Payment discrepancy- help!

[Indycar Girl]

What would you do? I gave a client a discount, making the price of her 90-minute session $80.75. I remember showing her the calculator, because she was a bit muddle-headed after her massage. I didn't notice until this morning that she wrote the check for $30.75 instead of $80.75. My mistake- I did not check before she left.

What would you do? This also seems to be a very good argument for having them pay *prior* to their session. But would you call her and ask for the extra $50, or eat it, since it was your (my) mistake in not catching it the first time around? Cash the check as-is, and mention it the next time she comes in (if she comes back)?

I honestly don't think she was trying to short us on purpose. an 8 can look an awful lot like a 3, and I think that's what happened. The only reason I noticed the discrepancy as I was preparing my deposit for this morning was she's the sister of another 90-minute regular, and she wanted a 90-minute also. $30.75 for a 90-minute massage is a HUGE "discount", lol!

I'm holding onto the check until we can decide what to do.

 

[Alyssa D]

Payment discrepancy- help!

I had this happen just last week. I noticed before my client left but opted not to say anything. When she got home, she noticed her error, called me immediately, and put a check in the mail. I don't know how regular your client is, but it would be awfully hard to miss that when she balances her checkbook. I personally would eat it, but that would be my lesson for not paying more attention.

 

[Cannoli]

Payment discrepancy- help!

What a bummer!

I'd chalk it up to a $50 lesson learned. You won't be making that mistake again...well I hope not I guess I have been known to repeat a mistake or two. Maybe next time...verbally tell the client want the total is, instead of just showing them the calculator?

 

[Dianna]

Payment discrepancy- help!

No no no, don't take the loss. It was their mistake, not yours, and they will be fine with paying the difference. Call them & let them know what happened & ask them to send you a $50 check. I've had this happen to me on occasion. It's no big deal, unless you make it one.

 

[Paint Pony]

Payment discrepancy- help!

No no no, don't take the loss. It was their mistake, not yours, and they will be fine with paying the difference. Call them & let them know what happened & ask them to send you a $50 check. I've had this happen to me on occasion. It's no big deal, unless you make it one.

Definitely! I can't imagine ANY reason anyone would contemplate not asking for the remainder of the payment. Yeah, it can be uncomfortable making that call, but it was an honest mistake on both sides and the client should be completely willing to send you a check for the remainder.

I third this. You want her to be a regular client, so she needs to know what the rate really is - and isn't.

 

[~ Floridian``]

Payment discrepancy- help!

I *did* verbally tell her the amount. Maybe showing her the sum was a *bad* idea. She was rather "massage-headed". She is not a regular (yet)- her sister is, and she mentioned "now I know why she was raving so much" etc etc, so I am thinking that she would like to become a regular.

I'll be back in the office tomorrow- I'll call her and tell her what happened from the office phone. If she throws a fit, then I guess she's not what we want as a client anyway, huh?

Thanks for the feedback.

My "gut" at first was saying to just eat it, since I'm not much on confrontation. But I've been getting better at it- and, as y'all have said, it really shouldn't be a big deal- it was an honest mistake, and should be treated as such- no aggression or accusations needed. A calm, respectful, "het, I was looking over our books and you know what I noticed? We both missed this....." should do nicely. Right?

 

[Mc.Zee]

Payment discrepancy- help!

it really shouldn't be a big deal- it was an honest mistake, and should be treated as such- no aggression or accusations needed. A calm, respectful, "het, I was looking over our books and you know what I noticed? We both missed this....." should do nicely. Right?

Exactly

 

[Judy.May.]

Payment discrepancy- help!

I *did* verbally tell her the amount. Maybe showing her the sum was a *bad* idea. She was rather "massage-headed". She is not a regular (yet)- her sister is, and she mentioned "now I know why she was raving so much" etc etc, so I am thinking that she would like to become a regular.

I'll be back in the office tomorrow- I'll call her and tell her what happened from the office phone. If she throws a fit, then I guess she's not what we want as a client anyway, huh?

Thanks for the feedback.

My "gut" at first was saying to just eat it, since I'm not much on confrontation. But I've been getting better at it- and, as y'all have said, it really shouldn't be a big deal- it was an honest mistake, and should be treated as such- no aggression or accusations needed. A calm, respectful, "het, I was looking over our books and you know what I noticed? We both missed this....." should do nicely. Right?

Sounds good to me. It's happened to me before.. I had a regular client that had a headache the day of her appt and she was feeling much better when she left, but walked out without paying. I didn't say anything because I knew I'd see her the next week, but when I came out of session the next day there was a check on my desk from her with a note that I had really done a good job. lol

 

[Bornfree]

Payment discrepancy- help!

The last Thursday that DH worked, that I wasn't there, one of his regulars came in. She goes by 4-packs, and had already used her last package up already- she was "due" to purchase another one that session. They both forgot, so she got a "freebie". The next week, I *was* there, and we figured out what had happened. The sweet lady made sure to write out her check then and there for another 4-pack: the one she'd missed paying for, that day's session, and only two left after that. And then she put the wrong date on the check, so I had to hold it for another few days before I could deposit it. Ai, yi, yi! I think we'll be all right, if we can get the *business* aspects of running this business down! :

 

[shereif]

Payment discrepancy- help!

