Are most of you collecting a check upon completion of your jobs? How about service calls? We've been having some issues with clients "forgetting their checkbook", and excuses like that recently. We're thinking of implementing a scheduled client meeting at the completion of a job for a full demo, signoff and final payment. What are you guys doing to get paid upon completion of jobs and service calls?

This fortunately has not been an issue for us. We do get ample deposit prior to performing any contractual work - 70%. When we are done we send an invoice and hope it gets paid and so far, they all have been.

Collect a large deposit that covers ALL equipment at full retails plus taxes (and some of the labor) for a job, so you're not going to take a "hardware" loss, then for the final you should schedule a meeting, demo, and collect the remaining balance.


On service calls, let the customer know ahead of time that there will be a minimum charge of $____ that must be paid when you, or your employee, is there. Also explain that this is only an estimated amount and that it does not cover anythinkg beyond the service call, so any hardware will be in addition.

If client conveniently forgets checkbook, you leave, doing nothing, and explain that there will be an additional service charge to return.


Do all this and then you get to sue when they stop payment or give you a bad check. Yeah, it will happen.

Deposit to begin design work.
Wiring plan is handed over with an invoice.
Wire & Misc install parts is sold/paid for before its ordered.
Equipment is sold/paid for before its ordered.
Deposit to begin trim out.
Trim out is invoiced once its done.
Deposit to begin programming.
Programming is invoiced when its done and the system has been handed over to client.

The most you should ever be out is the balance of programming. Service is your leverage to collect. If they don't pay you can fire them and let someone else deal with service.

If they "forget" their checkbook, just remind them that you accept credit cards.

Mac's approach has all the correct elements:
Make payment an understood open element of discussion.
Name payment dates or occasions ("substantial completion," for example).
Don't let more than one of these steps be unpaid.

A partial unpaid balance works for both clients and technologists. The client knows you haven't been fully paid, so you'll probably come back to do the work; the installer knows the system isn't finished, so the client is motivated to get things completed. "Completed" involves mention of all payments so they're understood.

There are two keys to getting paid.
1.Be very clear about the payment schedule.
2.Always be ahead on the money.
Mac’s example is basically what we do except we do a flat rate for the initial design and collect that when we sign the design contract. Any changes to the initial design are hourly. The only thing we can be out is a very small ( % wise) final payment that is due when we hand over the remotes and train the client. Hard to say they forgot their checkbook if you are in their house.
For service calls explain upfront that the minimum that includes the first hour is $X and each additional hour is $Y and payment is due at the time of service.

The one additional piece is at the beginning include a VERY clear and concise statement of work that details what (in explicit detail) will be done at each phase. The biggest reason a customer may not pay is the "I thought XX was included in this....?" line..

For service calls from new, or otherwise "blacklisted" clients, we require credit card info be taken before scheduling (our office does this, not me), with the agreement that it will be charged for services rendered if no other method of payment is rendered at the time of service. This eliminates the "my husband has the checkbook" crap and the "oh your office normally just sends me an invoice" nonsense.

I know we are not the only ones who do this. I called an appliance repair company to come fix my fridge. They made me give them my credit card number before scheduling a service call and it was charged as soon as the guy left my house. He called me to explain what he needed to do and what it would cost, but they would have charged me for the minimum regardless of whether he did anything besides show up at my door.

only risk is that if there is ever a dispute, you will be charged-back unless the card was swiped and signed for at the time of the charge.

Having worked for a company that required 100% deposit up front for AV work I don't usually have a problem getting 50% or more up front and getting paid the balance when work is completed.
It's all about clear communication to your clients up front...

Contract>Payment Schedule>Work is not started until progress payment is made. Final 5-10% is collected once work is complete.

Create "an authorization form for an e-check draft "and have 100 copies on each truck.

Fill out said form and have client sign it.

I found out last week that e-check deposit/draft/transaction is only $0.50 per transaction from both Square and Intuit Payment Solutions.
Personally, I've never used it, but could see using it for a lot of different, over the phone deposits, payments, RMRs.

I use mobile deposit which means that I have 3-6 months worth of image checks right on my phone, on top of # of years worth of cleared checks in the safe.
Meaning that if a client 'forgets' the checkbook, the immediate response could/should be, "that's OK, I have a copy of the last check you wrote us. I'll just use that for this payment, OK?"
Since I have it on my phone, I can do it right there and then.

If I ever run into this, I would print/create a form that authorizes me to draft money from their checking account, and process payment on the spot using routing and account numbers from prior checks.
It's suppose to be instantaneous, and at least according to Intuit peep I talked to, more secure with less/no chance for charge-back.