Payment terms information.

[Excalibur]

I just had a bride inform me " I can't find how to pay you, or when". :(:confused:

Well dear, it was at the top of the contract you signed, in 14 point bold red letters! :mad:

Which leads me to the question, where and how many times do you folks put the terms? I'm wondering if adding them to the bottom of the invoice might be an idea. Would it be better in a separate email, or bombard them with it at every possible occasion?

Would be interesting to know how others do it, obviously I'm putting it in the wrong places. :o

EDIT: As I type this, I'm realising that you technocrats are all using automated software to give clients a running countdown to everything. Smartarses. :p

[DJWilson]

Page 1 is the booking confirmation with BACS details. Page 2 has all the terms on it.

No issues people paying/find payment info.

[Excalibur]

Page 1 is the booking confirmation with BACS details. Page 2 has all the terms on it.

No issues people paying/find payment info.

Page 1 of what? Invoice? Contract? Confirmation email? :confused:

[DJWilson]

Page 1 of what? Invoice? Contract? Confirmation email? :confused:

Sorry - Booking Confirmation/contract PDF. Once all the details have been confirmed I send over a booking confirmation which is the contract but sounds better as booking confirmation IMO.

Invoice also gets attached as a seperate PDF.

[Benny Smyth]

I'm wondering if adding them to the bottom of the invoice might be an idea.

Am I reading that right - your invoices don't have a payment due date?

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

My quote mentions final payment 28 days prior to the wedding.

It's on my contract, confirmation e-mail and when the log in to the planner on DJEP. I've got a couple of automated reminders set up shortly before it's due.

Put it in as many places as possible, if it's not on your invoice, get it in there.

[ppentertainments]

Payment is mentioned on initial quote
T&C are attached to invoice, ‘thank you’ email, confirmation of booking email as well as an email sent out 8 weeks and another 4 weeks prior

On top of that it is on their DJI account whenever they sign in.

And I still get people who ‘did not realise it was due’ haha

[Excalibur]

Sorry - Booking Confirmation/contract PDF. Once all the details have been confirmed I send over a booking confirmation which is the contract but sounds better as booking confirmation IMO.

Invoice also gets attached as a seperate PDF.
Ta. :thumbs_up:


Am I reading that right - your invoices don't have a payment due date?
Your eyesight is absolutely perfect, young man. They do not. The contract states cheques ten days prior, BACS five days, or the good old " cash on the night", which is still the favoured method of most clients.


My quote mentions final payment 28 days prior to the wedding.

It's on my contract, confirmation e-mail and when the log in to the planner on DJEP. I've got a couple of automated reminders set up shortly before it's due.

Put it in as many places as possible, if it's not on your invoice, get it in there.



Payment is mentioned on initial quote
T&C are attached to invoice, ‘thank you’ email, confirmation of booking email as well as an email sent out 8 weeks and another 4 weeks prior

On top of that it is on their DJI account whenever they sign in.

Belt, braces, and gaffer tape, it appears. Thanks lads, food for thought.



And I still get people who ‘did not realise it was due’ haha
I once had a teacher who didn't pay on the night as agreed. " You didn't send me an invoice ". Perhaps the confirmation email saying " there should be an invoice attached " that she'd had a month earlier was a bit too subtle? :whistle:

Thanks everyone, it appears that some form of rejig may be needed. As the quotes go:

"Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool"
"If you make something idiot-proof, someone will just make a better idiot."
"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools".

[Benny Smyth]

Your eyesight is absolutely perfect, young man. They do not. The contract states cheques ten days prior, BACS five days, or the good old " cash on the night", which is still the favoured method of most clients.

But not the document specifically designed to cover the payment aspect of your services?

For a seasoned veteran who's biggest gripe is clients not reading and/or understanding his correspondence, I'm honestly surprised that you cannot see the obvious solution to the 'my clients don't know when to pay me' problem. Whether it's on a contract or not, an invoice should have the amount due, how it should be paid and when it needs to be paid by.

William of Ockham would be proud of this solution.

[Excalibur]

But not the document specifically designed to cover the payment aspect of your services?

For a seasoned veteran who's biggest gripe is clients not reading and/or understanding his correspondence, I'm honestly surprised that you cannot see the obvious solution to the 'my clients don't know when to pay me' problem. Whether it's on a contract or not, an invoice should have the amount due, how it should be paid and when it needs to be paid by.

William of Ockham would be proud of this solution.

I hear what you say/see what you type, but- the invoice isn't a contract. ( As far as I'm aware). Without a contract, I could send a client an invoice with all those details on, yet they wouldn't owe me any money. I haven't given them a service yet.

