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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm looking for some opinions on setting a policy
for a slow paying customer. A company I have been building soundboards for
several years now has consistently been a slow payer. The last invoice they paid
up was for $3,500 - it was finally paid this February - they got their
soundboards in May of last year - eight full months to pay. And it was like
pulling teeth. I currently have an unpaid invoice for them - I have sent three
copies of the invoice - the last one with a very personal note in red ink -
emailed and phoned them. They owe me $1,500 - they got their soundboard panels
last October.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My policy has always been to take a soundboard
order, build and ship it, and then bill. Everyone I deal with pays promptly
(thank you guys!) - except this particular crew.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I love building soundboards for anyone. But I gotta
get paid! I received another order from this same company for more soundboards.
I definitely need to have all previous invoices paid up before I start on their
new order - I know that. I know many folks who do this type of work will ask for
50% up front and the balance upon completion.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have always been very timely with constructing
and shipping their orders - even on short notice. I'm thinking that because of
their demonstrated reluctance to pay their bills, it would be reasonable and
really the only sensible policy to ask for payment in full with shipment of
soundboards within two weeks of receipt of payment in full.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I hate to have to play hardball - and I know I
might even loose this customer because of it - but if I don't get paid,
what good where they anyway? I have little doubt that I have wasted enough time
over the past few years to have built a soundboard for someone else in the time
I have spent tracking down these slow payers.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm a one-man-show. I have no administrative help.
I'm reasonably efficient building soundboards and related things. I'm very
inefficient at administrative tasks. I probably spend ten times the amount
of time doing administrative things that someone more efficient at those tasks
could be. I just don't have time to spend being a bill collector.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Any opinions on a fair, efficient and
productive policy for this client?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry Farrell<BR>Farrell Piano</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://www.farrellpiano.com">www.farrellpiano.com</A><BR><A
href="mailto:terry@farrellpiano.com">terry@farrellpiano.com</A></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>