Hi fellurz. I got a client who owes me a couple grand. For a couple months they've ignored my calls, when I show up there the accounting lady says she requested the check...then the check was done for the wrong ammount...then this...then that.. the latest was that they want more work & that both checks are coming out together...
as if I were stupid....
How would you handle this?
Posted by Terry Whynott (Member # 1622) on :
I just had a similar situation. Not as much money involved though.
They had bounced checks on us and we eventually gave up chasing them. They called the other day wanting more work. (Unbelievable, if you asked me!) I told them we'd be happy to do the new job for them. All they needed to do was bring cash for the previous job and payment in full for the new job. They came in a couple days later with the money and I did the job for them.
Posted by Raymond Quick (Member # 2649) on :
I work for a comunity college and sometimes it can take a while for our vendors to get paid, from what I understand offering a discount sometimes helps grease the wheels. Sometimes you wonder if the wheel is flat.
I would probly have put something like "if paid within 15 days 3% discount. after 30 days 3% per month late fees" or something like that.
If I were you and could afford to chance loosing their account, I would tell them that I would be glad to do the other work just as soon as I get my first check.
Posted by jimmy chatham (Member # 525) on :
the city here used to take 60 to 90 days to pay me until i started doing the same thing to them that the do to every one on their utility bill. it says if paid by such a date a certain amount after that date it is a certain amount(10%) more. so i started doing the same thing only i add 15% to the bill. city manager said that i could not do that and i told him if the city could that i could. they paid it a couple of times and my money has not been late again.
Posted by Chuck Churchill (Member # 68) on :
Offer to make a small repair/correction to the sign for free. Create one if you have to. Pick it up and take it back to your shop. A week later call them and tell them it is done and you will gladly deliver/install it when the cheque is ready for the original project. No cheque...no sign.
Posted by Kent Smith (Member # 251) on :
I have had this difficulty with similar institutions. I go to the administator in charge, not the accounting clerk, and ask what billing information I need to give them in order to be payed in a timely manner. Typically the president of the college or equivalent is not aware that bills are not being paid or that there is a budget problem. Wakes him up and you can become an ally which takes away the adversary position.
Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
I'm with Kent...go over their heads!
After all it's your money...not theirs!
Posted by Patrick Whatley (Member # 2008) on :
We've got a college here in town that can't charge at any shop in town anymore. They are notorious for not paying bills until someone physically goes out there and raises a little hell.
The only way we got paid for the last thing we did for them was to go out there with documentation of phone calls, invoice dates, and late notice dates and talked to the head of accounting.
One other suggestion, if they tell you they are going to mail your check another day tell them not to mail it, you'll come pick it up. It's a whole lot easier to "forget" to mail a check than it is to have to look you in the face and lie about where it is.
Posted by Laura Butler (Member # 1830) on :
I sent a collection agency after a lawyer that was almost a year late. They kept 25% and I got money I never thought that I would see. Of course the orginial bill was over $1100.00 so it was worth it. I have filed court papers on 3 people and have gotten all but $25.00. I only had to go to court once. The others paid before we went to court. I am getting ready to warn someone else that if they don't pay their balance that I will file against them. I don't know if I will ever get this money as I printed a mural for the wife to give to her husband for his birthday for the back of their motorhome. I have since found out that they got divorced.
Posted by Kent Smith (Member # 251) on :
Also...I have found that I am always money and lack of stress ahead when I use a collection agency. We may only get part of what is due but we don't waste more valuable time chasing the money. We usually get enough to compensate for lost materials but not lost time so there is no reason to compound the issue. AND get signatures always on your proposal, artwork approval, purchase order, etc. so you have a paper trail that leads back to the customer as proof that they had intent to order and consequently to pay.
Posted by Jon Aston (Member # 1725) on :
Here's something to try:
Invoice that delinquent customer for "service charges" (to cover off the collection costs) before handing their file off to the collection agency.
Posted by Kelly Thorson (Member # 2958) on :
I've had great luck with a registered letter. Just add the cost of the letter to the invoice with a "pay within 5 days" notice. I think it is one of the steps necessary to go to small claims court, not sure, in any case it has always worked like a charm for me. Now I'm off to deal with a $967.46 cheque that seems to have developed a bouncing problem. That scares me 'cause it means the money isn't there.
Posted by Felix Marcano (Member # 1833) on :
Well, I just sent them a nice, clean, respectful CERTIFIED letter requesting payment... lets see what happens.
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
That scares me 'cause it means the money isn't there.