Last night a guy picked up a repair I did and brought two 100 dollar bills for a $25.00 repair. I'm a retired dentist and have seen all the tricks to not pay.
How do you guys handle repair jobs with clients you don't know? Pay first? Greet them at the pickup time with a club??

Harry,
Pretty simple, go with the rod over to the local convenience store and cash the $100 bill and get paid.

Be safe

Tell him you don't have change then take the $200 for a downpayment on a custom rod.

Pat Barnard

Tried to. They wouldn't cash it without a purchase. By this time I became curious to see if he'd return to pay, but in the future it'll be pay first.

On a repair, I do not command an up front fee. After all, I have the rod, and their receipt for it states, goods left over 120 days without payment will be sold for charges.
Bottom line, no payment, no rod.

Ron Weber

If you can sell the rod for $25, you're okay. If not, well, he got you.

I assume you did not let him take the rod.

.............

Harry,
You should have purchased a candy bar with the $100 bill and they would have given you the change.

Be safe

Duplicate



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2014 07:18PM by Barry Thomas Sr.

NO MONEY-NO ROD Come back with the Right Amount

I always have my money before they get the rod. You should have told him to go get the correct amount then return for the rod. I call my customers and let them know the repair is complete and the charge is X amount so there is no excuse for them to not have the correct amount. If it's a person I have not dealt with and they want write a check I tell them no rod until check clears. Then most of the time they pull out the amount in cash.

Mr. Bell, There is no insurance company that will reemburse you for rod repair. (as you are used too) Be prepared for payment of any kind., From retires that have no momery to the wealthy that carry no cash. Unless you repair for shops, (which is cash only) you better hammer it out right from the get go. CASH ON THE BARRELHEAD AT TIME OF DELIVERY. 100 dollar bills are as common as pulling wisdom teeth.

Dennis J. Danku
(Sayreville,NJ)

Harry, do you still have the guys contact info? Give him a call tomorrow and say he owes you. Then every other day until he comes thru.. If not chalk one up..
I had one guy try to stiff me by saying I overcharged him. I told to check the price on the original quote. My policy is 21 days after I inform you that the rod is done. I told this slacker that on day 22 I would send him the E a Bay listing number and he could find his rod there. Money showed up 2 days later.

Simple
Money for parts Then order parts
When the rod is done - The money in hand Checks have to clear first

Are you making a million on each rod - heck no - So get the money for what you do

NO MONEY NO ROD Roger has common sense Cash the bill

Bill - willierods.com

ONLY Checks I take have Pictures of Dead Presidents and Old Famous People

If they clear and are good They can be old and dead as long as they want

Always have any checks CLEAR first then give the rod over

Bill - willierods.com

No money no rod. I had a guy try to strong are me and found out very fast that is the wrong way

Eh,

This is why I hate doing repairs, you tend to deal with some unsavory people that would never walk through your doors for a custom build. I'd honestly rather do a guy a one time favor and do a simple repair for free for the goodwill value than receive a small amount of cash.

I knew of a guy who traveled to gun importers to hand selected specimen guns to resell. He passed a while back, but was very old school in his approach to business. You sent him a check for a gun, and the gun went out to your ffl dealer that same day. His bank was a bit of a drive for him so a few days later, he'd gather the checks and then go deposit them. I was really surprised that he would ship a gun to a stranger's ffl dealer before depositing checks, let alone waiting for them to clear. When I asked him about this, he quipped back something like, "in 40 some years of doing business I've never been stiffed by a gunny, and I don't think your going to be the first ... are you?" I always remember that. The rest of the story I didn't figure out until later was that, before he sold you a gun he talked to you on the phone at length and basically judged your character, if he approved of you he had a gun for you, if he didn't approve of you he just didn't have what you were looking for (nor would he ever have what you were looking for).

For rodbuilders, I know it's different if rodbuilding and repairs are your main income, but for many of us It's not. When I retire soon, I probably will begin to do more of the repair work I now turn away to other people. With repairs, I'll probably just do cash in advance for everyone except repeat customers who I've built custom rods for (they've already demonstrated to me they'll handle a financial transaction in a professional manner). You get their cash up front and all you should have to deal with are the no-shows who never come back to pick up the rods. But hey, you already have their money and that's what this whole thread is about.

When you do repairs you have the persons rod in your hands. No cash no rod its pretty simple. Then sell the rod on @#$%& or find a kid that wants a rod.

Rolly Beenen
Rovic Custom Rods

Well I guess I will take a different approach. If you are in business, having some change on hand is part of doing business.
There is no good reason to not have the ability to make change for a $100 bill, less your charges.
JMHO
Scott