Dealing with ignored phone calls

[baileyuph]

Sign of the times folks, this economy is not recovering.  A friend in this business took a project, got a check for down payment, ordered materials, but check bounced. 

Bad situation to be in, he had spent sales time, got the bad check which cost a processing fee (few bucks as we all know), and now the material came in which he needless to say has to pay.

Does anyone believe this noise about unemployment coming down slowly and things, the economy, is picking up?

I am hearing noise that a lot of business are now saying QE3 is hurting their business.  Company retirement plans are in trouble because they can't grow the employees retirement money.  Everyone is starting to worry.

Back to the thread, there is a strong possibility that these customers are stressed for money and may have more business for you but it might be more of the same type you have from the customer already.

JD, I think your strategy of getting paid much earlier in the game is the only option you have.  In a business sort of way, lay out the new rules.

I had a big used car dealer who was giving me a lot of work, but something told me to only accept cash from them.  Work stayed in the shop until I got the cash.  It worked, but after a while they ran out of cash, the good news is I lost none.

Doyle

[Mike]

Excellent example of why I get a deposit up front.

I put the project back in a corner somewhere and cover it to protect it, then I go on with my life.

I learned years ago that I was always making assumptions about everything, and my assumptions were always "worse case scenarios", and just in making these assumptions I would spend a lot of miserable time worrying and all stressed out.

And of course the "worse case" never happened.

With your example JD, I tell myself that the homeowner is on vacation, or there was an emergency in their family and I hope they are OK, or that other things are taking up their time, and they will get back to me as soon as they can. Everyone who eventually does call back always has had an excuse like the ones I mentioned.

I can't get customers to call me back, but I can go on with my life without being upset or stressed that they did not.

gene

I agree it slsay not what i think it is. 
It just nit on there mind or there busy doung there own thing.
Worst thing that ever happened to me was all thebseats out of a 28 checkmate were delevered to be by a owners maintaince man and as told i never got a deposite. Tome went on and i moved shop later that uear and still had the seats inalmost through them out and later was called by the owner who i handed delt with it i still could do the job. I got a delosite did the job amd then had to wait for the ballance. Ause the owner was just a busy guy and didnt care about me.

[kodydog]

...when they come in I will make it clear that I cannot wait this long to be paid, I will store it for them as long as needed but want timely payment...either upfront full payment or timely payment on next job

There have been many times we have done this with busy customers. We will call them several times with no response then we will ask if they can at least send a check. Very rarely do they cop a tude and almost always a check arrives 2 or 3 days later.

[Mike]

JD:

I specialize in RV's only. I do not do anything else ( marine, furniture, etc. ). I have a vast amount of experience dealing with RV'ers and they are an interesting group to deal with.
Many are on the road full time while others are part timers. I chase customers all over this country by shipping their orders to locations that they will be at next. As an example I took an order for an RV'er in Indiana in May and shipped their toppers to them in Wyoming a month later. :)

I am probably going to sound snobby by saying this but the vast majority of my customers own the large and expensive diesel pusher motorhomes or motorcoaches. They tend to be a little more flush with money and are a great group to deal with. . I am very picky about my clientele because I am a one person shop and do not have time to screw around with

so i take it you dont do the 20 year old 20' pop out camper  anvas replacements. :)
I did one once. The deisles owners your right. Flush. That screen  curtian to hang on a awning i talk with you about. $1300.

[gene]

Yep,

Obama care is going to cost billions of dollars, and that money has got to come from somewhere. This is why there will be fines for not providing it. Even with the death squads that Obama claimed were not a part of the deal and we found out that they are indeed a part of Obama care, they just won't be able to kill off enough old people and disabled people to make a dent in the cost.

And with our open borders we will be paying for more and more people's health care from all over the world.

I am concerned that Romney will turn out to be a tax and spend liberal Republican, and not a fiscal conservative.

It doesn't matter what political party you belong to, your grand kids will be paying off the national debt that we all ready have. Unless you are related to politicians and then you may be exempt from paying on that debt just like the politicians exempted themselves and their families from Obama care.

Any company that can cut their work force down to 49 employees will do so / is doing so.

Our great governor here in Ohio announced at the Republican national convention that the Ohio economy is coming back and he has not raised taxes. What he has done is added millions of dollars in fees! No new taxes, but millions of dollars in fees!

More and more cities are using picture cameras to catch speeders and then send a ticket to the address of the license plate. This increases revenue for the cities but they continue to spend and spend and spend. What difference does it make if they take our money with new taxes or with speeding tickets.

Fewer people are working and more people are working for fewer dollars. The tax revenue is going down and the spending is continuing to go up. What difference does it make if you are a democrat or republican?

[sofadoc]

I am concerned that Romney will turn out to be a tax and spend liberal Republican, and not a fiscal conservative.

