# Looking for another billing option??



## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

right now I mail my statements right after I'm done moving snow or within a day or two. The problem seems to be if it snows a few days later and I send another bill. Then some ppl kind of get confused. I will just add a picture of how I would put multiple snowfalls. Here is an example of how I would do it. Just want it to be simple for everyone. Gets expensive buying stamps all the time to. A lot of the ppl are old and don't have email so I feel a bill in the mail is the only option. What do you think? Thanks


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

If they are old, and no email, or anything of the like. I think what you have is it.


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

You might want to add a description specifying that the date given is the date of service rendered as opposed to just a billing date for clarity


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

Randall Ave said:


> If they are old, and no email, or anything of the like. I think what you have is it.


Right. But how do you send your out? Weekly monthly or what. Just looking for a more cost effective option I guess. If I wait till the end of the month and it snows say 5 times and now there bill is $500 and they can't afford to pay the full amount it doesn't do me any good either. I like to get paid as soon as possible


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

cwren2472 said:


> You might want to add a description specifying that the date given is the date of service rendered as opposed to just a billing date for clarity


Yea I guess I put the date of service and at the top and bottom of page is the statement date.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

My snow invoices are mostly municipal. Much more detail. My other line of work, vehicle repair, every time a repair is performed, it's a separate event. If I perform 30 repairs for a customer in a month, it's 30 invoices, 30 purchase orders. End of month statement. And we all want to get paid right away. But that's becoming more of a fantasy. Tell everyone you can your going electronic billing. Most old people do use internet, email nowadays.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

My per visit clients get billed once a month, the heading is Snow Plowing Services, or Salt/Sanding Services.
Description is Month of January with the service dates.. Say January 2,5,7,11 etc 2017. Count them up, that's your unit #, and $50 unit price. QuickBooks does the math and adds the tax.
You shouldnt worry about their finances, you agreed on a price, you serviced them. Get paid for what you do...


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Mr.Markus said:


> My per visit clients get billed once a month, the heading is Snow Plowing Services, or Salt/Sanding Services.
> Description is Month of January with the service dates.. Say January 2,5,7,11 etc 2017. Count them up, that's your unit #, and $50 unit price. QuickBooks does the math and adds the tax.
> You shouldnt worry about their finances, you agreed on a price, you serviced them. Get paid for what you do...


In some ways that's why I like municipal work. It's two months, possibly more to get paid. But you know it's coming, at the invoice amount.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

I should probably add that I used to send out stacks of mail every month.
Im down to about 9 clients that get snail mail and still pay me with a cheque.
Everyone else is now email and e-transfers which I was skeptical about but have come to love.


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Mr.Markus said:


> My per visit clients get billed once a month, the heading is Snow Plowing Services, or Salt/Sanding Services.
> Description is Month of January with the service dates.. Say January 2,5,7,11 etc 2017. Count them up, that's your unit #, and $50 unit price. QuickBooks does the math and adds the tax.
> You shouldnt worry about their finances, you agreed on a price, you serviced them. Get paid for what you do...


I do the same thing. Invoice monthly showing service dates and I include the amount of snow 2", 4", etc. There's no question as to why the higher cost on dates with more snow.
Invoices have the property address on the heading and get emailed. Most of my clients have multiple properties.
Most send a check. Some pay via e-transfer.
If the invoices aren't paid in 30 days, they get a statement showing 1% monthly fee added to the pre


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

Accidentally sent. 
1% monthly fee added to the previous invoice. I also inform them service will be suspended until paid.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Randall Ave said:


> In some ways that's why I like municipal work. It's two months, possibly more to get paid. But you know it's coming, at the invoice amount.


The right residential work is key, I have customers that treat me like a lawn jockey, they pay on the 30th day just to take advantage of every day. The big ones, that are never around pay by e transfer within a day of invoicing. I print all my invoices, and a have 1 customer that pays her invoice by e transfer before the printer has stopped and she lives most of the time in New York.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Mr.Markus said:


> The right residential work is key, I have customers that treat me like a lawn jockey, they pay on the 30th day just to take advantage of every day. The big ones, that are never around pay by e transfer within a day of invoicing. I print all my invoices, and a have 1 customer that pays her invoice by e transfer before the printer has stopped and she lives most of the time in New York.


