Ever had to chase clients down for damage payments? This one’s for you.
Hi y’all,
Welcome back to Busy Season, your guide to the hot takes, pro tips, and real stories sweeping the events industry.
Last week we talked about setting boundaries, but how do you keep your business on track when those boundaries get breached? Let’s jump in.
Those lines you draw with customers are unfortunately bound to be broken every so often, whether your clients damage equipment, ignore pick-up instructions, or simply disrespect your time.
Assuming the boundary-breaking is only occasional (otherwise you could be working with the wrong clients), the next step is to clearly express the consequences. You can go about this in a few different ways:
- Make them part of your Terms & Conditions. Your T&C should also mention the fact you will retain cards on file and document in what cases they’ll be used.
- Add replacement costs to your estimates (this way the client knows that staining a linen isn’t going to just cost them the $12 rental fee…it’s more like a $55 replacement cost).
- Send instructions in advance through email. I highly encourage folks to use video here. (Example: “I have our rehearsal time from 3 p.m. – 8 p.m. ET. Anything beyond that will be billed at 150% our normal rate.”)
As long as you’re transparent about your terms and your fees, you’re well within your rights to charge a client for violating their agreement. Storing their card on file ensures you can do this without a tedious (and unpleasant) conversation, and without risk of them flaking.
That doesn’t make you less of a people person or a bad hospitality professional. You can be those things and expect clients to respect your time and property.
See you next Tuesday,
Mallory Mullen
Goodshuffle
