Professional Non Payer
- Thread starter The_Scotty
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The_Scotty, I really feel for you, because this one customer may taint your view of all customers.
I agree with Shytalkz - push aside all emotion and just sue him. If you approach the task as just another way of doing paperwork to collect your money then it will be less traumatic.
Regarding the idea of a deposit - my advice is not to do that. You would risk sullying the relationship with all of your good customers just for the sake of an occasional p*ss-taker. Just because being honourable and doing the right hasn't on one occasion doesn't make it the wrong way to be in the future. Your business will thrive on the goodwill of your existing customer base.
There must be a way for you to identify bad customers and avoid them. For example, for me, all Nigerian landlords fail at the first hurdle. Not because I'm racist, in fact I'm ashamed to have to identify one racial group in this way, but so many of them have tried to do me over that I have a rule not to do business with them.
I agree with Shytalkz - push aside all emotion and just sue him. If you approach the task as just another way of doing paperwork to collect your money then it will be less traumatic.
Regarding the idea of a deposit - my advice is not to do that. You would risk sullying the relationship with all of your good customers just for the sake of an occasional p*ss-taker. Just because being honourable and doing the right hasn't on one occasion doesn't make it the wrong way to be in the future. Your business will thrive on the goodwill of your existing customer base.
There must be a way for you to identify bad customers and avoid them. For example, for me, all Nigerian landlords fail at the first hurdle. Not because I'm racist, in fact I'm ashamed to have to identify one racial group in this way, but so many of them have tried to do me over that I have a rule not to do business with them.
You are right Softus, cheers.
My dad never took deposits, always obtaining his work on goodwill. I always said to him to get some money up front but he did it his way. SInce I have started working I now know the value of goodwill with customers and not asking for money up front helps with that immensely.
I will pursue this guy for my money but sadly I don't hold much hope for getting any going by testimonials of others. But I can't let it slide without giving it a go.
Cheers folk.
My dad never took deposits, always obtaining his work on goodwill. I always said to him to get some money up front but he did it his way. SInce I have started working I now know the value of goodwill with customers and not asking for money up front helps with that immensely.
I will pursue this guy for my money but sadly I don't hold much hope for getting any going by testimonials of others. But I can't let it slide without giving it a go.
Cheers folk.
I can but assume that the people who fail to get their money are victim to one or more of the following:
1. Lack of conviction - they wimp out when (or before) they get to court.
2. Confusion - they get emotional and fail to present the court with clear and dispassionate evidence.
3. An experienced fraudster - even after a court judgment against them, some people do a runner, or lie about their income, and drag out the payment until you give up chasing it.
On principle, even when faced with the probability of the third outcome, I always sue. Even if it costs me the court fee and loss of two hours earning time, I always sue. I once sued a customer for £5, which cost him £45. I've sued BT, MFI, and Dell Computers. None of them went to a hearing, and all of them paid me in full.
Don't get mad; get even. Put everything in writing, and keep a diary of every single letter, and phone call, and action that you take. You might think that you won't forget the detail, but having to remember is stressful, and you need to remove all stress in order to gain maximum credibility in court.
1. Lack of conviction - they wimp out when (or before) they get to court.
2. Confusion - they get emotional and fail to present the court with clear and dispassionate evidence.
3. An experienced fraudster - even after a court judgment against them, some people do a runner, or lie about their income, and drag out the payment until you give up chasing it.
On principle, even when faced with the probability of the third outcome, I always sue. Even if it costs me the court fee and loss of two hours earning time, I always sue. I once sued a customer for £5, which cost him £45. I've sued BT, MFI, and Dell Computers. None of them went to a hearing, and all of them paid me in full.
Don't get mad; get even. Put everything in writing, and keep a diary of every single letter, and phone call, and action that you take. You might think that you won't forget the detail, but having to remember is stressful, and you need to remove all stress in order to gain maximum credibility in court.
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I once sued and was awarded £85 against a non paying customer by the court.
The money was not forthcoming so I sent in the bailliffs which cost another £ 40. Still didn't get my money as they claimed poverty and that all goods were on Hp.
You may win the judgement but getting your hands on the cash is another matter.
I like the sound of Woodyoulike's debt collecters though and will remember that one.
The money was not forthcoming so I sent in the bailliffs which cost another £ 40. Still didn't get my money as they claimed poverty and that all goods were on Hp.
You may win the judgement but getting your hands on the cash is another matter.
I like the sound of Woodyoulike's debt collecters though and will remember that one.
if you and them are a business with less than 500 employees then you can take them to court under the commercial debt regulations
You are able to claim late payment interest and costs by scale
I have this written into my terms and I have never had a problem getting paid
You are able to claim late payment interest and costs by scale
I have this written into my terms and I have never had a problem getting paid
That's 'cos "Rogue Traders" is cheap and easy TV entertainment.
Naming and shaming bad payers would rely on only one complaint from one trader, and you could hardly invite a punter to a camera-rigged house to catch them in the act of being a rogue customer. And they'd also have to weed out the lies from the real ones to avoid being done for harassment, libel, etc.
Naming and shaming bad payers would rely on only one complaint from one trader, and you could hardly invite a punter to a camera-rigged house to catch them in the act of being a rogue customer. And they'd also have to weed out the lies from the real ones to avoid being done for harassment, libel, etc.
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