phil
08-13-2007, 11:01 AM
A message I posted to customers on my forum:
Please understand, from my relentless pursuit of an efficient Business, checks and money orders will no longer be accepted. The only form of payment will be Visa, Master Card, or American Express. Of course, for large orders over $5,000, a wire transfer will be accepted.
This also means:
- No COD's (collect on delivery)
- No Purchase Orders
- No PayPal
- No Cash
- No Payment Plans
Everyone should be able to get a credit/debit card. If you're concerned about self control with a credit card, you can always get a debit card (from your bank) which doesn't allow you to spend more money than you have.
But what if you're not 18? Borrow a parent's credit card and give them cash or get your own debit card - I had my own Master Card debit card through my PayPal account when I was just 16.
Onto another issue...
I have come to recognize a growing inefficiency with local customers driving to the warehouse. While it is wonderful to chat with fellow Nor Cal folk, the visits usually take at least 30 minutes. We end up showing them prototype products, like this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kACJRevHZU). Its no surprise though, our customers have a well-known attraction to bright lights.
It would be better if these customers could order online, pay just $3.95 shipping, and because of their proximity to the shipping location, receive their order the next day. It will take just a few minutes to pack and ship the order during a daily batch of shipping rather than half an hour of interrupted work.
This last Friday we had a customer with a Scion xB call to ask if he can come by to pick up a couple underbody kits. "Sure, come on by. We'll be here 'til five". Customer comes by at around 3:00 pm. I guess Max was on the phone with a customer, Ivan was deep into some PHP code, rocking out with his headphones. I was at home twiddling my thumbs. No one heard the doorbell, and so the customer sat outside for half and hour. Assuming no one was there, he finally went home in a fury. He finally got a hold of me and I told him there was someone there the whole time. He decided to drive 30 minutes again and get there by 5:00 pm.
Ultimately, it would have been better and saved us all a bunch of hassle, if we would have shipped the products with UPS - even if it is only 30 minutes away.
Thanking you in advance for your cooperation,
Phil
P.S. Consider ditching your local bank, and use an online bank. I haven't stepped foot in a bank for over 3 years except to switch some 20's into a bunch of 5's for customer bribe money (http://www.philsuslow.com/phil/misc_forum/tbl/IMG_6331-01.jpg). I use an internet bank with only one branch in a different state. The few paper checks that I get (birthday money, statefarm insurance rebates, etc), are mailed in with a free pre-paid envelope. Cash can be both withdrawn and deposited at any ATM machine. Paychecks should be direct deposited. Statements should be electronic (saves paper, and more importantly reduces identify theft). Check out Netbank (http://www.netbank.com/) or Everbank (http://www.everbank.com/) for a more efficient banking experience!
Please understand, from my relentless pursuit of an efficient Business, checks and money orders will no longer be accepted. The only form of payment will be Visa, Master Card, or American Express. Of course, for large orders over $5,000, a wire transfer will be accepted.
This also means:
- No COD's (collect on delivery)
- No Purchase Orders
- No PayPal
- No Cash
- No Payment Plans
Everyone should be able to get a credit/debit card. If you're concerned about self control with a credit card, you can always get a debit card (from your bank) which doesn't allow you to spend more money than you have.
But what if you're not 18? Borrow a parent's credit card and give them cash or get your own debit card - I had my own Master Card debit card through my PayPal account when I was just 16.
Onto another issue...
I have come to recognize a growing inefficiency with local customers driving to the warehouse. While it is wonderful to chat with fellow Nor Cal folk, the visits usually take at least 30 minutes. We end up showing them prototype products, like this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kACJRevHZU). Its no surprise though, our customers have a well-known attraction to bright lights.
It would be better if these customers could order online, pay just $3.95 shipping, and because of their proximity to the shipping location, receive their order the next day. It will take just a few minutes to pack and ship the order during a daily batch of shipping rather than half an hour of interrupted work.
This last Friday we had a customer with a Scion xB call to ask if he can come by to pick up a couple underbody kits. "Sure, come on by. We'll be here 'til five". Customer comes by at around 3:00 pm. I guess Max was on the phone with a customer, Ivan was deep into some PHP code, rocking out with his headphones. I was at home twiddling my thumbs. No one heard the doorbell, and so the customer sat outside for half and hour. Assuming no one was there, he finally went home in a fury. He finally got a hold of me and I told him there was someone there the whole time. He decided to drive 30 minutes again and get there by 5:00 pm.
Ultimately, it would have been better and saved us all a bunch of hassle, if we would have shipped the products with UPS - even if it is only 30 minutes away.
Thanking you in advance for your cooperation,
Phil
P.S. Consider ditching your local bank, and use an online bank. I haven't stepped foot in a bank for over 3 years except to switch some 20's into a bunch of 5's for customer bribe money (http://www.philsuslow.com/phil/misc_forum/tbl/IMG_6331-01.jpg). I use an internet bank with only one branch in a different state. The few paper checks that I get (birthday money, statefarm insurance rebates, etc), are mailed in with a free pre-paid envelope. Cash can be both withdrawn and deposited at any ATM machine. Paychecks should be direct deposited. Statements should be electronic (saves paper, and more importantly reduces identify theft). Check out Netbank (http://www.netbank.com/) or Everbank (http://www.everbank.com/) for a more efficient banking experience!