Getting Paid!

[TunerJeff@aol.com]

Dear List,

     Getting paid by any bureaucracy, from school districts to churches, can
be a real challenge. Years ago, I got a tip from a department-head at a
college; Always offer a "Prompt-Pay" discount on your invoice before heaving
it into the paperwork quagmire of any bureaucracy (... larger than a single
secretary armed with a checkbook that doesn't require 5 signatures).

    Giving them a 5 to 10% discount for payment within 10 days or two weeks
always gets a quick response from the penny-pinching types in these times.
Hey! How can they justify the "extra-expense" of paying late? These
accounting departments have to answer to an auditor every year, and missing
an opportunity to save ANYTHING raises a flag. Put a broad red circle around
that offer, and use the terminology they are used to, and they WILL issue
that check immediately.
     What wording? Try this on your next invoice to a church, school, or
university;

    *******10% discount net 10 days*******
If mailed by "INSERT DATE", send only $58.50
******************************************************
(Based on a $65.00 service charge)


    For those who feel that giving up 5 or 10% of an invoice is unfair or
inequitable;

   My business had ALWAYS offered a 10% discount to churches, schools,
music-teachers, and social organizations (Lions, Masons, Elks, Community
Senior Centers, Theater-Groups, etc..) as a way of supporting Music in the
community. Giving Piano-Teachers this discount is a way of thanking them for
all the referrals they give through their students. Supporting the school's
programs (with a discount) gives a positive view of my business to the
teachers and administrators who (also) refer tunings to my business.
I often will exchange a tuning for advertising in the program at schools and
concerts, a simple notice at the foot of the page has been quite effective at
promoting future work... the folks who attend these programs (...especially
community-concert-associations) are the ones who actually OWN pianos!

    Sorry! Was wandering (or blithering or blathering) again... the point was
that a prompt-pay discount with a time-limit IS effective at producing a
check in the mail from almost ANYONE. Try it. It works.

Sincerely,
Jeffrey T. Hickey, RPT
Oregon Coast Piano Services

ps-
Here's the notice I prefer at the foot of the program-page;

 The piano was prepared by; Oregon Coast Piano Services.
              Call 756-7701 for your piano needs.
                Happiness is a well-tuned piano!


(Nobody ever seems to notice the implied joke in that. Am I offering a
Just-tuning? A Well-Temperament? Do I use equal-temperament?...or am I just
tuning!?!?!?)

jef

pps- This doesn't (quite) answer the question raised by the gentleman trying
to keep track of 'accounts-payable' from inside the bureaucracy... but is an
effective way to be sure an outsider's invoice gets PAID by the end of next
week...or sooner.