Just seems a little ridiculous to be having a customer sign there name four times.

I know what you mean.

Almost as ridiculous as having someone sign a carbon copy paper

Do you think the customer will take the copy and file it away? Most likely not. If it's something small like landscaping, I'd throw it in the trash. If I really needed a copy, I'd ask my contractor for a copy. I honestly can't remember the last time I signed anything with a carbon copy.

Why won't email work? It'll also save you some money.

 

Haha!

I always offer to email them a copy on the spot, but 9/10 of them want a hard copy. I think it has something to do with the age of most of our clients. A large portion of our business is in active adult communities 60+, I figure it must be a generational thing. They've probably been screwed by contractors at some point before.

 

I see. Makes more sense for that generation.

 

I print my own carbon copy forms. That way we both have a copy of exactly what was signed up for and we both have proof of signature.

I give them the white copy that has my Service Agreement on the back, and I keep the yellow copy for my records.

 

I didn't realize this was an option. I'm going to have to look into this, it seems like it would make more sense since my contract terms can change from job to job.

 

Carbonless Copy Paper

 

Thank you very much! I had no idea this stuff existed, it's a great alternative.

 

Yeah. Allows me to only print a handful at a time, so I'm free to modify/tweak/improve my bid sheet and my service agreement without having to throw away more than a few obsolete ones. Very handy.

 

So are the papers you use attached in sets? Or are they individual pieces and then after printing them you attach them to one another?

 

They're not attached, though they do come in the package white, yellow, white, yellow, etc. I print the white page in color for the customer, flip it over and print the Service Agreement on the back. (Important note: only one side of the white sheet transfers - so it's critical you print on the proper side.)

Then I print a greyscale copy on the yellow sheet (because I'm cheap like that).

The paper I purchase is actually a half inch longer than a normal sheet of paper (so it's 8.5"x11.5"), and that extra half inch is perforated for easy tear-off. After printing, I used to glue-stick the perforated sections to each other - but that was a needless waste of time. Now I just put two quick staples into the perforated section to hold them together and toss them into my clipboard for future bids.

 

I know this does not evolve to carbon forms exactly.... Have any of you looked at docusign?

We got it through godaddy for our email, 15 a month gets me, email off my domain, office 365 for 5 computers tablets etc, then 10 signed contract through docusign a month.

We are switching to this this year, you can create a template, and fill out the rest for each customer, then I've them sign it off your phone, tablet, computer. And you can send them an email copy, or for your old school people print it out and give them one, this way all your contracts are in one place and won't get lost.

We have not had to use it yet, but are quite excited to do so.

 

Have any of you looked at docusign?

Sounds pretty slick. Being slow to adapt, I probably won't get there for a while, but it sounds convenient. Just this year, I sent out my annual prepay/contract letter to my clients. I explained it was time to go paperless and that I planned to begin emailing invoices, etc. Though most have complied, I have had MANY who let me know that they had no interest in changing from paper and snail mail.

 

If we are able to quote a job on site, yes we will use them. But slowly working away from them and into using ipads in the field and printers in the car. Print the contract out each party signs and moves on.

Any other job that we can't bid on site (usually greater than about $2500) we right up a formal proposal.

Initial the bottom of each page and the final page gets a full signature. Pretty easy.