|
05 May 06 - 11:56 AM (#1733450) Subject: BS: I need a punchline From: Partridge Hi I'm having a rubber stamp made with a graphic of a screwed up face crying. I need a line of text underneath to shame debtors into paying up. Any good ideas? cheers Pat x |
|
05 May 06 - 12:08 PM (#1733461) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: John MacKenzie Put the smile back on my bank manager's face! G.. |
|
05 May 06 - 12:11 PM (#1733464) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: MMario "We know it hurts. but you have to do it!" |
|
05 May 06 - 12:16 PM (#1733469) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Bee-dubya-ell Ditch the whole idea. The graphic is too ambiguous. It doesn't clearly communicate whether it's you that's crying because you need the money or whether you're accusing your customer of giving you a sob story. |
|
05 May 06 - 12:28 PM (#1733474) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Divis Sweeney SOB STORIES DON'T PAY MY BILLS ! |
|
05 May 06 - 01:05 PM (#1733499) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Wesley S "Baby needs a new pair of shoes" |
|
05 May 06 - 01:26 PM (#1733503) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Sorcha An Offer you can't refuse....horses head stamp. |
|
05 May 06 - 01:29 PM (#1733504) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Bill D It's kind of a mistake to assume that lack of shame is the main problem. I doubt any clever stamp will help. |
|
05 May 06 - 01:51 PM (#1733514) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Richard Bridge If you get this, I know where you live. |
|
05 May 06 - 02:05 PM (#1733523) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Ebbie "Debt is a Bad Taste" |
|
05 May 06 - 04:49 PM (#1733534) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Hillheader The next contact will be from my hitman |
|
05 May 06 - 07:35 PM (#1733653) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: GUEST,Art Thieme Jesus saves! But I can't unless you pay up!! |
|
05 May 06 - 07:47 PM (#1733658) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: The Fooles Troupe "I need a punchline" Hold out your chin... |
|
05 May 06 - 07:58 PM (#1733661) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Stilly River Sage I agree with Bill D. If you want these folks to be a return customers (assuming they can eventually pay their bills and are welcomed back) a cartoonish stamp doesn't sound like the way to build goodwill. If you have so many customers that it doesn't matter if you offend some, then you have enough customers that you don't need to offend any. SRS |
|
05 May 06 - 08:09 PM (#1733668) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: The Fooles Troupe Jesus saves! The Devil invests! with a picture of you complete with pitchfork, chasing them down the road... |
|
05 May 06 - 08:12 PM (#1733672) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: GUEST I can't see the picture describes the situation clearly enough either. I'd go for a weighing scales with the words 'OUTSTANDING BALANCE.' It may appeal to their sense of justice and fair play. |
|
05 May 06 - 08:40 PM (#1733692) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: The Fooles Troupe Best so far GUEST. |
|
05 May 06 - 08:52 PM (#1733699) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: GUEST Well thankyou fooles. It's amazing what the mind can conjure up when stretched in odd ways. |
|
06 May 06 - 08:00 AM (#1733942) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: The Fooles Troupe and boy.... |
|
06 May 06 - 10:48 AM (#1734017) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: GUEST,van lingle "Got Kneecaps?" |
|
06 May 06 - 11:12 PM (#1734314) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: LadyJean In that some of my best friends are occasional deadbeats, I'd suggest a first time notice of a man walking down the street dressed in shirt, coat, tie and boxer shorts, with a little note at the bottom that says, "Haven't you forgotten something." The second notice should mention lawyers. That usually gets people's attention. |
|
07 May 06 - 12:40 AM (#1734368) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Cluin All your base are belong to us! |
|
07 May 06 - 05:30 AM (#1734438) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Flash Company 'Ware other cultures! In a previous existence, I too was responsible for collecting overdue accounts. One of the stickers we used showed a Piggy-bank being broken open with a hammer, with a caption something like 'Come on, it won't break the bank!' A customer wrote to our MD accusing me of insulting her religion by sending an account with a picture of a pig on it. FC |
|
07 May 06 - 07:51 AM (#1734459) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: The Fooles Troupe ... and thereby hoping the damages settlement would balance out the debt? :-) (I AM a cynical bastard, aren't I?) |
