I have a problem ...

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Sometimes people just don't understand what it takes to build a successful business. I remember the time with ours when we used to apply the deposit and what we had in our pockets to get the product ready for the customer, and cringe when they would phone and delay picking it up for a couple of days.

Grant
 
My point is how many members here get prepaid by their employer for work they are going to do tomorrow or next week. Yet you will still have to pay for your own gas, car, and insurance to get to work till that paycheck shows up.

Leanna has earned the respect and reputation to require prepaid on her work and I think that is great, it works for her.

But on the flip side think twice about prepaid when you want to buy headers from Harold. http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=93179&highlight=Howards+headers
 
Hello powder chick I am glad you spoke up, anytime I am dealing with a small biusness I always ofer up to half down, my dads friend owns a small biusness and I still have to pay him half down which I dont mind but I understand the reason too when you have a 1000 dollar job on your hands and need 400 dollars in parts I dont think its unreasonable to ask the person that is having the work done to put some money down no matter the amount. If you have someones money and their parts they are more intrested in paying you off but if you only have their parts and get them finished with on money in hand you are leaving yourself at their mercey so I have no problem paying up front for services. I also worked at a local tire shop where they would do the work and not recive payment on the jobs they did til some times a year later I still have no idea how they are in bissuness but it also takes them 3 weeks to put wheels,tires,and a brake line on a truck. bottom line is YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR if you want it done in a reasonable amount of time then you must expect to put some money down so the person can do the work and at least cover their expenses on your project.

sorry it was long winded but I have seen how this can effect a family and it can get rough some times
 
LeAnna,

I've had the same problem with my plumbing business lately. Last week I had five different customers call me for emergency service work, they let me front all the parts, complete the job, state they were happy in every way, then state, "ok, give me a invoice and I'll mail you a check." In eight years of business this has never happened so often. All these jobs were under $150.00. I swear people are just broke and desperate right now. Anyway on a positive note, they all paid me within the week. I definitively see where you are coming from.
 
zhandfull said:
My point is how many members here get prepaid by their employer for work they are going to do tomorrow or next week. Yet you will still have to pay for your own gas, car, and insurance to get to work till that paycheck shows up.

Leanna has earned the respect and reputation to require prepaid on her work and I think that is great, it works for her.

But on the flip side think twice about prepaid when you want to buy headers from Harold. http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=93179&highlight=Howards+headers
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This is why she should ask for a deposit,and get it.If it was first time dealing with a business you should be wary.These are 2 very good points you made Z.8)
 
Payment details, return shipping and all the other infomation is pretty clear on her web-site, she shouldn't be having this problem to begin with...
 
I get 60% upfront and balance when items are picked up or delivered on all retail items at my Medical Equipment business. tired of being a bank. Get paid 1st, then do the work.
 
I've been in business for 15 years and have always required a deposit. Currently 60% of the quoted price and have in certain instances required 100% up front. I do have some national companies who I do alot of repeat business with and don't get a deposit from them but have firm terms. I have sent people away cause they didn't want to "be my creditor"..I also have signs I've made and still have sitting here because I wasn't firm on a deposit. I have a sign on my wall that states "No Work Will Be Done Until Deposit Is Received". Those who have never been in business think its easy to go get a credit line. One problem with that is you still need cash flow to service the debt. When your line payment comes due it's due and you can't wait on someone to pay you first, so you end up with late charges, extra interest and a great big snowball starts. If I have $600. on the first of the month and my choice is to either buy parts for a job I have no deposit on or pay my mortgage payment guess what happens..I haven't lost my house and don't intend to cause somebody wants me to front them my work.
 
zhandfull said:
Yet you will still have to pay for your own gas, car, and insurance to get to work till that paycheck shows up.
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I understand the point you are making, however I prepay for the gas I will use, a car payment is made at the beginning of the month you will be driving the car, and insurance possibly a year in advance :)

zhandfull said:
Leanna has earned the respect and reputation to require prepaid on her work and I think that is great, it works for her.
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This is important part to me. If I trust the business, or they have come highly referred, I always offer a deposit as a sign of trust and good faith in their abilities.

Grant
 
Leanna, you are right on and I'm glad you spoke up. As a small business owner myself, it's very hard to beg for your money and we shouldn't have to. My tool business thrives because of the cash flow system we use. A $100 purchase will cost you $20 per week. I at least collect the cost of the tool by the time I have to pay Mac for that tool in 30 days. Your business is different than mine though. You don't see your customers on a weekly basis to collect what is owed to you so you need paid when the work is done if not before. You shouldn't be expected to bank roll work for anyone. You have set your payment rules and if people don't or can't comply then their job gets put on hold. We don't need customers that don't pay. I had a general manager at a GM dealer I worked at for 12 years tell a customer "my mechanics are like whores......
they turn a trick and they get paid! (and he got paid) toolmanmike
 
CudaChick1968 said:
The Pricing & Shipping page of my website contains a lot of information, I know, but this paragraph is important.


"If you are not using paypal, please include a check or U.S. Postal Service money order inside the box with your parts for the full amount of your quote, plus the funds necessary to ship your parts back to you when they are finished. (For example, if your quote is $50 and UPS is charging you $8.53 to ship your parts to us, your check should be made payable to "Phoenix Specialty Coatings" for $58.53.)​


...​

We will begin your work if you include at least half of the quote amount with the parts, billing you for the remainder and all return shipping charges when your parts are finished. ..."​

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Reasonable requirements, spelled out in advance. Couldn't be more clear. Particularly as a repeat customer, if I agree to the quote, I have no worries about the work being done right.

