I've already fired 2 customers this year

[BIG WOOD]

I've started my year off with a bang!


I'm not in any mood to put up with customers running over me this year. Especially property manager low end customers. That's specifically who I've burned the bridge with.

The first one was the one that cut my patience short with these types of businesses. I went to do a small $800 water damage job with them. Keep in mind (Damon is gonna sh&* bricks when he reads this...they begged me to come fix this broken pipe flood at the apartment who had that lady that gave me the 1star review that I had to PAY her to remove it. I can find that thread later, but it was BS of course.)
I went to look at it, gave them a price, got the approval, and then started the job. No problem. Well, then they called me the next day, wanting to know if I'd drop my price and told me they'd keep using me if I did. I took that as a threat saying they won't use me any more if I don't drop my price. I said I'll knock $100 even though they APPROVED the invoice before I started the job, and to tell their boss to lose my number after I'm finished.

Keep in mind, this place hardly ever sends any work that's worth driving to. The tenants in the complex call me more than they do, and they pay when I'm done. It felt good to drop them


Now the second one has been needing to go for several months. They just don't pay on the agreed 30day. I know some of you are idiots and wait up to 90 days, but that's bs! We go do the job when they need it done. I say we need to be paid when needed also. The wheel can't keep spinning if you don't grease the cogs.

Back to my long, boring story.
They've given me every property manager's excuse on why I haven't gotten paid. The last one, made me snap. Her lazy ass used Covid as the excuse. You can do office work from home. All she had to do was submit the invoice to the home office. I found out that she waited 60days just to submit the invoice. why she didn't submit it the day after the service was completed? Either way...I said
I’m glad you made it through the covid sickness and I hope you stay healthy, but with that aside, it’s been over 8 weeks and this has happened numerous times more than I can count. I’m sorry to say that this will be the last invoice that will be written to **********. I’ll be expecting the check to arrive shortly. I wish you the best with this company and I hope they treat you well

Matt Wood/Currahee Cleaning Services

So,

 

[FB7777]

There are good property managers and there are the ones you are dealing or have dealt with for the last time


90 days is a stretch, but I have a couple commercial accts that pay 45-60days

Im not turning that $6000/ month faucet off over a couple weeks payment delay . When you think about it, as long as they’re Consistent, you are getting a check each month

 

[Nomad74]

Good for you. Don't be afraid to fire the people that treat you like a commodity. They're a cancer and you can't build a business on their backs by doing discount work.

 

[hogjowl]

Some days our fuses are shorter than other days. I’ve had to fire a few, maybe 10, in my 33 years of business. It’s always from them showing a lack of respect.

 

[FB7777]

Some days our fuses are shorter than other days. I’ve had to fire a few, maybe 10, in my 33 years of business. It’s always from them showing a lack of respect.

How many nanoseconds would it take for you to fire me?

 

[hogjowl]

I’m not sure because I don’t REALLY know you. However, I suspect we’d get along really well.

 

[Cleanworks]

How many nanoseconds would it take for you to fire me?

Here's your hat, what's your hurry?

 

[mannie26]

please, where can I buy the carpet edge cleaning tool?

 

[BIG WOOD]

Some days our fuses are shorter than other days. I’ve had to fire a few, maybe 10, in my 33 years of business. It’s always from them showing a lack of respect.

I agree, and this might be the third time I’ve fired a customer. My customer list has a good flow of growth and I feel I just need to make some room for good customers vs bad ones.

And I don’t know if I mentioned it on that company with the water damage job...but they’ve been replacing the carpet with vct as the tenants move out, so I don’t see any growth with that company even if I kept putting up with them.

 

[Nomad74]

please, where can I buy the carpet edge cleaning tool?

Cleaning Supplies Online - National Delivery | Schaper's Supply

Cleaning and Restoration Supply. We deliver nationwide for bulk supplies order online. Questions call Schaper's Supply 215-592-0812

shopschaperssupply.com

 

[scotty747]

Someone makes an internal jet on as well. Probably PMF

 

[hogjowl]

Yes
Just Google PMF edge cleaning wand

 

[Mikey P]

please, where can I buy the carpet edge cleaning tool?

Booted/Easy Glide Grout SKU CV56SBG

BOOTED CREVICE CV56SBG EASY GLIDE TOOL CARPET CLEANING EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES CHEMICALS TOOLS

www.superiorcleaningsolutions.com

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Make sure to get sale price...