|
08 May 06 - 04:14 AM (#1735139) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Partridge Thanks for your suggestions, you have certainly given me lots to think about cheers Pat |
|
08 May 06 - 04:42 AM (#1735147) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Georgiansilver You are indebted to those who have contributed then..be prepared for a rubber stamp! Best wishes, Mike. |
|
08 May 06 - 04:47 AM (#1735150) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Georgiansilver My suggestion would be that you go see the people personally and get on their side by asking if they are really struggling at the moment. Then point out that the debt has to be paid somehow and ask if there is anything you can do to help.....Showing a caring attitude can be better than giving an ultimatum or hounding people. What do you think? Best wishes, Mike. |
|
08 May 06 - 05:22 AM (#1735165) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: The Fooles Troupe A brilliant caring idea from you again GS! Actually, all fun aside, it's probably the best approach at first. of course, some people DO intentionally just not want to pay sometimes, but the old saw goes "you catch more files with honey than vinegar" is very true. |
|
08 May 06 - 05:57 AM (#1735182) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Partridge True, I thought if I could make them laugh they might soften Patx |
|
08 May 06 - 10:33 AM (#1735350) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Clinton Hammond I'm with BillD.... Your whole rubber stamp idea is a total WOMBAT |
|
08 May 06 - 11:58 AM (#1735387) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Partridge Thanks for that Clinton, but I disagree that its a total wombat. Something amusing on the bottom of a statement can make the difference in the time it takes some (not all) customers to pay up. If followed up with a phone call at least they remember who you are - which is a start. At the moment 90% of all customers pay up within the thirty days -its just the "evil" 10% that I want to bring in line - any constructive ideas - maybe not a rubber stamp (although I liked the idea of the horses head...........perhaps not) cheers Pat x |
|
08 May 06 - 12:04 PM (#1735392) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Clinton Hammond I think I'd be even LESS likely to pay up if I got a cutesy rubber stamp on my bill.... |
|
08 May 06 - 01:33 PM (#1735445) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Dave the Gnome I don't see what the problem is, Clinton. Pat just got a punchline. I don't think he or she would have got one unless they asked for it... :D (tG) |
|
08 May 06 - 01:44 PM (#1735452) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Mr Red picture of a Lawyer caption "make my day - or his" |
|
08 May 06 - 06:06 PM (#1735642) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Helen Well, what occurred to me is something along the lines of "You got yours now give me mine" - in the spirit of a contract which is a legal agreement for goods or services in return for the agreed upon compensation. My phrasing is a bit too blunt and would need softening up a bit. The weighing scales graphic with "Goods" (or "Services", depending on your business) written on one side and "Payment" on the other would show the legal concept of a contract in a graphic way - and incidentally has the implicit message of the legal logo of scales of justice, implying that you will take legal action if necessary. I tend to agree with the nice approach first, and only bringing out the big guns when all other avenues have failed. Using increasingly pointed graphics/messages/letters according to the stage of the debt collection is good, too. The other thing to evaluate is what sort of message you give out at the start of the transaction. Are your conditions of payment clearly stated on the invoice, e.g. "Payment within 14 days of the date of issue of this invoice. Interest is charged at x% if payment is not received by [date]" etc. Fuzzy or non-existent deadlines make it easier for some people to forget to pay. Re: graphics, I went to a restaurant once, a long time ago, which had a funny graphic of a person holding his head, aghast, while looking at the bill. It was funny and clever. I think good-natured humour is a good way to communicate, as long as it is not misinterpreted. Helen |
|
08 May 06 - 09:28 PM (#1735757) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: Deda Under the crying face -- "Don't make us send it to collections!" |
|
08 May 06 - 10:03 PM (#1735798) Subject: RE: BS: I need a punchline From: jimmyt In the words and music of Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes, "If you don't owe me by now... you will never,never,never Owe me, at all." |