CudaChick1968 said:
Out of the 19 jobs I have here right now, 18 of them are for FABO members and more than 85% were not accompanied with any payment at all.
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Come on guys. You know who you are. Please read rules and comply.

CudaChick1968 said:
And no, I'm not PMSing ... I'm just broke. When I run outta cigarettes in a couple days, the $hit's really gonna hit the fan. :-D :-D :-D :-D
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So that's the real problem. LOL. Time to think about quitting when you have to panhandle on the internet for cigarette money. ( I have to give you a plus for creativity on that one.) Besides all the health stuff, it turns the index and middle fingernails yellow. :snakeman:
 
I went to Mark's Work warehouse today,there a national clothing store.Ordered 8 workshirts because they didn't have them in stock. Had to pay $250 up front and then wait for them to come in. This is the way things are done nowadays.Let's get the money in to Leanna when we receive a price.8)
 

in my auto repair shop, I get the cash for parts up front and paid in full for labor as soon as the job is done, if they don't like it they can go else where.
 
And for those who don't pay up....just remember.......... Leanna is connected nation wide.........The "Mistress of Metal" society is every where.
 
Well, I have to say that this thread got the attention and response I was hoping it would, and some ancillary attention I never expected in a million years. The customers whose jobs are here now have either offered to or settled up completely and that's exactly what I needed. Thank you all for listening, and especially for all the unexpected help! It's appreciated more than you all could ever know.
 
As a small business owner I once had to threaten a neighbor (who was a surgeon) to pay his bill. It was small for him but big for me.

It seems to me that rich folks pay less than us..I think it may be the guarantee or possibility of future purchases. I know when I sold for a company in Ottawa, big companies were given lower prices that the average customer.

With another company that worked on machines, we used to hold units 'hostage" so we could be paid in 120 days..it was a joke (and a policy) for them..

Small businesses live or die on cash flow..

I appreciate your thread..

ian
 
MoparMuscleGuy said:
Hello Cudachick1968. I happen to own a couple small businesses myself and you must have a good business policy to stay open, especially in these hard times. You're correct in saying that most small businesses rely on their working capital even from their newest customer. Most people that don't own a business don't understand this because they never had to deal with it. I know you do good work and people trust you but it's still a business. If your policy is prepayment, that includes return shipping, than it must be made perfectly clear that no work will be done until payment has been made. I know everyone here is very friendly and are like a family and that's great. That's why I enjoy everyones company. But business is business and a promise of payment will not feed anyone or satisfy creditors. I believe most everyone here has good intentions when doing business with people in general. We all must respect the rules put in place by any small business owner. Running a business is very stressful and I know you care about your work and customers. I'm glad your doing well and wish you many more years of success.
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I happen to own a couple small businesses myself and I must tell you that being paid in advance of service is rare, very rare. Of course I understand the nature of your business and being paid for services by people that you only see on the internet is different than them walking into your store. If I walked into your shop with valve covers to be done would you expect me to pay you before you did the job or when I picked them up? And I do beleive that you getting paid up front for what could be called "mail order work" is a smart business move on your part. I would do it the same way.
 
HemiMark said:
I happen to own a couple small businesses myself and I must tell you that being paid in advance of service is rare, very rare.
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I pay rent before the month that I live in my house, I pay for a burger before I get it, I pay shipping before a part arrives, I pay Summit or whoever before I get the part, I pay insurance for the month before I'm covered, at the bike shop I worked at we would not take a bike in without a deposit, I pre-pay for fuel, I buy a ticket at the dragstrip before I'm allowed in, I pay the parts store before I walk out without a part, etc.

I really don't think it's all that rare to be honest with you.
 
DRENO said:
Maybe I reacted too quickly.:angry7:
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NOT!!! you was just faster at the draw then I was :-D Don't you make me make another trip to the air port and! and! well !!!I would use a bull horn from across the street and say thank you and tell you to hold your head high bud :-D
And hope you had a cold one for me and not throw a stick at me :toothy10:
Like I said many times 8) DRENO has been a great addition to this site.

Know what's for lunch :-D

ALL MY BROTHERS ON THE HILL 081.jpg
 
DRENO said:
Maybe I reacted too quickly.:angry7:
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Dave, you do have one helluva reaction time. :-D

But please don't ever think that what you did was a bad thing or that I'm not grateful because the polar opposite is true. This will NEVER be forgotten or unappreciated. At least by me anyway.
 
I did do some thinking about the post and realize I was wrong in my thinking,also thanks to a member,who gave me a kick in the a$$.I will delete the post and we will get on with our FABO lives.What a dufus.:bootysha:
 
HemiMark said:
I happen to own a couple small businesses myself and I must tell you that being paid in advance of service is rare, very rare. Of course I understand the nature of your business and being paid for services by people that you only see on the internet is different than them walking into your store. If I walked into your shop with valve covers to be done would you expect me to pay you before you did the job or when I picked them up? And I do beleive that you getting paid up front for what could be called "mail order work" is a smart business move on your part. I would do it the same way.
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Out of 100 jobs I may get paid for 3 upfront. Most are paid in full when the job is done. I have a few that pay 30 to 60 and/or even 120 days out. Being that she has an internet business, that's a whole different story.
 
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