Bad Customer Rant

[newb]

Ive had my business for three years now. In that time Ive had 2 customers that didn't want to pay for services. You do a good job, leave feeling good about what you did, you send an invoice, and get no response. You make a few phone calls and leave a message and get nothing. You send another invoice, nothing. Your only option now is small claims. You file papers and go to court. The client claims you didn't do what they wanted, you left holes in the yard, you didn't do a thorough clean up, you left the stump to high, and maybe a host of other inaccuracy's. Ive explained to the judge that if these were true, why wasn't I told before and given a chance to fix the problems? In the two cases Ive taken to court, I have won both, so I know I'm not full of bull, and I know I have done a good job. Now today I just got a call call from a client that we finished 3 weeks ago that she is disputing my bill because we only worked 7 hour days (2) and took a lunch, she is also saying we left debris and missed a tree she wanted down. What I would like to see is a list to warn other contractors about shady clients!! Tell me, is it just me? Oh yea, Ive had contracts with them all, in their mind it doesn't seem to matter, I honestly believe that when they sign the contract they know their not going to pay. Pete

 

[jonseredbred]

Add: Payment upon completion to your estimates. Why are you billing? added overhead and headaches you dont need.

At the end of the job you knock on door and get check, if there are any descrepancies they get handled before crew leaves.

Customers grow balls after you leave when they dont have to face you personally, keep em nutted by visiting at job end to ensure satisfaction.

 

[John464]

Add: Payment upon completion to your estimates. Why are you billing? added overhead and headaches you dont need.

At the end of the job you knock on door and get check, if there are any descrepancies they get handled before crew leaves.

Customers grow balls after you leave when they dont have to face you personally, keep em nutted by visiting at job end to ensure satisfaction.

This works only for residential work and thats exactly what I do. If they are not going to be home they are to leave a check somewhere hidden. If they forget or are paying cash they then have to stop by my office when they come home from work, the same day we finish the job. I will not run around to collect and try not to have to send many invoices for residential, but there is always a few that want to stall on payments.

On the other hand, I sometimes have to wait a few months before I get paid after completion in our commercial contracts and there is no way around it if you want the big money.

 

[John464]

Oh and for people like you describe I have a fellow named "Nicky" and he is what I call hired muscle. He is more efficient than court and I dont have to get involved just shows up with my money and takes his cut. I dont ask any questions on how he got it.

 

[jonseredbred]

Oh and for people like you describe I have a fellow named "Nicky" and he is what I call hired muscle. He is more efficient than court and I dont have to get involved just shows up with my money and takes his cut. I dont ask any questions on how he got it.

Point taken, but I really dont think I would post that...............is "nicky" really tony?

 

[John464]

Point taken, but I really dont think I would post that...............is "nicky" really tony?

Nothing wrong with having a collection agency/agent, is there?
The bottomline money gets delivered. I dont ask who what or how. Everyone needs a good "Nicky" to shake things up a bit.

 

[teamtree]

I send bills on almost all my work...

I like to send out bills. I have lost too many checks between the field and the office. If it is a small job and I want to get on down the road, I don't want to sit around and wait for a check. If they have it ready, then fine. In five years I have only had problems with 4 accounts (one for $40, one for $220, one for $650 and one for $1800 from a deadbeat relative) which were worked out in time.

I do live in a rural area and almost everyone knows me and I know them. I rarely have any disputes on the work, but I try to get the ok before I leave the site.

But there are many customers I wish I never met.