 

[Brian H]

I don't fire customers for being a bit slow with payment, though we do pester them a bit.

I have fired customers for trying to solicit side work from our crews though. The guys know I have zero tolerance for doing side work for customers and they report customers who try and do that.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

I have no patience for slow pay. If you can’t afford it, don’t order it.

 

[Papa John]

I'm Not A Bank/Loan Company. I expect to be paid on the day of the cleaning for most of my customers.
I will allow a few customers to take a week or two to pay me.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

Do I have Ass National on my cap

 

[Brian H]

I have no patience for slow pay. If you can’t afford it, don’t order it.

I'm Not A Bank/Loan Company. I expect to be paid on the day of the cleaning for most of my customers.
I will allow a few customers to take a week or two to pay me.

Everyone has their own ideas about that and it's all okay. I look at it as part of doing commercial work.

 

[BIG WOOD]

Everyone has their own ideas about that and it's all okay. I look at it as part of doing commercial work.

I agree, but if they can’t pay in 30days, they aren’t a good customer.

 

[Brian H]

I agree, but if they can’t pay in 30days, they aren’t a good customer.

They aren't a good customer for you. I have lot's of customers who take 30-60 days to pay.

Let's take an example. You have a $1,000 job and they take 60 days to pay. Now assume you are getting 5% return on your money in savings/checking (which would be really high right now, more like 2%). Waiting an additional month (60 days instead of 30 days) costs you $4.10 in potential lost interest, so it's like giving the customer less than 1/2 percent discount. Heck you will lose more money when a customer pays with a credit card.

By the way, the above example would only cost you that money if you are 100% booked with jobs. If you fire the customer and have a hole in your day because of it, you lose the 99.59% of that $1,000 job.

And that is why we don't fire customers for slow pay.

 

[FredC]

My wife is in property management and the corp is a bit of a slow payer. She has been fired by a few contractors over it which I get.

but those that have rode it out have made shitloads of cash over what has turned out to be decades long relationships.

 

[Papa John]

Many real estate companies and others are at risk of going bankrupt.
Its up to each owner how much risk they want to take.

 

[Clean Rug Doug]

I had an apartment complex that was an extra slow payer. I finally charged 10% extra and they could pay the regular price if they paid within the 30 days. For a long time nothing changed. About 1 1/2 years ago they started paying on time or even early. Never chose to pay the lower amount. At the start of this year I took the save 10% note off.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

The eviction moratorium has many landlords in a terrible bind. Beware.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

I’m spoiled and I know it. Being a Jan San person you’d think I would be more patient. All of my accounts pay throughout the current month. In fact, my largest account paid yesterday for the current month. When someone don’t pay, they are borrowing from them.

 

[Clean Rug Doug]

I’m spoiled and I know it. Being a Jan San person you’d think I would be more patient. All of my accounts pay throughout the current month. In fact, my largest account paid yesterday for the current month. When someone don’t pay, they are borrowing from them.

I send out my janitorial invoices on the 1st and expect payment in 30 days. The invoices for February's work are out already. Most are good payers. I have two accounts that get invoices on the 1st and 15th and are net 15. Those managers have to get higher level approval for larger checks, so we split the month.

 

[Kenny Hayes]

We do the same. We e-mail invoices on the first and as you say, expect payment by the end. Don’t get me wrong, if I do a floor or carpet outside my customers, we invoice upon completion and still expect payment in 30 days.
After that, we send 2nd notice, That usually gets an invoice paid.
I quit any construction work because of trickle down pay. I don’t like being at the bottom of the hill.

 

[Cleanworks]

The majority of my commercial customers pay within the month. I depend on my residential for my regular cash flow. When I get cheques from my commercial customers it's like an unexpected bonus. For example, I have a condo tower I am doing in 2 weeks. I will spend 2-4 hours each day for 2 days. It's a $2000 job. I will email the invoice and won't get paid for 2-3 weeks. By that time, I've almost forgotten about it. All of a sudden, I receive a $2000 cheque in the mail. Bonus. Every time I check my mail box I have a nice surprise.

 

[FB7777]

I agree, but if they can’t pay in 30days, they aren’t a good customer.

In a perfect world, every commercial account would pay within 30 days

those customers you fired were slow pay and also lousy accounts

in my case , it would be stupid to fire my 45-60day clients because the National parent company holds invoices

if you missed Brian Hanna’s post above , you should check it out