Heck, my last acupuncture appointment I totally left without paying! I got to a restaurant and saw the money in my wallet and was like WOO! I called and they said just mail it but I walked back to the office. I doubt they would have noticed because the one person asked if I paid and another said yes she did. Well, I sure didn't!

Nothing like that nice 'high' after treatments!

But yeah, just call. No biggie.

 

[reeloendort]

Payment discrepancy- help!

Heck, my last acupuncture appointment I totally left without paying! I got to a restaurant and saw the money in my wallet and was like WOO! I called and they said just mail it but I walked back to the office. I doubt they would have noticed because the one person asked if I paid and another said yes she did. Well, I sure didn't!

Nothing like that nice 'high' after treatments!

But yeah, just call. No biggie.

: : :

I just may start having people prepay......

 

[MsFruhauf]

Payment discrepancy- help!

You know, prepaying is a good idea. Many psychologists/psychotherapists have the client pay before the session, as a matter of getting that part of the business out of the way before the session. I had a psychologist as a client who would always have the check out for me at the beginning of the session. I think it's something I would consider in setting up practice again. Doing "numbers" is not so easy for some after a massage, true for me anyway!

 

[Jim S]

Payment discrepancy- help!

I called her this afternoon, and she reminded me that she'd paid partially in cash. WHOOPS! My mistake!

 

[Incarcerated Bert]

Payment discrepancy- help!

I called her this afternoon, and she reminded me that she'd paid partially in cash. WHOOPS! My mistake!

Don't cha just HATE when that happens? lol

 

[Pompal 09.]

Payment discrepancy- help!

Um, yeah... this is the first time it HAS happened, and had better be the last!

 

[King]

Payment discrepancy- help!

Mistakes like that will happen. I have had to call the client before. If you handle it right it's not a problem. Never make it seem like it was their fault (even if it was).
One time I found some checks that I failed to deposit. The checks were over 6 months old. I didn't know what to do so before attempting to deposit them I called the client and told them that I just found their check from six months ago and that I wanted to let them know I was going to deposit it (just to make sure they knew the check was going through. i didn't want to cause anyone to be overdrawn on their account. There was 3 checks, no one had a problem with me depositing them, so I took them to the bank and the bank wouldn't take them because they were over 6 months old. Instead of botherign the client again, I just wrote it off as a loss and a lesson for me. Boy was that bad. My loss, totally. t012

 

[easy cleaning]

Payment discrepancy- help!

Mistakes like that will happen. I have had to call the client before. If you handle it right it's not a problem. Never make it seem like it was their fault (even if it was).
One time I found some checks that I failed to deposit. The checks were over 6 months old. I didn't know what to do so before attempting to deposit them I called the client and told them that I just found their check from six months ago and that I wanted to let them know I was going to deposit it (just to make sure they knew the check was going through. i didn't want to cause anyone to be overdrawn on their account. There was 3 checks, no one had a problem with me depositing them, so I took them to the bank and the bank wouldn't take them because they were over 6 months old. Instead of botherign the client again, I just wrote it off as a loss and a lesson for me. Boy was that bad. My loss, totally. t012

About 6 months ago, a client actually WROTE her check with the wrong year on it- '07 rather than '08. OUR bank wouldn't take it. Rather they said they would, but that the client's bank would probably send it back b/c it was the wrong year, and since it was more than 6 months into the year..... So we have had experience with that, too, but it WAS the client's fault (accidental). She replaced that check and we all had a laugh about it.

Most recently, DH is upset with me b/c he handed me a check from a horse call he did last Monday. I didn't go with him; he handed the check to me while I was boggle-headed and not paying attention. Not having my purse handy, I stuck it into my pocket. The next morning, I realized that I'd handed THAT pair of pants to my daughter to wash. We have not seen hide nor hair of that check since. He goes back to work on the same horse again tomorrow. I do not WANT to go and sit in a hot barn for two hours JUST so I can explain what happened to the client, but I may have to. I don't expect her to replace that check, but she needs to know why it never clears, if we don't find it.

Ai, yi, yi! And he says HE can't run this business without ME? I'm killing it!

 

[proud walker]

Payment discrepancy- help!

In my first year of business, I misplaced a bank deposit of checks. Of the 6 checks I lost, I recovered payment for two of them. The others never said anything or they only came by one time.

Something tells me a lot of people don't balance their check books any more.

 

[??????]

Payment discrepancy- help!

In my first year of business, I misplaced a bank deposit of checks. Of the 6 checks I lost, I recovered payment for two of them. The others never said anything or they only came by one time.

Something tells me a lot of people don't balance their check books any more.

That is very sad, but probably also very true. I remember once, I made a larger debit card purchase at a grocery store (it was close to $100). I watched my statement for over a year, waiting to see that debit go through. It never did. I remember pulling up back statements to check, and I never did see it go through. After 2 years of waiting, I finally decided that it WASN'T going to go through, and went ahead and allowed that "cushion" i was leaving there to cover it go towards something else.

I just don't want that lady to worry if she sees her other checks clear and not that one.

 

[STILL 49 to go!]

Payment discrepancy- help!

Pete, what I think I will do is have him call me while he's there and let me talk to her from his cell phone.