Getting paid or Remote support, how do you guys handle it?

[drnick5]

Hey Folks,

ONe thing I've been trying to figure out lately is how to handle remote support payments. Up until now, we schedule the remote, perform the work, and send a bill once its completed. We usually email the invoice to the client, which has a payment link at the bottom where they can pay via our credit card processor (payleap).

We've had some cases where clients don't pay and we have to chase them, I'm looking to minimize this without alienating our existing customer base. I'd say 90% of our clients who schedule a remote pay on time. But as I'm sure a lot of you know, if they don't pay, its a major pain in the ass to collect it, often not worth the effort to go after $50 here and $75 there. (in my state, a business can't sue in small claim court without an attorney, which automatically makes it not worth it). We have a relationship with an Attorney that does debt collection for us, taking 1/3 of the total. But they only deal with unpaid invoices $500+

How do you guys handle getting paid for Remote services? Take a credit card before hand? Keep one on file for any future remotes? Something else I'm not thinking of?

 

[callthatgirl]

I hate chasing invoices, so now here is what I email to clients. After they do both, we schedule the appointment. No pay, no workee
If their bill is less than $129, we refund.
If their bill is more, we collect more at the end.
If a client doesn't fill this out, we don't schedule and I just move on with my day.

Please fill out the agreement below and submit the deposit to secure the appointment, thanks!

1.) Please go to this website and fill out our client agreement form http://callthatgirl.biz/client-agreement/

2.) Afterwards, you will be directed to submit a security deposit of $129 for the appointment at our online payment system. Any unused time will be refunded or we can collect more if need be after the appointment. I have secured enough for this appointment. You do not need a PayPal account to complete your payment, scroll to the bottom and you can pay without a PayPal account.

3.) Before your appointment time, please verify you can view our login site http://www.logmein123.com. If this page loads for you, you should see "Please put in your 6 digit code" . At your scheduled appointment time, please go to this site and we will give you the code.

Then wait for our call. Thank you and we appreciate your business!

 

[pcmedicri]

Just curious, if a customer does not pay after you remote into their pc, do you take legal action after multiple emails?

 

[MotzTech]

After getting stiffed a few times I signed up for ECWID and created a web store for my service. All remote jobs are pre-paid. It does have a monthly fee, but not having to invoice and chase down payment makes it worth it to me.


http://www.ecwid.com/

http://store.motztech.com <--My setup, but it's really customizeable.

 

[pcmedicri]

After getting stiffed a few times I signed up for ECWID and created a web store for my service. All remote jobs are pre-paid. It does have a monthly fee, but not having to invoice and chase down payment makes it worth it to me.


http://www.ecwid.com/

http://store.motztech.com <--My setup, but it's really customizeable.

Looks really nice man.

 

[Larry Sabo]

For existing customers, I just send them an invoice by e-mail, they mail me a cheque. For new customers, they accept my terms by clicking a link at the bottom of my Terms page, then pre-pay $60 via credit card/Paypal. If the session cost is over that, I hold the excess until year-end or they request a refund of the balance. if it is more than the $60, I send an invoice for the difference, as per existing customers.

I don't do so much remote support for new customers that it's ever been a problem.

 

[SOHOtechRob]

I hold the excess until year-end or they request a refund of the balance.

So at the end of the calendar year, any balance they have is forfeited to you?

 

[Markverhyden]

So at the end of the calendar year, any balance they have is forfeited to you?

Not sure about Canada. But in the US there are very specific laws, which vary by jurisdiction, about how to handle credit balances on an account. Varies by industry and account type as well. At a minimum you have to explicitly state the T&C's and, of course, they need to be inline with statutes.

 

[SOHOtechRob]

Not sure about Canada. But in the US there are very specific laws, which vary by jurisdiction, about how to handle credit balances on an account. Varies by industry and account type as well. At a minimum you have to explicitly state the T&C's and, of course, they need to be inline with statutes.

Yes, that's exactly why I brought it up.

 

[Larry Sabo]

So at the end of the calendar year, any balance they have is forfeited to you?

Not at all. I send them a cheque during the year if they request it, or at the end of the year if they don't.

 

[Instant Housecall - Corey]

Here's what I suggest to my customers:

• Connect to your customer free
• Poke around for a couple mins, figure out an estimate
• Take payment before you start any real work for the estimated amount
• At the end of the session, settle up the difference

There are a few benefits here: first, you build trust and goodwill with your customer. Second you ensure you get paid. And third, you ensure that you can connect in the first place and that it's something you can actually fix remotely.

 

[drnick5]

thanks for the reply. I've sort of been toying with this type of idea. Basically taking the credit card info after we connect and charging it after the job is completed. most remotes we have a pretty good idea if it can be fixed or not. and in the rare case it can't, we'll at least have some payment which we can apply to their invoice when they bring the computer in. If they dont bring ti in, at least we were paid something for our time.

Although the biggest thing im trying to solve is chasing down unpaid bills for remote support. this would solve that problem as well.

 

[carrcomp]

Just tossing this in there, but I tend to at least take a deposit on what I THINK the balance will be.

Also, I'm surprised Corey didn't mention this but PayPal is integrated into Instant Housecall, so you can do that at the start of the call.

 

[cypress]

After getting stiffed a few times I signed up for ECWID and created a web store for my service. All remote jobs are pre-paid. It does have a monthly fee, but not having to invoice and chase down payment makes it worth it to me.


http://www.ecwid.com/

http://store.motztech.com <--My setup, but it's really customizeable.

I remember you posting this awhile ago. Thank you. I am gonna look into this as well. I am currently using simplybook.me to schedule appointments but it also gives me the option of allowing them to purchase and pre-pay for it.

When it comes to Remote Support I usually do it for Home Business Residental clients and I will bill them afterwards. They send me a check in the mail and it's never really been an issue so far.

Haven't done it on new clients yet, but I like Corey's idea.

 

[computertech775]

I only do remotes for repeat clients. When I've completed the work but before I disconnect from the remote session, I navigate their browser to my Square Market site and settle up with a credit card payment. I use a PayPal payment page as a backup.

 

[Davena]

70% of my work is remote now. What a change. Still have systems on the benches (love love love hardware work) but it is so easy to remote into a system and clean them up.
Also doing website work and customer training. I make sure a client agreement form is completed and get their payment information and run it before work is started. My process is very much like CTG.

 

[DonS]

Some great ideas in this thread.

For me, luckily, I have only had an issue once and that was long ago. But what I do now is, for regular customers, I simply invoice them after the fact. For new customers, I will send an invoice in advance of service and take payment before I begin work. Though, If I end up having a regular customer who suddenly starts taking too long to pay, I will switch them over to pay in advance. "Pay in advance" is also stated on my website when a customer downloads the remote software, so it should not be a surprise that I ask for payment in advance regardless.

 

[mlcomputers]

I have never had an issue with payments. If a new customer contacts me I give them the option at the end of the session to either pay via Paypal, or I send them an email and receive a cheque in the post. When accessing their computers I generally try to have a conversation and explain to them what I am doing. Most are interested in what is going on and I still find it amusing how customers get spooked when remotely accessing their computers. I get a lot of repeat business and do not charge on occasion if it is a quick 2 minute fix. Customers like this!

My policy would be no payment / no future work period!

 

[noboundaries6289]

Would it be too much to ask for a little program that would lock the client's computer if they didn't pay their bill before lets say 30 days or so? Not encrypting their files of course, just a little popup reminding them of the delinquency every time they access the web, power on the PC, or pretty much do anything.

lol. Just kidding. I'm sure this is probable illegal. But I bet every client would pay their bill on time