# Wal Mart & Servicechannel



## shooters480

This week has been fun. Will it sink or float. Got nine of the twenty nine prices wrong, all less that the accepted contract bids were. But they are working on it. Any war stories yet.


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## Camden

What exactly are you referring to? 9 of 29 wrong?


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## shooters480

The agreed price with the Wal Mart managers that we have been doing the work after usm got droped earlier this year. But Servicechannel working with Wal Mart Exterior Services now sends work orders weekly with the price for each service. These work orders include everything, sweeping, pressure washing, & landscape maintenence.


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## Longae29

Read the O.P with a heavy north carolina accent, it makes much more sense that way.


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## hickslawns

Made sense to me. I gotcha SHooter. Most of our work orders still show them in the "inactive" status. Call them and they tell you "Take care of your managers, we are working on it."


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## 4700dan

*Service Channel*

Hey Hick's it's Dan from Ohio nice to get in contact with you, we have had good luck so far with Service Channel the only problem we have had is that the service ticket number does expire at 11:59 pm that day but we are now going to do an invoice and see how this turns out


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## GLLLC

Service channel sucks we have 22hrs this week alone working with them and walmart:realmad::realmad:


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## Tiflawn

Same with us. We sweep and mow for them. Nothing but nightmares. Prices are wrong, amount of services per week are wrong. Wait till snow flies.


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## hickslawns

Going to be interesting. I also have over 20hrs invested in it so far plus a laptop to be able to process these when out of the office. I thought they said it wouldn't cost the contractors a dime? Oh well. The way I look at it is this: This raises the level of difficulty in bringing in new contractors. The barriers to entry might be enough to limit some from attempting to pick up work with WM. 

Definitely some frustration, but if they steamline things and keep the nationals out of the corporate office, then the time and money I have invested are worth it.


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## 4700dan

hickslawns;1315737 said:


> Going to be interesting. I also have over 20hrs invested in it so far plus a laptop to be able to process these when out of the office. I thought they said it wouldn't cost the contractors a dime? Oh well. The way I look at it is this: This raises the level of difficulty in bringing in new contractors. The barriers to entry might be enough to limit some from attempting to pick up work with WM.
> 
> Definitely some frustration, but if they steamline things and keep the nationals out of the corporate office, then the time and money I have invested are worth it.


Why did you pickup a laptop don't they send the work orders once a week to you


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## tm2501

I have 5 Wal Marts(Texas) that I do lawn care for and have for 7 years now...Is invoicing through service channel as hard as it looks????? I'm not real good with a computer....

Thank you


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## 4700dan

tm2501;1316143 said:


> I have 5 Wal Marts(Texas) that I do lawn care for and have for 7 years now...Is invoicing through service channel as hard as it looks????? I'm not real good with a computer....
> 
> Thank you


The invoiceing is pretty easy I just did my first one on Thursday not bad at all


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## iceman1

It has been a lot of work for my Admin staff, but now that we got everything figured out we are ok. My problem is what if the person that handles this is on vacation for a week or 2. We all need to request that they send this out monthly. this weekly **** is crazy. I do not do admin personally nor am I about to start. My plate is to full as it is. Please everyone say week need to do this monthly.


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## hickslawns

4700dan;1315741 said:


> Why did you pickup a laptop don't they send the work orders once a week to you


We were ready for a new one anyway. Plus, I am not sure exactly what is going to happen with the snow work orders. They way I am seeing it, I may have to accept work orders on the fly from the seat of my truck. If not, I have a new laptop to use while working or to use for checking trail camera cards in the field for our hunting business.


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## elroy195

Does anyone have any idea as to how long it takes to get paid under the servicechannel program. And what the pay procedure is. No one in the store I service has any idea either. They are more lost then I am. I think I have the invoicing procedure understood, it's the getting paid part I don't know about!


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## cossmo35

you can invoice every 7 days. i have invoiced for the last two weeks of september and for two weeks they are set to pay nov 6th i have called and emailed wal-mart and service channel but they have not called or emailed me back good luck


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## CDC8002

We also have worked through pricing and length of service for lot sweeping and landscape with Service Channel for our stores. Pricing took 2 weeks to be corrected. Our contract period is from April thru November. The w/o's state April thru Oct and have yet to be corrected. Numerious e-mails from us and the stores with no reply. Have also called into Walmarts phone conferences with the store managers 3 times and the speeker has said each time his team is working on these problems with Service Channel and keep servicing your stores until the problems are corrected. The invoicing is a piece of cake, gets approved (color code green) within a couple days. We have 16 in the approved status (green). No one will tell us when they go into the PAID status (Blue). Has anyone had a invoice turn BLUE yet?


