# billing



## shott8283 (Feb 17, 2008)

how often (frequency) do you guys send out bills (for per push/hourly that is)


just wondering what you let your acounts balance get up to before you need to start seeing some cash come back in?


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

when snow is flying i might go four or five days...when it's like the season is now, i usually bill after each event in case we go a few days without seeing snow or ice


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

of course, monthly contracts are billed at the first of every month, due by the end


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## hydro_37 (Sep 10, 2006)

I do per-push and bill at the end of the month.
it takes too much time to do it after every storm.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

hydro_37;888551 said:


> I do per-push and bill at the end of the month.
> it takes too much time to do it after every storm.


you like to wait till the very end of the month? see i can't do that, i have to do the costing right away and when i cost, i do the billing, this way its accurate and i don't forget anything


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## cplmac (Nov 25, 2009)

Does anyone have an invoice template they would be willing to share? I just now realized I don't have an invoice to send.... Seriously....


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

you can make one easy enough on word or excel


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## asps4u (Sep 16, 2009)

cplmac;888628 said:


> Does anyone have an invoice template they would be willing to share? I just now realized I don't have an invoice to send.... Seriously....


If you have Microsoft Word, you can make one in there from one of their templates, and you can customize it however you like. Worked for me in the beginning. Just open Word, go to Help, click Microsoft Word Help and in the search field type invoice template. It will walk you through it. Really easy and it's free.


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## cseutah (Nov 24, 2009)

or quick-books has good invoicing. we are the same we bill the last day of the month for all services. we do track and cost our storms per event but we bill at the end of month for simplicity and it would take forever to bill all our customers after each storm.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

quickbooks is relatively cheap too...not putting you down or anything but if you are a "legit" business, you should look into quick books for keeping track of your books.


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## JeffNY (Dec 19, 2005)

Everyone gets billed the 1st of each month


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## DCL (Oct 15, 2009)

I have also yet to decide on when to bill. We do not get many events and so I am leaning towards billing after every storm. As for quickbooks. We would be lost with out it. Really is the best. Real easy to learn and its great for invoicing as well as keeping track of absolutly everything. Highly recommend it.


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## M&M (Sep 8, 2008)

I still don't know how you guys can bill after every storm. I understand "work, get paid" I get it. But don't you think that your customers see you a desperate? Not bagging on anyone, but the rest of the world (utilities) bills monthly. Maybe I'm doing it wrong because I still have a customer (ex-customer) that owes me $$$.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

M&M;888819 said:


> I still don't know how you guys can bill after every storm. I understand "work, get paid" I get it. But don't you think that your customers see you a desperate? Not bagging on anyone, but the rest of the world (utilities) bills monthly. Maybe I'm doing it wrong because I still have a customer (ex-customer) that owes me $$$.


A lot of smaller customers, i.e. gas stations, mom and pop shops, like the billing every couple events because it's easier for them to pay versus having one large bill that they know they can't swallow at once.

the larger contracts don't really care either way so i continue to bill them the same way to keep everyone on the same cycle


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## cseutah (Nov 24, 2009)

M&M;888819 said:


> I still don't know how you guys can bill after every storm. I understand "work, get paid" I get it. But don't you think that your customers see you a desperate? Not bagging on anyone, but the rest of the world (utilities) bills monthly. Maybe I'm doing it wrong because I still have a customer (ex-customer) that owes me $$$.


no m&m the majority of companies bill at the end of the month for services. I'm not saying anything bad about a company that bills per event, but one customer that we picked up this year said her only complaint about the guy who did it last year was she would get so many bills from him because he would bill her after every storm and sometimes daily. so i guess to each their own, but i prefer monthly billing, shows that you are organized, and more financially sound. per event billers please don't be offended i'm not insulting anyone just my opinion on this subject. you don't risk any more or i should say any bigger loses in the event of non payment or bankruptcies if you have 1 invoice for $100 to 20 for $2000.00 just more paperwork to file.


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## cseutah (Nov 24, 2009)

redman6565;888844 said:


> A lot of smaller customers, i.e. gas stations, mom and pop shops, like the billing every couple events because it's easier for them to pay versus having one large bill that they know they can't swallow at once.
> 
> the larger contracts don't really care either way so i continue to bill them the same way to keep everyone on the same cycle


redman if you send them 1 invoice for 500 or 5 invoices for 100 each during the month isn't it the same money to spend??


