Billing Poll

[Lizard Lawn Care]

:usflag: :) :usflag: Am I in the minority or majority????

I bill all my customers for services rendered.... What does everyone else do?? bill at the end of the month or make customers prepay>?????:clapping:
I also make my customers sign a "service agreement" its purpose is to advise of average service times on a monthly basis and to get a commitment for payment for services rendered.... Folks around here DO NOT WANT to sign long term contracts so, this gives them the option to cancel at any time.....but I think I have some firepower if they dont pay.....

whats up?????:usflag: :) :usflag:

[Groomer]

first of the month for the previous month,no contract. Had some people for 10 plus years.

[grandview (2006)]

I bill all my customers at the end of the month. I use only an agreement that they sign to show how much it is per cut. If they want to cancel I don't care. No one has canceled during the year unless they moved.

[mike lane lawn care]

i now have 1 that i get paid for at the end of the month, but i know i would never have problems with him paying. the rest i collect after service arch time, but i am thinking of giving them the bi-weekly or monthy payment by mail system, i would set an absolute due date that if i did not have money from them by the time their next service came around i would call, and let them know, then i would get payment before i did any work. if they didn't send me a check, and if they didn't pay me in person when i got there, they would have tall grass.

[ed2hess]

As your business grows charging for each service can become a paperwork nightmare. For that reason 12 payments per year associated with a month usually works nicely. And paying on line without any bill be sent is definitely the way of the future. The nightmare comes in keeping payments in sync with mowing dates. People are getting dumb and dumber and it appears if you tell them you owe me for May...they can comprehend that.

[quiet]

The day I start becomes their billing date. I bill after services rendered. If I start on the 10th, they get a bill for the period from the 10th through the 9th. I make them sign a service agreement the first year so they understand they are gonna pay me for all 12 months. After the first year, I usually do business on a handshake. I send an itemized bill each month showing the billing period and the dates we serviced them. The Basic Service rate is charged each month. Fertilizing, weed killing, etc. is billed as line item additional in the billing period that it was performed.

[topsites]

Work first, then pay, per service rendered.

For those who prefer monthly billing, I offer this for any customer with whom, after some initial time we decide we're ok with each other.

[6'7 330]

Seasonal full service contracts. x amount of cuts, aeration ,bushes, mulch , fert etc.spread out over x amount of mouths.

[anj]

I Had Some Invoices Made That I Put In Their Mailbox After Each Visit. If They Havent Paid By The Next Vist They Dont Get Cut If They Are New. Most Of My Residentials Are Every Two Weeks, So I Think Thats Plenty Of Time For Them To Send Payment It Works Out Pretty Good.

[naturescape]

I Had Some Invoices Made That I Put In Their Mailbox After Each Visit. If They Havent Paid By The Next Vist They Dont Get Cut If They Are New. Most Of My Residentials Are Every Two Weeks, So I Think Thats Plenty Of Time For Them To Send Payment It Works Out Pretty Good.

Don't put an invoice in their mailbox unless it has a new stamp on it. If you piss off the wrong postal employee, you'll be paying a large fine.

And stop capitalizing each word, VERY hard to read!

[Freddy_Kruger]

Work first, then pay, per service rendered.

For those who prefer monthly billing, I offer this for any customer with whom, after some initial time we decide we're ok with each other.
I don't think that would work for me because I do so many small jobs, it would just add an extra hour to the day.

Do you knock on their door and ask them for a check or just leave a check in the mail box each time?

When I was thinking of per service billing (still am) I would follow the (like to follow) the model that justmowit does. They tap your visa after 24 hours after each service. I think the 24 hour wait is a time periode for any potential complaints and after that they tap your visa and don't except a complaint. I rather like that method.

[hostingdiva]

I bill monthly and give them the option of sending me a check or going on line and paying through my website. I also give them option to get e-mail invoices and this way it less of a hassle and I save on a stamp :)

But, I have to update my records on a weekly basis so that I can track when people are behind. People do seem to like paying online and it's easier for me because the money just goes straight into my bank account :clapping:

[lawnprosteveo]

I am slowly working towards making people choose between weekly and monthly.

If they choose monthly, then they prepay for the coming month's mowing.

If they choose weekly, then they have to leave a check somewhere for me.

[lawnman_scott]

I bill one month in advance. That ends collection problems that have happened it the past.

[Brianslawn]

credit cards at first of month for that month. every other method tried just hasnt worked when you get to this size. all new ones are on credit cards and rest will be switching or facing higher price next year. extra work is billed to card when work is done. you got to maintain cashflow.

[Howard Roark]

Credit card auto billed the day after each mow, or whatever service.