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## elroy195

My Invoice status are the same as CDC8002. I'm a owner operator small business and not getting paid is really putting me in a bind. And I'm sure everyone else feels the same!!


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## 4700dan

We have been paid for 2 invoices now


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## cossmo35

*pay terms*

47dan what are your pay terms with wal-mart. that you got paid so fast. im still waiting to get paid from september. and for every 7 day's. i have to wait one month. i wish they would go back to the old way. i would turn in my invoices and two weeks later i would get paid. i don't know about you other guy's.but that's hard on me to keep paying wages and fuel to service my wal-marts and have to wait this long to get paid.but everyday. is getting closer to pay day,


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## johndeereguy

I am new to this service channel thing with WalMart. I used to be a contractor for USM for WalMart, but now am doing seveal stores this winter for snow removal. All of my stores are seasonal pay, billed 4 times a winter, on the first of the month. How long do you think it will takes to get paid? I am suppose to have an online meeting to set things up, was just curious to see what you guys are thinking


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## cossmo35

*wal-mart*

they have my terms as net 30 and i have to invoice every 7 day's and for every 7 day's it will take a month to be paid. the last check i got was in august and then service channel came in and had to wait to invoice and my first check will be nov 3rd but now i should be paid every 7 day's i hope good luck


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## elroy195

*No pay day Yet*

It's been 6 weeks for me too with no pay. I emailed Walmart Exterior Services this morning explaining that I need to get paid. It's hard to make truck payment and buy fuel when you don't get paid. There is no number to call to talk with a live person. And they say keep servicing the Wal-marts till they get things straight with servicechannel. I think Walmart Exterior Services should have had all this worked out before they started using this system!!


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## 4700dan

We have recieved two checks already dont know what the hold up is for you payup


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## johndeereguy

Thanks guys. From what I am hearing then is that once I bill the first time on Jan 1 that I should get paid by Feb 1. Also how long does this online class thing I have to take last?


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## elroy195

Ok! Finally this morning, I received two check, and an email stating they have simplified the invoicing so maybe we'll get paid regularly...


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## 4700dan

cossmo35;1336951 said:


> 47dan what are your pay terms with wal-mart. that you got paid so fast. im still waiting to get paid from september. and for every 7 day's. i have to wait one month. i wish they would go back to the old way. i would turn in my invoices and two weeks later i would get paid. i don't know about you other guy's.but that's hard on me to keep paying wages and fuel to service my wal-marts and have to wait this long to get paid.but everyday. is getting closer to pay day,


Our payment terms are 15 days and we bill bimonthly


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## hickslawns

elroy195;1337680 said:


> Ok! Finally this morning, I received two check, and an email stating they have simplified the invoicing so maybe we'll get paid regularly...


Good to hear. I am without pay as well. Makes it tough when you and the person on the phone have troubles communicating. That is all I am saying on this one.



> It's been 6 weeks for me too with no pay. I emailed Walmart Exterior Services this morning explaining that I need to get paid. It's hard to make truck payment and buy fuel when you don't get paid.


Yet another reason to not put all your eggs in one basket. I am being a hypocrit when I say this because I do have 2 truck payments. However, generally speaking I try to make one payment when I purchase equipment and that would be when I pick it up. While one payment would not have hurt my feelings since I put a substantial payment down on my new truck, when the lady ran the stop sign and totaled one of my sweeper trucks last month it put me in a pinch. I could NOT go without a truck until they figured things out so I was forced to buy another truck. Until the insurance companies get things settled down I guess I will have 2 truck payments. Gotta love insurance companies. Just glad she had insurance.

Glad to hear you received your check. Hopefully things will start to smooth out for the rest of us soon.