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

cseutah;888857 said:


> redman if you send them 1 invoice for 500 or 5 invoices for 100 each during the month isn't it the same money to spend??


yes, but it is easier to pay 100 on the 5th, 100 on the 10th, etc. then 500 by the end of the month


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## cseutah (Nov 24, 2009)

redman6565;888863 said:


> yes, but it is easier to pay 100 on the 5th, 100 on the 10th, etc. then 500 by the end of the month


i agree it would be easier for them to pay in installments through out the month but it's still the same amount of money to pay in a 30 day period. If we have a big month i let our smaller customers pay their bills in payments. example Joe's corner market billed $500 for December. pays $250 in Jan then $125 Feb and march this helps them and i don't have to worry much about non payments.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

i guess its all about how you set it up...i sort of walked into this set up from my old man, so the customers like it, so i continued it


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## cseutah (Nov 24, 2009)

redman6565;888894 said:


> i guess its all about how you set it up...i sort of walked into this set up from my old man, so the customers like it, so i continued it


i hear you, again dont take offense, if everything worked for everyone we would all do it right? i'm a firm believer if we all where supposed to do the same thing, there would be one job and we would all have it.


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## M&M (Sep 8, 2008)

You guys are right, if the customer likes it one way and it's no skin off your back then why not. I also keep everyone on the same cycle. I invoice 90% of my customers through email from quickbooks. This has been a great thing for me.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

M&M;889497 said:


> You guys are right, if the customer likes it one way and it's no skin off your back then why not. I also keep everyone on the same cycle. I invoice 90% of my customers through email from quickbooks. This has been a great thing for me.


i wish i could email mine...


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

cseutah;889055 said:


> i hear you, again dont take offense, if everything worked for everyone we would all do it right? i'm a firm believer if we all where supposed to do the same thing, there would be one job and we would all have it.


ya in all the years ive been in charge and did the billing, which is 7 now, never had one complaint but i thought about what you said about looking desperate and all and I guess that might be what allows me to bill weekly is that i never call my customers about payments. we sort of give them the freedom to wait and pay two or three at once if they want.


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## cda817 (Nov 20, 2009)

We also bill monthly way too much work to bill after every event. Plus most people only pay there bills once a month anyways so financially for us there is no benefit to sending out 12 invoices or 1. 

Also from a cost point of view which has not been brought up yet. It takes my office girl almost an entire day to get my invoices out and we use quickbooks. So 8 hours to do one set of invoices. $12/ hour thats $96 per invoicing I couldn't afford to have her do that 10 or 12 times a month.


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## RepoMan207 (Oct 7, 2008)

I bill my "per event" customers after every event on a 7 day net invoice. This way if someone wants to screw me, It's not going to be for much, and I'm going to know about it within a few weeks rather then a few months.


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## palmtree907 (Sep 25, 2009)

We bill on the first of the month. Due upon receipt. If we go more than about 3 weeks with no payment, I start calling. My wife has everything set up in Excel to track per event costs, per event invoicing, monthly billing, and monthly accounts payable. I just push snow and bring in more business.


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## jay albers (May 8, 2009)

I bill per push. After 4 pushes i send a invoice or drop it in there mailbox. i keep a binder with me after a push i mark the date and time. each custumer has there own page. set it up now. 
I get my invoices at walmart. keep it simple man.Unless your running a fleet, then it will get a little more involved


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## cplmac (Nov 25, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I grabbed a template from open office and it's going to be just fine.



M&M;888819 said:


> I still don't know how you guys can bill after every storm. I understand "work, get paid" I get it. But don't you think that your customers see you a desperate? Not bagging on anyone, but the rest of the world (utilities) bills monthly. Maybe I'm doing it wrong because I still have a customer (ex-customer) that owes me $$$.


This is my first season on my own, I'm going to bill per event until I feel comfortable that I have my head around everything. I have about 20 locations through a single account so it's pretty simple. Again thanks everyone, I really appreciate it!


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## Bajak (Nov 12, 2008)

I just do seasonal. Post dated checks due Dec.15th. I send out up to 5 invoices at once, depending on the payment terms, the beginning of November.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

Bajak;891294 said:


> I just do seasonal. Post dated checks due Dec.15th. I send out up to 5 invoices at once, depending on the payment terms, the beginning of November.


thats what we do with our seasonals but for our per trips and hourlys, i bill every couple events, just easier for me...we only have twenty or so per trip or hourly accounts so it doesn't take me long


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## Bajak (Nov 12, 2008)

redman6565;891304 said:


> thats what we do with our seasonals but for our per trips and hourlys, i bill every couple events, just easier for me...we only have twenty or so per trip or hourly accounts so it doesn't take me long


Perhaps you are the one I got the idea from. I got burned before. No Checks No service. If they don't like the service don't send me the checks. If I don't like their demands I send back the remaining checks and dump them.

It kinda keeps every one honest.


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## pongow26 (Dec 19, 2008)

cplmac;888628 said:


> Does anyone have an invoice template they would be willing to share? I just now realized I don't have an invoice to send.... Seriously....


Quickbooks works really well. I have it for my storage business. It allows you to track any all business related exspenses. It makes itemized invocies and gives you reports for anything you want that is business related. Its pricy software but its well worth it


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