A liberal Republican? Is that even legal? ;)

I think I've figured out the real reason why Democrats are referred to as the left.
Way back when our forefathers were establishing our brilliant 2-party system, one guy said to the other "Tell ya what. You take all the conservative Christians, and we'll take whatever is left".

BTW How did we wind up here from the topic of ignored phone calls ???

[scottymc]

Seeing as the subject of health care has been bought up, I really have to know why are so many people against it in your country. Surely being tradesman you guys are in the low income bracket, so it would be of benefit to you and as far as open borders wouldn't you need to be a citizen to get it.
We have had speed cameras for 25 years now, I like them. They tax stupid people who think they're above the law, much better than taxing me. ;)   

[JDUpholstery]

Don't know how it became political...but I am still trying to deal with customers ignored phone calls...left them a message today reminding them the 60 day mark is coming up and I plan to sell their stuff!

[sofadoc]

We have had speed cameras for 25 years now, I like them. They tax stupid people who think they're above the law, much better than taxing me.

Problem is, they get their money from speed cameras AND we get tax increases anyway.
If it was an "either/or" situation, I'd be all for speed cameras.

The lottery was supposed to save our broke education system........it didn't.
Tax revenue from alcohol sales was supposed to bolster local economies......it didn't.
Cigarette tax? I have no idea where it's supposed to be going. But my guess is......it isn't.  

The promised benefits from these revenue sources never seem to materialize.

Back on topic:

I am still trying to deal with customers ignored phone calls...left them a message today reminding them the 60 day mark is coming up and I plan to sell their stuff!

My guess is, they'll show up on day 61. And they'll be mad as hell when they find out that you sold their stuff. They'll call you everything but a white boy. They'll shout from the rooftops that you're a crook. And when they tell everyone how you "did them dirty", somehow your version of the story will get lost in the translation.
At least that's what happened to me the only 2 times that I sold abandoned stuff.

[JDUpholstery]

LOL, yeah that is what scares me about selling it, since I am new and word of mouth is best advertising, I dont want any negatives out there. I most likely wont sell their stuff, but I was hoping the phone message might light a fire under their asses....last time we spoke (2 weeks ago) they said they would be in this week and have more couches for me....Honestly when they come in I think I am just going to get paid and say that I will no longer be doing work for them....the headache is more than I can handle, and I am busy without them.

[scottymc]

So why is that health care issue seem to be off limits to you guys? :) Just curious as to what the common persons opinion is.

[Mojo]

It's not off limits with me mate.

People in the USA think we have the best health system in the world. Bulls***. We have the most expensive, inefficient and broken system in the world.

We are 15th in the world for lengevity. So in other words people live longer in 15 other countries. But we are number one for high priced health care. The vast majority of new medical discoveries have taken place in Australia, Canada, Italy, UK and a couple other European countries.

Our drugs cost twice what they do elsehwere in the world. One catastrophic illness ( if your not insured or under insured ) can bankrupt you. People lose their homes in this country due to excessive medical bills. My daughter recently got turned down for health insurance because she has endemetriosis. Insurance companies in the USA can pick and choose who they want to insure.

I am extremely lucky as I am considered over insured. My medication runs $ 4,000 a month but thankfully it only costs me $ 80 bucks. Hospital stays cost me nothing nor do office calls or ER visits. But I am one of the lucky few. I have seen people in my support group die because they couldn't afford the chemo drugs I have or have access to the spets like I see.

I consider myself blessed but to be honest it breaks my heart to see people go without medical care or drugs because they cannot afford it. All this in the richest nation in the world.

Chris

[scottymc]

Yeah thanks Chris, I was just curious as a while ago on the news it sounded like there was going to be riots over there and it seemed to be from the people that would benefit most.
I heard people say a number of times when I have been in your country,"gotta new job the pay is average , but it's got medical insurance" just always thought  that was a bit sad. So is it a sensitive issue?

[Mojo]

It is now because of Obamacare. The Democrats think its is the greatest thing since sliced bread and the Republicans believe Lucifer ascended from hell and brought the plan with him.

Whatever it is someone better come up with a plan soon. If Obamacare isn't the answer then someone from the otherside of the aisle better step forward and bring a good comprehensive plan with then.

Denying coverage, denying treatment and going broke when you get sick is not the answer.

BTW, if you ever come to the USA for a visit be damn sure you have your tourist insurance. A simple heart attack in the USA can cost you $ 50 K. My in laws never come here without having stocked up on insurance. :)

Chris

[JDUpholstery]

its not off limits to me...but I do prefer you start a thread and not just derail the subject...just my opinion...I don't see how it changed course like it did, but health care/government has nothing to do with ignored phone calls...unless its someone ignoring phone calls from the hospital....