Payment Advice for Window and Door Fitters: How to Get Paid on Time Every Time

Window and door fitting is a skilled trade that can be very lucrative for those who are good at it. However, one of the challenges that many fitters face is getting paid on time by their clients.

To help with your cash flow, we will give you some payment advice that will help you get paid in a timely manner. Follow these tips, and you will be able to avoid any payment headaches down the road.

Offer a Range of Payment Options

Some customers prefer to pay in cash or bank transfer, but some may prefer to pay via credit or debit card.

Offering card payments is much easier these days than it has been in the past. Many card reader payment devices can be used with mobile phones, to add to the convenience. So if your customer hasn’t already paid by bank transfer or cash, you could offer the convenience of a card payment. There are many solutions available, including SumUp, Zettle, and Square, amongst others, with many card readers sold in local shops, and often available without any contract.

Be aware, if your customer opts for a debit or credit card payment, you will pay a small transaction fee, and this is not a fee you can pass on to the customer at the point of payment, this should be factored into any original transaction cost.

Introduce Stage Deposits

One of the best ways to ensure that you will get paid on time is to stage your deposits. For example, you can require a deposit when the job is first booked. This deposit will give you some financial security in case the client decides to cancel or postpone the job. This deposit should be at least 25% so that it can cover your materials if the worst happens.

You can also then require another deposit of 25% before delivery or installation. This means that the customer doesn’t need to pay for everything all at once, it is more broken up and may be more convenient for certain customers. Also, before you install anything, you will already have at least 50% of the fee.

You will then require payment for labour once the work has been completed. Make sure that your final payment includes a profit margin. This will protect you in case the client tries to haggle over the price after the work has been completed.

Invoicing Systems

Another important tip is to use an invoicing system that makes it easy for your clients to pay you.

For example, you can send your invoices via email and include a link to an online payment portal. This will make it easy for your clients to pay you without having to write a cheque or go to the bank.

You can also use a service like Sage Pay, which gives a link in the confirmation email and will auto-populate all the information about the transaction and purchase and include the reference. Once your client is happy, you can direct them towards the email for payment.

The sooner you send out an invoice, the sooner you will get paid. Many times, clients will delay payment if they know that it’s not due yet. But if you send them a timely invoice, they will be more likely to pay up in a timely manner.

Clear Payment Instructions

Make sure that you are clear about your payment terms from the start.

If you require payment within 14 days, make sure that your clients know this upfront. This way, there will be no confusion about when payment is due. It is important to be upfront about your payment terms so that there are no surprises later on, and importantly, it allows your customer to plan ahead and ensure that they have the money in place.

Keep Records

Another payment tip is to keep good records of all the work that you do. This means taking photos or videos of the finished product, as well as keeping receipts for any materials that you had to purchase. This documentation will come in handy if there are any disputes about what was actually done or what was supposed to be included in the final price.

Conflict Resolution

Unfortunately, sometimes things go wrong and because of this, the client may withhold payment. Sometimes it is no one’s fault, sometimes it is miscommunication, and sometimes there is an issue with the work. In these circumstances, advise the client the guarantee will not be held up until payment is made. You should do the most to resolve the issue for the client. Get the remedial action steps needed in writing and the client to sign it so once you have completed the steps, they should be compelled to pay. Make sure you complete this in a timely manner for the client.

Every now and again, unfortunately, you may encounter a client who is unreasonable and threatens a bad review. We would always recommend not getting into arguments with clients or confrontations. If they are going to leave a bad review, just reply to the review with what actually happened in a reasonable and professional manner. Show future clients that you tried to resolve the issue as quickly as possible but unfortunately the individual was unreasonable. Many potential clients won’t be put off by bad reviews as long as the company has replied with a reasonable and accurate account of what happened.

By following these payment tips, you will be able to avoid any payment problems down the road. Keep this advice in mind, and you will be sure to get paid on time for every job. Contact TruFrame today for high-quality uPVC products your customers will love.