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## elroy195

*Thanks hickslawns*

I know you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket but in my case being in a small town Wal mart is the biggest contract around here and not many businesses want to spend the money to have their lost swept so that makes Wal- Mart the largest contributor to my income. And most other businesses in the small towns in my area stay with their local sweeping contractor which may be ran by the town itself. If there is a Walmart in the town they usually stay with their local contractor also. You usually have the contract for a while (20 years for me), unless something like USM comes along.The only way to balance this is to expand in other areas like snow removal, mowing & landscaping. Any way... Thanks and I hope everyone else starts getting paid too !


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## hickslawns

I see. It is somewhat like this in our town as well. Many of the smaller stores and restaurants simply don't have their lot swept. Minimum wage, pimply faced kid with a broom and dustpan out in the parking lot texting is how their lot gets "clean". We are not a one horse town, but there are only two of us. I can relate. Central Kentucky explains things as well. I have a lot of relatives in SE Kentucky. Not always a lot of retail and driving to the next town might be 30-45min away. Hardly worth it to pick up one account.


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## shooters480

Nothing turns from green to blue untill you invoice online. At that point they turn blue and are posted as net 30 days.


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## elroy195

I've noticed that the indicator showing the invoice has been paid NEVER turns BLUE. I've been paid for October's invoices and its still shows green like I've never been paid. I don't think its working right at all.


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## hickslawns

You are not alone elroy. I was on hold for 20min last week and the girl helping me disconnected us. Called up today and it was unusually speedy. Only on the line for maybe 20-30min. Supposedly has things corrected for us. We have received one check for 1 weeks service at one of our three stores. Our store managers only suggest we continue to call. Hopefully the guy on the phone today truly did figure out what was the problem. I have a feeling I will be making weekly phone calls for a long time. Gee, I can't wait for the snow invoices to start if the sweeping invoices (regular and consistently billed items) are this much a pain. I still stand by my opinion this system will put anyone out of business that slides in with lowball prices and cannot wait 6-8-10 weeks to get paid. It has certainly been frustrating.


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## 4700dan

hickslawns;1353665 said:


> You are not alone elroy. I was on hold for 20min last week and the girl helping me disconnected us. Called up today and it was unusually speedy. Only on the line for maybe 20-30min. Supposedly has things corrected for us. We have received one check for 1 weeks service at one of our three stores. Our store managers only suggest we continue to call. Hopefully the guy on the phone today truly did figure out what was the problem. I have a feeling I will be making weekly phone calls for a long time. Gee, I can't wait for the snow invoices to start if the sweeping invoices (regular and consistently billed items) are this much a pain. I still stand by my opinion this system will put anyone out of business that slides in with lowball prices and cannot wait 6-8-10 weeks to get paid. It has certainly been frustrating.


Hey Hicks this is Dan we spoke a while back, hows things going I see your having a problem with money now I have been paid up to date you have to change the terms on your invoice when you fill it out online every Thursday like I do to (15 days) Been getting checks every week


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## SnowMT

Were you asked to submitt a copy of your last fiscal year's audited or reviewed Income Statement for Wal- Mart? If you were requested did you?ussmileyflag


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## 4700dan

SnowMT;1362636 said:


> Were you asked to submitt a copy of your last fiscal year's audited or reviewed Income Statement for Wal- Mart? If you were requested did you?ussmileyflag


What are you talking about who requested such a thing! I say F off :realmad:


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## hickslawns

4700dan;1353842 said:


> Hey Hicks this is Dan we spoke a while back, hows things going I see your having a problem with money now I have been paid up to date you have to change the terms on your invoice when you fill it out online every Thursday like I do to (15 days) Been getting checks every week


Good to know Dan. Thanks!

Things are now rolling. I did receive 2 more checks. Oh well. Once they get caught up, it looks like they will come in regularly. Then again, it will be nice to have them caught up as it is starting to be a decent amount in the accounts receivable column. If you have any issues, I would recommending contacting Walmart. I got absolutely nowhere with the Service Channel people. You could hear them asking the people working around them questions. Talk about instilling confidence! hahahaha The female I spoke with at Walmart was very helpful and told me to call back so they could get the checks expedited for me. Maybe I should do that now. lol


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## SnowMT

4700dan;1363009 said:


> What are you talking about who requested such a thing! I say F off :realmad:


Wal-mart:waving:


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## johndeereguy

So I am getting ready to bill Walmart thru service channel for the first time. Any advice, hints or things I need to know? How long, being its my first biling should 
I expect to get paid. I have billed SAMs club on Dec 1 and received a check this week. Thanks or the help!


