Slow to Pay

"SHOW ME THE MONEY!"

Go enjoy yourself at the LSAW conference and call them next Monday morning at 8:00 a.m. if it didn't arrive whilst you were off having fun at the casino!

Hello Client,?ÿ

I am just checking on the status of payment for Invoice 1234.?ÿ It is now 14 days old.

Thanks,

Brad

First call we try to let the client save face and tell them we're calling to make sure it didn't get lost in the mail (legit problem for us, local post office is poor). If they haven't sent it yet?ÿ it serves as a reminder and we get it in a couple days. 15 years and never failed. Probably 10 times or so over the years it has been lost in the mail and we'll get the first check a month after we cash the 2nd.

With very few exceptions you should never send, deliver or release your product until paid in full. You only invite what you describe and once they have what they hired you for there is little incentive to pay. Oh sure you can lien them and you can take them to court and possibly get a judgement but be honest; Are you gonna invest that kind of time to collect your money??ÿ

The only exceptions are commercial clients who we have discussed and have been made aware of their payment conditions and billing cycles.?ÿ

Yes. ?ÿIt is worth it. ?ÿIt also tends to alert others that we will track you down and get it one way or another. ?ÿNon-payment is THEFT.

Sweet little old ladies are not immune, either. ?ÿTook a buddy to court once because he was in the middle of a divorce and they had put my invoice in their list of things to have the divorce judge decide as to who was responsible to pay it. ?ÿWas one day away from holding a foreclosure sale on a tract we had surveyed. ?ÿThat is serious business.

But, to help yourself out, avoid: LLC's,those whose only source of income is some form of government assistance, horse traders and oil field scum.

Posted by: Just A. Surveyor

With very few exceptions you should never send, deliver or release your product until paid in full. You only invite what you describe and once they have what they hired you for there is little incentive to pay. Oh sure you can lien them and you can take them to court and possibly get a judgement but be honest; Are you gonna invest that kind of time to collect your money??ÿ

The only exceptions are commercial clients who we have discussed and have been made aware of their payment conditions and billing cycles.?ÿ

This. Until I'm paid in full, nothing is released. You need your map? Bring me cash. Want your corners set? I'll be there on X/XX/XX at XX:XX, meet me there with money. My previous employer mailed everything out along with a bill and got burned too many times for me to repeat that process.

Posted by: Zoidberg

Posted by: Just A. Surveyor

With very few exceptions you should never send, deliver or release your product until paid in full. You only invite what you describe and once they have what they hired you for there is little incentive to pay. Oh sure you can lien them and you can take them to court and possibly get a judgement but be honest; Are you gonna invest that kind of time to collect your money??ÿ

The only exceptions are commercial clients who we have discussed and have been made aware of their payment conditions and billing cycles.?ÿ

This. Until I'm paid in full, nothing is released. You need your map? Bring me cash. Want your corners set? I'll be there on X/XX/XX at XX:XX, meet me there with money. My previous employer mailed everything out along with a bill and got burned too many times for me to repeat that process.

Just to be clear:

This was a down payment; you send me a check; I get started on your project. I will let you know when I need more money.

Headed up to the LSAW Conference, tomorrow. Hope to see lots of Beerleggers there!

?ÿ

Dougie

When we finish a survey, we email the client a pdf copy along with a copy of the invoice; once the survey is paid for, THEN we release the signed/sealed copies.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

Posted by: WorkerBee

When we finish a survey, we email the client a pdf copy along with a copy of the invoice; once the survey is paid for, THEN we release the signed/sealed copies.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

Sure seems to me that if the clients have the PDF copy it is no problem for them to send it to Staples print service and get as many copies as they want in whatever size is needed.

Might want to rethink that.

Nothing at all is released until paid in full.....No if's and's or but's....just saying.

Posted by: Just A. Surveyor

Posted by: WorkerBee

When we finish a survey, we email the client a pdf copy along with a copy of the invoice; once the survey is paid for, THEN we release the signed/sealed copies.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

Sure seems to me that if the clients have the PDF copy it is no problem for them to send it to Staples print service and get as many copies as they want in whatever size is needed.

Might want to rethink that.

Nothing at all is released until paid in full.....No if's and's or but's....just saying.

No township or attorney here will accept a copy that isn't signed, and there's note which invalidates the drawing if it's not endorsed.

I also don't make the policies for the office... this is how the boss does business, and it's served us well.