How To Get Paid Promptly for Every Carpet Cleaning Job

With three in five SMEs currently waiting on unpaid invoices, late payments are a shockingly common occurrence. Unfortunately it's something we see too often in the carpet cleaning industry and sadly, outstanding debts can be a big issue for small businesses.

While customers might see it as trivial, late payments can stall cash flow and cause real issues. At the very least, it means wasting time chasing up invoices when you could be completing more jobs.

So, what can you do about it? In this post, we’ll list five simple steps to get paid promptly for carpet cleaning work.

1. Get the details right every time

Even if you have hundreds of customers, it’s important to nurture your relationships with them. Carpet cleaners often have a huge repeat customer base, and this helps to tailor the service to meet their needs, even when it comes to invoicing. Ensure the invoicing details are correct so there’s no need to amend and delay the payment process.

2. Communicate with customers

If you’re considering joining the NCCA, a vital part of the Code of Practice focuses on communication. From start to finish, communication should be clear and transparent so the customer understands your requirements for payment from the beginning. Also, be sure to agree on payment terms and invoice as soon as you’ve completed a job while you’re still fresh in your customer’s mind. If you’re slow at sending invoices, you might find that your customers are equally slow at making payment.

Following up with the client after the invoice has been sent is a great idea. This clears up any issues quickly, avoiding delays. It’s not enough to just do the job and invoice if you hope to get paid on time.

3.  Make payment easy

A great way to get payments on time is to make the payment method as simple as possible. Invoicing with bank details is a top choice for carpet cleaners. However, why not consider using a card reader to take payments faster? It's often more convenient for your customers, some may even pay straight away.

4.   Create a chasing up schedule

If you’re owed money from carpet cleaning jobs, making a reminder schedule to chase up the monies owed is helpful. It’s not the nicest job, but if there are no issues or open disputes, a gentle reminder will nudge the customer to pay. By creating a schedule, you can ensure you’re not hassling the same customers too frequently. Instead, you could check in after 7, 14 and 28 days for example.

Sending emails is often a great way to communicate late payments, as you have it in writing. But it’s also the easiest to ignore. A tiered communication system is advisable, with phone calls to follow up on ignored emails, for instance.

5. Join a nationally recognised trade association for additional support

It’s always helpful to have experts to turn to for business tips and assistance. This is where joining a trade association like the NCCA brings many benefits.

From free helplines when you need support or tips to downloadable templates you can use in your business, there’s a host of exclusive resources tailored to carpet cleaners. In addition, if you encounter disputes, a dedicated arbitration service is available.

Find out more about NCCA membership

Growing your carpet cleaning business is much easier when you’re a member of the National Carpet Cleaners Association. From resources and support for issues like late payments to networking events and exclusive training, we’ll help you become the go-to carpet cleaner in your local area.

For more information about NCCA membership benefits and becoming an accredited member, contact us today.