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## shooters480

Phillip

Last five or six weeks billing issues all resolved. No invoices over 30 days old. Lucky to have all eight Super Centers back, but man last 90 days billing been a pain. How thing going with you? Hope you servived the insurance claim!


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## hickslawns

shooters480;1408876 said:


> Phillip
> 
> Last five or six weeks billing issues all resolved. No invoices over 30 days old. Lucky to have all eight Super Centers back, but man last 90 days billing been a pain. How thing going with you? Hope you servived the insurance claim!


Insurance claim worked out about as well as could be expected. Did receive a fair compensation for the sweeper which was totaled. Did not come close to covering the cost of a newer sweeper. So. . . pretty much as expected and we upgraded a truck. Not the way that was supposed to happen. Driver is back to work as well. Who knows how long the workers compensation and "at fault" party's insurance will be battling it out. I just hope some lady that ran the stop sign does not cause my worker comp rates to get jacked up.

Invoicing? A little better. Still a royal pain. Wish we could invoice for the extra time to do it and all the hours to get setup on the new system. Managers at our stores are happy and that is my number one concern. Keep your customers happy and the money will follow. Pretty much always been the way I approach business.

Hope all is well with you as well!


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## hickslawns

Time to revisit this post. I had pretty much forgotten about it to be honest. Spring is here early and I am still trying to get my tax junk done. Dreaded task!

I feel obligated to share this because: 1) Walmart has been good to us. 2) I was asked to.

I received an email tonight from someone that seems to truly care about their contractors. While this process has been frustrating, I can honestly say I have not followed up as diligently as I should have on the outstanding invoices. Not that I don't need the money, but life has been hectic lately. We have brought in my wife's nephew to live with us and it has been pretty time consuming. Add in an additional child (with some issues), tax time, early spring. . . you get the point. Shame on me for not following through on getting some of these issues resolved. All in all, our store managers have been fair with me since day one. We are closing in on close to 10years working with the King of Retail. It is good to know there are also people at the corporate level truly concerned about making this process work right and taking care of their contractors as well.



> Hello,
> I was reading blogs online about our project and noticed you had several on there about not getting paid. I looked your account up on ServiceChannel and you have had several invoices rejected. If you will email me a time I can call you and walk you through the process of resubmitting those I will. Looks like they were rejected because you had leading zeroes and spaces in your invoice #. I know that sounds petty but our EDI (electronic invoicing system) will not accept them that way. I want you to get paid and so does the company I work for. We want the process to be easy for our vendors and have them paid in the terms set for them. Anytime you have invoicing questions you can contact the team at [email protected] -please share that on your blog too. Sorry everything wasn't as straight forward as it should have been. I would like to help you any way I can.


Hopefully this post will help out anyone else having issues. I really wasn't trying to be the squeaky wheel looking for grease, but apparently I was heard anyway.Thumbs Up I was simply sharing my experiences with the new system.

Since it is apparent these forums are reviewed, maybe I should add one bit of input. To the powers that be at Walmart: Feel free to contact me at any time regarding services. I do have a few concerns which I could share in regards to the invoicing process through Service Channel.

On a similar note: Why in the world am I being contacted by maintenance companies again? Didn't we try this once? Why add another communication barrier between the store managers and local contractors? Isn't it much easier when a store can call the local contractor direct and have services rendered quickly and clearly communicated? Why muddy the waters with a middle man who adds confusion to the matter and increased costs? I respect the Walton family for being the ultimate example of the American entrepreneurial spirit. They have figured out how to eliminate processes, maximize efficiencies, and cut the fat in order to minimize costs for both the company and the customer. To me, adding the middle man is the opposite of what has helped enable Walmart to become the company it is today. I am puzzled on this one. In the mean time, I will continue to diligently service the stores as per the request of our local managers. In the event of another maintenance company coming in, feel free to contact me. If we have to go through this again, I want to make sure my resume is sent to the right people. Maybe it is time to become part of Walmart's management team. If you can't beat them (maintenance company), join them (Walmart). lol


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## 4700dan

AMEN BROTHER! ussmileyflag


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## EZSWEEP

Who is the new management company they are looking at now?


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