Leave Invoice

[tiedeman]

Something that I am thinking about doing for all of my customers is leave the invoice after each service in a doorhanger return envelope on their door.

I am currently doing with with pesticide applications, but I am thinking about doing it with my regular customers as well, such as lawn maintenance. The commerical accounts or flat monthly rate customers will still be mailed their invoices though once a month.

Not only may I have continued cash flow because people will be paying more often instead of once a month, but I will reduce postage, and other paper supplies.

For example, currently I send customers invoices in a envelope, with a return envelope and address label, and stamp to mail the invoice.

The top mail customers a bill is approx: 3 cents per envelope, 6 cents for each return envelope, 5 cents for each label, and 39 cents for each stamp. Total cost is 53 cents to mail one bill.

Now if I leave the invoice at the customers property, I just pay for a doorhanger envelope that is already pre-printed that only costs me approx 13 cents per envelope.

I am saving approx 40 cents for each customer.

What do you think, a good idea?

[kc2006]

Would the customer have to mail the invoice back to you or leave it out for you? You didn't mention a return stamp so thats why I wonder.

I'm starting to leave invoices once a month with a pre postage envelope. This costs the same as it used to by just sending an invoice with no pre paid return, so it will be a little added perk for the customer and not cost any extra.

Leaving an invoice once a week causes another issue. Whenever I get a new customer they always beat me to it about billing, they want to be billed monthly. This way they only have to write one check a month (less to forget and less checks to "waste"). So it keeps the customer happy for one, and also it could cause people to slow up on payments, because now they're constantly putting attention to paying their bill.

[tiedeman]

Nope, the customer would have to put a stamp on it. But it already has the mailing address pre-printed on it.

[Steve]

Troy, could you take a picture of the door hanger envelope you are using? So we can see what it looks like?

[tiedeman]

not a problem, I would get one scaned this week