That's not bad. I'm servicing trailers today. Might get paid in time for Thanksgiving.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Our Thanksgiving is 1st week October...


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## BossPlow2010 (Sep 29, 2010)

Mr.Markus said:


> The right residential work is key, I have customers that treat me like a lawn jockey, they pay on the 30th day just to take advantage of every day. The big ones, that are never around pay by e transfer within a day of invoicing. I print all my invoices, and a have 1 customer that pays her invoice by e transfer before the printer has stopped and she lives most of the time in New York.


Curious, since she lives out of the country, does your bank charge you a conversion of currency fee, and if so do you calculate that in your original invoice


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

She uses her Canadian account. So no. 
E transfer is separate from the banks apparently.


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

R&J Whitetails said:


> Right. But how do you send your out? Weekly monthly or what. Just looking for a more cost effective option I guess. If I wait till the end of the month and it snows say 5 times and now there bill is $500 and they can't afford to pay the full amount it doesn't do me any good either. I like to get paid as soon as possible


Couple options...prepay say for 5 pushes. You have your money and don't have to send out invoices for the first 5 times.

Invoice bi-weekly.

Invoice monthly.

If they don't have enough money to pay for 1 big bill, aren't they going to be short for 2 or 3 smaller invoices that come to the same total?

Why is that your problem? Or you have the wrong customers.


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## cwren2472 (Aug 15, 2014)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Or you have the wrong customers.


I was thinking this but didn't want to say it. I was trying to figure out if most of his customers routinely have people come out to do work for them without any concept of what they are going to pay for it or how they will pay for it.

If someone plowing your driveway three times breaks the bank for you, maybe they should invest in a shovel and some Wheaties for breakfast.


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## yardsmith (Jan 3, 2000)

We usually invoice monthly for residential. If they are more $ per plow, then ask them. Offer weekly billing, 2x a month, etc. Ask them what works for them. The problem with billing too often is things can get mixed up by invoices & checks coming & going, crossing in the mail, esp if they don't notate the invoice # in the memo.


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

Mr.Markus said:


> The right residential work is key, I have customers that treat me like a lawn jockey, they pay on the 30th day just to take advantage of every day. The big ones, that are never around pay by e transfer within a day of invoicing. I print all my invoices, and a have 1 customer that pays her invoice by e transfer before the printer has stopped and she lives most of the time in New York.


So how do you do e-transfer? The bank obviously has to set that up but how does it work? You click on ms. Jones name and enter the amount owed and push send?


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

Mark Oomkes said:


> Couple options...prepay say for 5 pushes. You have your money and don't have to send out invoices for the first 5 times.
> 
> Invoice bi-weekly.
> 
> ...


It's never been a problem thus far I was just thinking about the what if's if I sent it out monthly that's all. Lot of these ppl prob pay from there social security money. It was just a what if I guess. Thanks


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## Elite Snow Removal (Sep 29, 2015)

yardsmith said:


> The problem with billing too often is things can get mixed up by invoices & checks coming & going, crossing in the mail, esp if they don't notate the invoice # in the memo.


That's what i want to avoid is that exactly. Thanks for all the options and I think I'm just going to ask what works best for everyone and hopefully the majority are the same


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## EWSplow (Dec 4, 2012)

R&J Whitetails said:


> So how do you do e-transfer? The bank obviously has to set that up but how does it work? You click on ms. Jones name and enter the amount owed and push send?


There are a few different apps you can use. Venmo, which is paypal, Zelle, Chase and other big banks use this.
You'd have to coordinate with the person you are billing.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

You can learn more about e transfer through your banks website. It's service provided by interact that uses 2 email addresses to transfer funds between banks. I just put a notation on my invoice template " We now accept E Transfers"


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