard to cut them off. But I just keep calling them a couple times per week until they get paid up. My biggest pet peeve is being lied to. If you can't pay me until next Tuesday, then fine. Tell me that and then keep your word. But don't keep telling me "tomorrow" five or six days in a row.
:what:

 

[squisher]

Tomorrow, tomorrow, it's only a dayyyy awwaayyyy!

 

[sotc]

my new thing with tree contractors is i get paid as soon as you get paid for the job i worked on.

 

[Wagnaw]

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[No_Bivy]

I used to sub for a guy who would occasionally write bad checks. After the first one, I told him, no more. After the second one, I told him never again, I won't work for him anymore. I don't play the bounced check lottery.

trees for less?..............

 

[woodworkingboy]

Bad checks are one undesirable thing, but the snooks who let you get deep into them before they declare bankruptcy, they can do some very serious damage.

 

[No_Bivy]

thats happenen' here...............

 

[squisher]

Any of the guys I do any major business with, I make it a point to know where they live. I also let them know that I've made some stupid decisions before and I'm not afraid to again if need be.

 

[lumberjack]

Things are picking up here, and I'm doing more varied work. Today I got a call from a client wanting me to show her how to use her log splitter. I went by and showed her, and she wants me to give her a price on a deck/patio (ground level wooden patio) which would probably be 3-5 days of work with 2 people.

Fixing to head over to take pics and measurements to formulate a bid. She got a price of $11k to do it in concrete, but that's inadvisable considering there's an oak the patio will be build around. The footer would pass a few feet from the tree, severing most of the roots on that side.

 

[thattreeguy]

storms are generating a little extra work, meanwhile we are still doing the last few fruit trees,
a bit slow but 2 weeks out
with 2 to 3 guys a week
getting 4 to 8 hrs a day,
praying the winds grow stronger

 

[Paul B]

I generally mail the invoice after the job is done. with installation jobs, its 50% up front. I have been stiffed a couple times but not for huge $. I also have sent stuff to a collection agency just to prove a point AND I have waited for a certain strata manager in the lobby of his office building and taken an elevator ride with him, just prior to getting a check from the strata company . I have lived and learned, I think the gut feeling goes a long way when it comes to extending credit, I aint no bank, I do the work, pay me, bottom line.

 

[Wagnaw]

trees for less?..............

Nah, Arboressence.