Re: I'm sorry we don't provide service for...

[Frank Olson <Use_the_email_links@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bob La Londe wrote:
> ... customers with a past due balance.
>
>
> Typical timeline:
> Day 1 9:45PM
> Them:   We can't arm the alarm.  It must be broken...
> Us:       Ok, bypass the problem zone and we will stop by to fix it in the
> morning.
> Day 2 10:00am    Door contact torn off dooor replaced.
> Day 3 Time unknown.  Customer invoiced.
>
> Day 35 Past due notice sent.
> Day 65 +/- Past due notice sent
> Day....
>
> Day 120 +
> Them:  Can you tell us about the activity on our alarm?
> Us:      Sure this should answer your question.  Oh by the way, you have a
> past due invoice and we don't perform service for anybody with a past due
> balance.  You might want to take care of that before anything else comes up.
> Them:  Oh, we didn't know there was a charge.  We thought all those
> statements marked urgent payment information required were just our monthly
> activity reports.  We will take care of it right away
> Us:       Ok, Thank you.
>
> Day 160-180 +/-
> Them:    (message left with service) The alarm is beeping.  Can you fix it?
>
> ...five minutes later
> Us:         (After checking alarm history)  Hmmm  low battery.
>
> Call 1 Premise:  Busy
> Call 2 Premise:  Busy
> Call 3 Premise:  FAX MACHINE ?!?
> Call 4 RP 1:      Voice mail full
> Call 5 RP 1:      Voice mail full
> (verifiy number with directory services)
> Call 6 RP 2:      Disconnected
> Call 7 RP 3:      Don't work there anymore.
>
> Check accounting system for any alternative numbers.
> Hmmm...  Customer has substantially past due balance.
> Oh, well they will call back when it gets too annoying.
>
> Day 190+ Sent past due notice.  With note.  "We are continuing to receive
> 'low battery' signals from your alarm system.  We would be glad to stop by
> and take care of that for you, but we do not perfrom service for customers
> with past due balances.  Plase pay your past due balance and schedule
> service to replace your low battery."
>
> Day 200+ on Sunday morning.
> Them:     The alarm is beeping can you fix it.
> Us:         You have a low battery, but unfortunately we do not perform
> service for custoemrs with a past due balance.
> Them:     Oh, I thought we took care of that after I talked to you last
> time.
> Us:         Sorry, we have not received it.  Hence why you have received
> several past due notices since then.
> Them:     Oh, well is there anything you can do for us?
> Us:         (subvocalized) You want us to do weekend (overtime) service for
> you for a problem you have had for several weeks even though you have a past
> due balance that you have deliberately ignored for 2/3s of a year?
> Outloud:  I'm terribly sorry, but we do not perform service for customers
> with a past due balance.  You can call us on Monday to settle this isue.
> Them:     Well its beeping.  Is there anythign I can do to shut it up?
> Us:         With that particular panel the only way to permanently stop the
> beeping (and still have an alarm system) is to replace the bad battery.
> Sorry.
> Them:     Can you help us?  Please give us a call on Monday to take care of
> the the payment issue and we will be glad schedule a time to replace your
> battery for you.
>
> Back and forth period.
>
> Click.
>
> Ring Ring  (CID says same client) They can go to voice mail
> Ring Ring  (CID says same client) They can go to voice mail
> Ring Ring  (CID says same client) They can go to voice mail
> Ring Ring  (CID says same client) They can go to voice mail
>
> Never left message with voice mail.
>
> Maybe they will call on Monday and make arrangements to pay their bill, and
> maybe they will call some other alarm company to change their battery.  That
> would be nice.  I can write them off as a bad debt and they can be somebody
> else's collection headache.
>


I feel for ya.  I haven't a single client that's over 45 days...  I
consider myself "blessed"...  85% are automatic withdrawl...  Works
wonders for the "bottom line"...