Well, He Did It To Me Again ......

bugdust · April 14, 2012, 09:30:08 AM

I'm the sucker ... again. Same guy that took 3 months to pay for the first order, and 5 months to pay for the second order. So, "Stupid is as stupid does," I sawed another order and now he won't come and pick it up. First two orders were delivered, so I figured if I made him come get this order surely he'll pay. Finally having learned my lesson I called him last night and told him the lumber was sold. Luckly another guy needed almost the exact order and jumped at it. Sad part is, this is really a nice guy, just won't pay his bills. By the way, I won't be sawing anymore for this dude. :-\ :-\ :-\

Jim_Rogers · April 14, 2012, 10:37:05 AM

Get a deposit up front next time.
When he asks why tell him it took you months to get your money.

Jim Rogers

Magicman · April 14, 2012, 10:38:45 AM

Since I do not buy logs or sell lumber paying has never been a problem for me, but I was thinking/wondering if prepayment might be in order. Since it cost you up front any "really nice guy" should understand that.

Folks talk so I would hate to just cut someone off, but I guess that sometimes even "really nice guys" need getting cutting off. If he is a deadbeat, then everyone else probably knows it too.

Ozarkian · April 14, 2012, 10:57:25 AM

If it is not something I have already cut and stacked then I require a 50% security deposit up front before I cut anything to a customers specifications. This is what I have told three customers, and every one of them said yes without hesitation - one even offered to pay all of it up front. Considering the cost to a small operation like mine, I have plenty of other uses and things I could be doing instead of hoping the customer will pay. I need to know the expenses of providing such order are covered (gas, time, hired hand, blades, and etc). If for some reason they are unable to complete the transaction - that expense will not be taking any food away from my family - hence the name "security deposit".

If a buyer is serious, this should not be an issue. I am sorry to hear that you were burned by the customer, but am glad you were able to find somebody else willing to take it!

-Ozarkian

barbender · April 14, 2012, 11:56:50 AM

Gee, bugdust, it sounds like the really nice guy here is you. No wood leaves my place without it being paid for- I already have a lot invested in it.

paul case · April 14, 2012, 12:12:42 PM

I know what you are going through. Except there wasn't anyone to buy the order. It was actually on some custom sawing and the guy never did pick it up. I sold it for firewood a year later. And yes I cut it out of logs that he brought me. I thought since they were his logs that he would surely pick the lumber up but it never happened. Would I saw for him again? Maybe if he paid up front. PC

Dewey · April 14, 2012, 01:05:18 PM

I guess we all have those stories...... My pet peave is sawing a order and placeing it somewhere and having to move it because the customer doesn't pick it up .... I have a guy who brought in 6'000 BF to saw... I had a feeling ,,, So after I sawed half of it I asked him to come pick up the 3000' I had done and I will finish the rest...... 4 years later It's still sitting in the far corner of my logyard... Slowly rotting I've called heim 3-4 times , He has also called me and said he is coming next Saturday a couple of times... I think this fall It's going into the tubgrinder !!!

Bibbyman · April 14, 2012, 01:58:24 PM

It's a common problem in a lot of businesses. We have worked with a taxidermist that has a lot of mounts that are never picked up even when he charges $100.00 deposit. Another customer does butchering. Each year he ends up with deer meat that is never picked up. He can't sale it so he's more than once brought us big logs of deer sausage and salami.

Part of doing business.

Mary had a guy come in the other day needing deck lumber NOW. Over the past couple 3-4 years he'd ordered and not picked up the lumber. Mary remind him of that. He ask if we still had it. No. We sold it. (Practically gave it away. ) His excuse was that he is dyslexic so he forgets things. Mary sent him away. Good for her.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · April 14, 2012, 09:28:31 PM

Rule of thumb....sometimes when you're dealing with money, you end up in court.
When you go to court, the one with the most paper work wins.

3 times I've had people not pay.
My customers have 5 days to pick their lumber up after I call them.
On the 6th day, they get a very nice phone call and an additional 5 days if needed.
If not picked up and paid for on the 6th day after the phone call, they get a registered letter giving them 3 more days.
After that, their lumber goes into my stock or I sell it.

End of story, no problems.

Full Circle · April 14, 2012, 09:45:41 PM

We had a heavy equipment trucker who moved machines for us when I was in that line of work and he and I were talking one day. The conversation turned to a mutual customer who owed both him (the trucker) and the company I worked for money. He mentioned having a meeting with the guy and said he told him, "I don't need the practice anymore!" I've always remembered that and think of it often.

