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Today I mailed out about 5 invoices. For some reason it reminds me of river fishing for catfish. You throw out the bait, wait a few hours, come back, and pull in your line. Wahla! You got a big cat on the end of the line. But it takes time and you have to be very patient. You will get the fish, some faster than others.But eventully it lands on your plate and you eat it.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3812 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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We email well over half of them these days, but I agree with the waiting/fishing part!
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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Yes the more invoices you have out the faster the money comes in.... but as Judy says you have to "Stir the Pot!" to get them to pay up sometimes....
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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Most of my "Statements" today are emailed to the client. I call them "Statements", instead of invoices because it does not sound like I am going to also send at the end of the month, a "Statement". Since most of my clients are 'once-every-several-months', an 'invoice' might sound like it may only be part of the gig.
Bear in mind, most of my clients are repeaters and fairly large new car dealerships. I call them my 'repeat offenders with high rates of recidivison'.
I rarely get any bill to go over two weeks. I have one client that periodically takes a few weeks longer, but they have been with me for 20+ years and I know their money is always good....besides, I know the owner well and if anything gets too late, I can always call him on his cell (never had to).
I had one very nettlesome client go 60 days on me on $6500 worth of work, thirteen years ago. I tried calling and got no where. Finally, the manager called me to ask for more work. I went in with the old bills in hand and asked for a check. In several minutes, I was paid. Then two weeks later another $6500 check came. The place is very well capitalized and always a big spender. I sent the double check to the owner with a note, noting that if they paid me twice, who else was receiving double payments? He called me personally and thanked me very much, cementing a very good relationship ever since. Now they pay me fairly quickly and never a problem.
Snail mailing bills is becoming more and more infrequent, I see. A roll of stamps seems to last longer these days, compared to many other business expenses. The right customer is never wrong, but the wrong customer is never right!
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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Just yesterday I sat down and went thru who owed me. I made calls and rattle cages. All one of them needed was a W-9 to cut check, why didnt they call?
Another didnt like her sign (it's been up for 1.5 months, LOL) so this weekend I will remove all vinyl from window and the panels by the street will be turned around backwards and when she calls raising hell monday i wont return her calls.
They are all relatively small invoices but they do add up. I just love to hear the excuses when they are past due.
-------------------- You ever notice how easily accessible people are when they are requiring your services but once they get invoice you can't reach them anymore
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Some years back there was a trend for businesses to "sit" on your money for 60-90 days. This was rampant in the auto industry, where I do a lot of my work. I have one customer, a franchise body shop with ten locations in the area that I bill. Everybody else is C.O.D. These are my terms. They can live with them or not. At this point in life, I don't need any unnecessary aggravation. It really helps that I am basically the only "working" pinstriper in the area.
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
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