I have started asking for deposits from some customers. Really It should be all customers. To be honest it is mainly my upholstery customers I take deposits from, becasue it is a slower turn-a round I like to ask for the material value to be paid upfront - most are happy to do this.
Good topic Tedmaced, we've heard too many sob stories on trades getting nothing at all in the end due to some stupid little thingy the clients could object to. On every order, we have set terms of payments - at least 50% of the materials on order, 50% of materials on delivery - the client has then in fact everything in their home - and labour on completion of the works. With design parquet it works differently: 1/3 on order, 1/3 on delivery, remainder on completion of the works. We're a business, not a bank! One little thing: don't call it deposit, call it first payment when discussing this with clients. A deposit has a different legal status - on which you could burn your fingers.
I normally ask for a 50% deposit when cheque has cleared materials get ordered and the rest when job is finished and customer is 100% happy with floor 99% of people are happy to do that but you always get the odd customer that won't play ball
thanks for the response, i didn,t use to ask for a deposit but a builder has let me down. I ordered and paid for the carpets in november, about 160sq metres , he had issues with the building inspector and still hasn,t had the job done, and needless to say i never took a deposit. I have to say i done work for him before and he always paid on the day of fitting. There is good news though a mate has sold my carpets for me for another job which is very fortunate.
Builders seem to be the worst indeed. We have several on our books, and from the first order onwards we've told them: these are our terms of payment, take it or leave it. Not had a problem (yet), although some do need chasing for the last payment.
I was sub-contracted last october to do quite a large upholstery job in a local pub for a local interior designer. The owner of the pub actually told me that he had paid up front for the job. 3 months later I have bought and paid for all the materials, employee costs, holiday pay over xmas etc etc, etc and still not received a penny. I have to wait til she comes back from the Caribbean to speak to her - I kid you not !! Done loads for this firm for years with no issues before
Hope she does come back! We never budge on our terms, no matter how often a designer, architect or builder has ordered from us. One bad apple can ruin your whole business, so never go there! Rather lose one job that the whole kid-caboodle
I have done work for a shop that expects the customer to pay at the end but sometimes this does not happen,so you can imagine what the fitter thinks if he/she has to wait a month and then anoter four days to be the shops banker shucks!.