Another thing I learned while in that business is that there are customers who will beat you up to get the best deal time and time again, and then still not pay in a timely manner. I decided then that I would avoid putting myself in a situation where I "had" to make a sale, even if I knew payment was at risk. I'd rather grow slowly and forge strong relationships with customers who see the value in working with me, and want to see me succeed as much I want to see them succeed.

bugdust · April 14, 2012, 10:39:40 PM

Quote from: Dewey on April 14, 2012, 01:05:18 PM
I guess we all have those stories...... My pet peave is sawing a order and placeing it somewhere and having to move it because the customer doesn't pick it up .... I have a guy who brought in 6'000 BF to saw... I had a feeling ,,, So after I sawed half of it I asked him to come pick up the 3000' I had done and I will finish the rest...... 4 years later It's still sitting in the far corner of my logyard... Slowly rotting I've called heim 3-4 times , He has also called me and said he is coming next Saturday a couple of times... I think this fall It's going into the tubgrinder !!!

Gosh Dewey, I feel more sorry for you now. By the way, this guy called my son today to ask if he could make payments because he really needed to start his project. Don't ask me to repeat his answer ....

barbender · April 16, 2012, 12:37:27 PM

Poston, I like your method, it sounds like you have your ducks in a row.

JohnM · April 16, 2012, 02:52:54 PM

Quote from: Bibbyman on April 14, 2012, 01:58:24 PM
His excuse was that he is dyslexic so he forgets things.

That is a very strange excuse. Hope she told him to LLEH! ;)

JM

bozzaa69 · May 17, 2012, 04:55:55 AM

Around where I am, about 50% of the guys I have dealt with in the past don't like paying their bills or are allot of talk and BS. And it's only getting worse with this economy in the toilet. Now we got people going around and stealing the battery's and cables out of the heavy equipment for scrap and cutting the catalytic converters off people's cars in their driveways at night. Never mind breaking in people's sheds stealing whatever they can. Used to be able to keep your keys in your car and your stuff unlocked for the last 20 years. And allot of it is people that have become hooked on pain pills. Thanks Obama, for the change?????

sigidi · May 17, 2012, 05:25:49 AM

Quote from: Bibbyman on April 14, 2012, 01:58:24 PM
His excuse was that he is dyslexic so he forgets things...

Dunno about Dyslexia, maybe he forgot he has Alzheimers!!

but u guys are all right, we all have these dont we :(

NWP · May 17, 2012, 08:20:27 PM

Usually if they make it a point to tell you repeatedly that they are a "man of their word", they're not. The clown that told me that just lost to me in court and is having his bank accounts garnished as we speak. I guess that makes me a man of my word when my lawyer sent him a registered letter demanding payment or I would take him to court. Overall, I have been very fortunate throughout the years and had little problem collecting. But there are always a few bad apples.

Don_Papenburg · May 17, 2012, 10:36:56 PM

I have a standing agreem ent with companies I do bizz with on an ongoing arangment that I expect to be paid in 30 days. One company got to be four or five months behind but needed work done . So I gave them a ten dollar discount if they paid in five days . They did . Never been late again because they like the discount. It works great for both of us because I added twenty to the invoice to cover interest and billing time and a little extra profit for putting up with their past dirty deeds and they got a nice discount. ;D

Migal · May 18, 2012, 01:02:40 AM

8) I'm a newbie so what part of sawing here did i not like that posessed me to buy a sawmill. that being said . I saw cause i like it and i can aford it you as a costomer why are you asking me to saw wood for you ....hmmm there,s money in that thought (I bought the sawmill) no i dont store its 50 bucks going up to 65 a hour for me to stand at the controls no storage no i can off board but its same price no i dont store' everyone wants a deal im sorry what deal did i ask for straight up!
they sell these mills all over the world ... why did i buy one... Hmm Woops Errr. Lord Migal

Satamax · May 18, 2012, 01:52:55 AM

Hey guys. Being a big bloke and having a reputation for being completely nuts helps sometimes being paid. I've been stung once or twice on small amounts, but otherwise, it' ok usualy.

sparky1 · May 18, 2012, 07:02:29 AM

start charging up front. The gas companies do it and no one complains about that!! unless they want to walk 8)

sigidi · May 19, 2012, 08:13:15 PM

Same as car registration and insurance etc, you pay upfront, we just need to start getting a bit more 'business-like'

Tree Feller · May 20, 2012, 09:09:34 PM

Prior to getting my mill, I had a lot of logs sawed by a local sawyer. I always carried the logs to him and except for the first time, I would leave my trailer there with the logs on it. When I went to pick it up ( a day or two after he called to say it was ready) the lumber was all stacked on the trailer. All I had to do was hitch it up and haul it home.

He never asked for pre-payment and I never went more than a couple of days after it was ready before picking it up. Most of the time, I would leave him a check in one of his vehicles as no one was home when I picked up the lumber.

While I would have had no problem paying in advance, the arrangement worked out well. He kept his word to saw my lumber the way I wanted and I kept my word by paying for his service in a timely manner.

It's a shame when a man's word and a handshake are no longer any good.