Hats off to my daughters’ dentist’s office. When we are finished, Sheri at the front desk asks if I would like to pay by Amex or Visa as she is scheduling the next appointment. One time, I asked to pay 1/3 on the spot and the balance over the next two months. Sheri, smiling, agreed to my proposal and told me she would call in 30 days. Like clockwork, my cell phone rang in 30 days and guess who it was? Sheri was calling for the next installment. Since I had promised her I would pay the second installment, I fumbled for the card (they do not keep the information on file) and authorized payment. Thirty days later, Sheri called and I paid the balance.
In this case, the act of asking to be paid (the conversation in the office, the phone calls) promotes payment beyond simply invoicing. It has been our experience that a quick phone call can be more effective than months of repeat invoicing. In the event you are told “no”, you have the opportunity to renegotiate the sale or move it forward to collections.
Does anyone have a similar story or experience in which they asked for payment and didn’t get paid?
