Script for delinquent payers?

robert griggs

Establish a do not exceed amount for the job over the phone and get a credit card number. If you get to the job and see it will be more, call for approval prior to doing the work. This way you can process the card immediately after the job is complete.

John Starcher_4

My service manager.....

...and I are discussing some of our slower-paying clients, and trying to come up with a better way to "urge" them to pay their bills. Overall, we have very few problems, and are getting more aggressive at spot-billing.

The biggest problem we have is that we are in a very seasonal area, and many of our clients' homes are second or vacation homes, or rental investments. Bottom line is that the majority of our service calls occur when the actual owner is not present, so we bill them.

Most pay in a timely manner, but we still get the occaisional "turtle." It was suggested by my lovely wife that we develop a script for my man to read, cusomized for the individual client being contacted. I have attempted to compose one, but quite honestly got stuck after, "Hello, Mrs. Jones?"

Does anyone have anything they're using that you would be willing to share?

TIA,

Starch

jim lockard

Script

"Sir /Madam If I can have your credit card # We can get started. Thank you very much I will call you when the job is complete and my office will send you a copy of the bill.
Whats so hard everyone these days is requesting proof of payment prior to performing any work, why should you John require any less. Jim Lockard

bob young

pre- payment

A doctor or hospital would not give you a band-aid if you did not give a card # first. and forget about getting a price. you are at their mercy. sad but true. and you better have the co- payment ,too.

Unknown

All good points,

maybe try offering a slight discount (depending on the invoice amount), if paid within so many days of the date of said invoice.
Our wholesalers do it all the time,, I tried it and it does help.
I hate collections!

Dave

jim lockard

The tow truck driver

Will not even think about providing "Road Service" without a C card #. The way my tow truck guy works is give him your card over the phone, he will run a 50.00 charge on it(to prove the card) then when the service has been rendered you can square up with cash and he will credit/debit your account. Jim Lockard