Professional practices, was "pay you later"

[Alan Barnard]

Maybe I'm blessed to live in the rural Midwest: I do the work, they ask how much, they pay me--usually a check, sometimes cash.

Over the years I have had exactly one customer who owes me money ($65) and has not paid it. In another case, I was owed money from a woman with very little income and suffering in a horrible marriage. I had pretty well written it off in my mine when--two years late--her mother sent me a check from 2 states away, with apologies.

Credit cards? Not just no but HELL no! I used to accept them but now refuse to pay the absurd fees and interest they charge or tolerate the delay in actually getting the money from the card companies. The customer is immediately zapped for the funds, the credit card company has the immediate use of those funds, but the guy who does the work? He gets to wait a few days. Well, friends, as Luke so aptly said: The labourer is worthy of his reward.

I've only had 2 or 3 people even ask if I take plastic.

School districts, some churches, and the State of Missouri pay on an invoice. Most within 3 weeks, one nursing home chain takes a couple months.

One of my customers is a local locksmith. He got fed up with the enormous stalling delays Wal-mart uses in paying -- apparently an intentional behavior big corps can get away with. He still does a lot of business with them, but insists on and gets a check from the local managers BEFORE he does the work, or he drives away. Caused a little tight-jawed behavior when he first announced it, but they (at least at the local level) know darned well their slow-pay company practices are unethical.

Alan Barnard
Salem, MO




Original message
From: "David Andersen" 
To: "Pianotech Pianotech" 
Received: 4/11/2008 12:24:40 PM
Subject: Professional practices, was "pay you later"


My friends---- 


Would you like to be treated like a doctor, or a lawyer, or a skilled artisan?


Or would you like to be treated like a day worker, or a cable installer, or a shade-tree mechanic? 


In the first group, the work, and the atmosphere surrounding the work, is the focus; actual money exchange happens later.


In the second group, the focus is on getting the check.


If you want to make more money and have more respect, act like a business with cash flow. If somebody wants to give you a check, OK.
I hardly ever handle money now, and most of my clients (still) are private entities. I send an email invoice within 24 hours of the work; I haven't been stiffed once since I started this protocol 6 years ago. Well, once, by a white-collar criminal in Malibu...300 bucks.


A hard and fast rule: those who seem like they couldn't care less about getting paid make a lot more money and are trusted quicker and deeper. People just like it better way back in the deep, old part of their brains. Don't fight the wiring.


David Andersen
(flame suit on)
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