Upset with the neighbour down the road

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I have great customers like you as well for many years. Over half of my customers/co-workers have "Credit Accounts" with me. They give me $10.00 or $20.00 to put in their "Eggs Savings Account" and as I give them their eggs, I deduct the amount owed. I give them a receipt showing what their order amount for the day was and their balance after their egg purchase. They get a kick out of it. The receipt is on these little chicken post it note. They think the receipts are so cute. But anyway....... They are too afraid of not having any money or no change when the egg orders are ready, they pay me in advance. They will email me or stop by my office when I'm at work and ask me what their balance is. When their balances get too low, they will hand over another $10.00 or $20.00. All of them have their own ledger card, so that I can keep up with the money that they pay me in advance or in the event they want to look at it (no one has ever asked to look at their "Egg Credit Bank Statement" but it is available for viewing upon request.

I have a customer that I have dropped eggs off to early in the morning and I didn't have time to knock on her door to collect money but I trust her, so it's no issue. I have dropped off about 18 dozen eggs for the last few weeks and still have not collected (because I was running late and didn't want to knock on her door and wake her) but I will be collecting today. She keeps sending me emails telling me that she will drop the money off to me at work but I keep telling her no because I will get it later.

I have been having these customers for years and have not had 1 single problem.

Good Luck with your customer.

 

[foxinachickenhouse]

I just had a similar situation with a side of beef. I split the beef with some folks - 1 friend (who paid me), 1 acquaintance. I covered the bill at the custom cutting place, divided the meat, labeled her boxes and left it for her to pick up. I called her and said "your meat is ready for pickup, you owe me $70 and I coud use the $$ so please drop it by ASAP". nothing. 2 weeks go by. nothing. I e-mail her, "just FYI in case you didn't catch it you still owe me some $$". nothing. I e-mail again saying, "Well, I suppose I'm gonna have to come down there all mob boss style and start breaking knees if you don't bring the money." I have that kind of sense of humor so it was taken as a joke, but the $$ was there that very day.

If it were me, I would ask if they need to go on a payment plan for the balance, or buy future eggs on layaway - hint, hint, chortle, chortle. Kinda fun loving but still letting them know that you mean business. Again that's me and most people kinda get my humor so it works.

I have noticed that some folks just think that whatever amount is insignificant and won't be missed and have a "what's the big deal, it's only x amount?" sort of attitude. They need schooling. Sorry for you that you have to be schoolmaster.

Edited to agree with kuntrygirl, that sounds like a perfect setup. You could suggest that to them in all seriousness. It is inconvenient for some to have cash on hand.

 

[kburen]

No money = No eggs....Pay upfront or she doesn't get. WalMart wouldn't allow her to take the eggs without paying for it on the spot.

 

[Chickengal505]

Quote:
My feeling is that you should just tell her it's cash and carry only (PERIOD). No need to elaborate or give any other reasons. No need to give any other stories. IMO

Actully I was kind of joking

I wasn't really sugesting she go lie

 

[b.hromada]

You aren't over re-acting at all. In my opinion! Sometimes I think that some people just believe its due them, for some reason.

Good for you, have her come pick them up at your place, and pay you there. Making sure ALL the money is there too.

Best of luck. It IS the principal of the matter.

 

[desertdarlene]

I wouldn't beat yourself up by being nice to this lady and assuming that she would pay you the next time. If she was steadily paying you for a while, then there was no reason why you wouldn't expect her not to pay you next time. But, handing you a bunch of jumbled up change definitely shows that she was trying to get away with something. She was hoping you wouldn't notice until she was gone with the eggs.

I agree with what others said about not selling her anymore eggs until she pays her balance. And, from then on, she has to hand you the cash before you hand her the eggs. She has shown she can't be trusted.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Well said.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Something that has not yet been suggested is telling her that you need to raise the cost of eggs due to increased production costs (in this case, her lack of payment). Print out a statement for her of the eggs delivered and $$ owed and received. That will visually show her where she is behind. And I do agree, don;t hnd over eggs until you are paid.

 

[FireTigeris]

Gee I was going to offer to deliver the next set broken and hidden around her house...

Just kidding, do not trespass

 

[Ema]

yes, I do keep tabs on who buys eggs and how many, but have never printed invoices. I think I will do this for now, thanks for the suggestion and all the advice.

I too have a friend who buys eggs from me and will give me 20 dollars in advance for future eggs, she also gathers egg cartons for us. She is one of my best customers. She buys 4 dozen every week 2 for her mom and 2 for herself.

And just today I gained a new customer who is looking to get 3 dozen a week, so needless to say I have replaced one bad customer with a new one.