When they sign my contract, I promise to give them something, and they promise to pay me at a certain point. Benny, it's just so simple. When you buy a mobile phone you sign a contract, and give the supplier money because of it. I've never had an invoice from them though. ;):D

[Benny Smyth]

I hear what you say/see what you type, but- the invoice isn't a contract. ( As far as I'm aware). Without a contract, I could send a client an invoice with all those details on, yet they wouldn't owe me any money. I haven't given them a service yet.

Did you see me type the words "Send an invoice instead of a contract"? Or did I say that the payment due date should also be on your invoice?

There's a beautiful irony about this.

[Excalibur]

Did you see me type the words "Send an invoice instead of a contract"? Or did I say that the payment due date should also be on your invoice?

There's a beautiful irony about this.

Benny, I'm merely trying to illustrate why I have done what I do up to now. I can see there's a strong argument for doing as you say. I am definitely considering following your advice. If I imitate you any more, I'll be a bloody clone*! :eek:



* ( With less hair and tattoos).

[rth_discos]

It goes in my email.

The contract and payments are two separate things.

Here's what I send:



Hi <first_name>,

Thank you for choosing <djemployee1_stage_name> for your <event_type>.

You have selected <package_name>

And the following extras <addon_list_no_prices>

Total <total_fee>

To secure your date, a deposit of <retainer_fee> is required, as well as confirming the booking.

Once this is complete, I will send a 'booking confirmed' email. Please allow up to 3 days to receive the booking confirmed email.

STEP ONE:

Please sign the online confirmation form, checking all details are correct before signing. Your digital signature is added at the very bottom of the page.

esignaturelink:11141

Important: Signing a document online is legally binding.

STEP TWO:

Make payment of the deposit of <retainer_fee> via bank transfer to the following account:

Account Number: ********
Sort Code: **-**-**

Please use the following as the payment reference <event_date_day><event_date_month><event_date_year>-<event_id>

Alternatively, a credit or debit card payment can be made at <djemployee1_website>/pay. Your payment reference ID is: <event_date_day><event_date_month><event_date_year>-<event_id>

Once both steps are complete, your booking will then be confirmed, and date secured.

Please note that no booking is confirmed until both steps are complete, and you have received a booking confirmed email from me. I will provisionally hold your date for 7 days.


The balance of <balance_due> is due 14 days before the <event_type>.

Once again, thank you for choosing <djemployee1_stage_name>.

I'm looking forward to performing at your <event_type>.

Gavin

<djemployee1_email_signature>

[Excalibur]

Blimey Gavin, that leaves little wiggle room!!! :eek: :) I may stop quite a distance short of that level of information and warnings. :)

[rth_discos]

Blimey Gavin, that leaves little wiggle room!!! :eek: :) I may stop quite a distance short of that level of information and warnings. :)

So far there has been zero confusion over what they need to do and what constitutes a 'booking'.

For people who have never booked a mobile DJ before, it helps them understand the process and what they need to do.

[Imagine]

Mine's very similar to Gavin's (and we've never compared notes on this one). It works for me every time.

For those that don't confirm in the 7 days, the system sends a helpful little reminder telling them that unless they do as they're told, they lose their date (I added that particular email after some confusion a few years back whereby they didn't confirm the booking but thought I'd still turn up anyway!)



Hi <first_name>

Thank you for choosing Imagine Wedding & Party Entertainment for your <event_name> at <event_location> on <event_date_day_long><event_date_month_name> <event_date_year> .

To confirm the booking, you now need to do two things:

1. Read and sign the booking agreement
This can done by reading and electronically signing it here
esignaturelink:2
2. Pay your booking fee of <retainer_fee>
To secure your selected date, your booking fee of <retainer_fee> MUST be received by <due_date>
The final balance of <calculated_value><total_fee>-<retainer_fee></calculated_value> is then on or before:<date_adder:-14><event_date_short></date_adder>

Sorry - I do not accept payment on the day of the performance.

Payment by bank transfer:
You can pay direct into my bank account with the following information:
Bank: xxxxxx
Sort code: xxxxx
Account no: xxxxxx
Please use your booking ID <event_id> as your payee reference

Payment by PayPal:
To pay using a credit or debit card via PayPal (no PayPal account is required), please log into the website at https://imagine-disco.co.uk with the following details
User name:<username>
Password: <password>

Until I'm in receipt of both the signed booking form and the booking fee, the event isn't considered to be booked. Your date is held until <due_date>, and I won't consider any other bookings for your date until this time.


If you have any questions or just want to chat about your event between now and <event_date_day_long> <event_date_month_name> , please don't hesitate to get in touch.

I look forward to working with you and I know you'll be happy you chose Imagine Wedding & Party Entertainment for your event.

Many thanks,

Wayne