Forgot to charge client

[Freelancetrainer]

Hello!
I’m feeling a bit annoyed with myself right now as I’m 99% sure that I forgot to charge a client after her treatment. I usually leave the room to allow the client to get dressed then come back in to take payment etc but I’m 99% sure I forgot to charge her as we’d been chatting and as she picked up her bag etc I found myself seeing her out. As I was seeing her out she gave me a ‘look’ into my eyes which I noticed at the time and wondered why she’d looked at me as she had. It was only after she’d left that I realised I couldn’t remember taking payment but I’d been busy that day so couldn’t be sure. She’s only been to me 3 times and each time she’s paid by card. There has been no card payment from her for that visit. This strengthened my suspicion that I’d forgotten to take payment coupled with the look she’d given me. It was for services close to £50 which makes it all the more annoying. She’s a very young client. A 19 year old and I suspect she thinks I haven’t noticed. I would have contacted her about it if I was 100% sure but because I can’t be completely sure she didn’t pay in cash on that visit I find it difficult to raise. I occasionally take cash from my tin when I need to and don’t always keep the same amount as float. I don’t record how much I take out my tin when I do as it’s just me working by myself at home. This is why I can’t be 100% sure but I’m 99% sure that she didn’t pay on that last visit. She’s a regular client who pays close to £50 each visit and I suspect if I mention it to her it’s going to be embarrassing and awkward for her as much as me and may damage our relationship as then she will have to pretend she didn’t notice she hadn’t paid. I can understand her maybe thinking oh goody I forgot to charge her. She’s 19 after all and we’ve all probably been in that position when we’ve been undercharged and said nothing. But I’m not a big business. It’s not like I’m Asda or Tesco etc and she comes to my home. It feels very personal that she’s decided to keep quiet about it and I’d worry that she might not return out of embarrassment if I bring it up. It’s quite a lot of money to expect her to pay twice on her next visit too which is today.

What would you geeks do in this situation? Would you mention it, even though you couldn’t be fully 100% sure she didn’t pay cash? Or would you just put it down to your mistake and learn from it to be more careful? It’s just really annoying me.

 

[Trinity]

I've done it a couple of times, usually I text them and say 'Hi, we were chatting so much I forgot to take payment! Lol' - usually I get a response like 'I'll drop it in later' or something similar. If she doesn't offer, which I think she will, then offe 6to drop an invoice round, and see how it goes.

One time a client remembered before I did and brought flowers as well to apologise!! I was gobsmacked, it wasn't her fault. I've also written off smaller amounts as a learning experience.

 

[RosieR]

I totally agree with trinity , been there several times over my career.... as my husband says too much time talking! Which we know to be true.
I take cash, cheques and more recently online payments. The latter only to be clients that I have known for years and is more convenient for them.

As for the few online payments I can't check if they have paid unless they show me the tick on their mobile. Some say they will pay later and I now will remind them on if they haven't text me to say payment made. I do chase them up because we are all so forgetful and busy. They aren't in the least bit insulted, just glad to be reminded.

I have said " As I was talking far too much to concentrate i am sorry I can't find your payment in my bank , did you pay by cash this time? only I can check but I can't be bothered to do a cash box check I thought it's easier to just ask you instead." it worked a treat. So try that.
You will find a way I am sure, but there are a few small amounts that I have let slip over the years, but £50 is a lot of money....you must do something!

 

[Freelancetrainer]

Thanks. I’ve undercharged 2 other people who upgraded their treatment on arrival and forgot to calculate the difference. But I realised quickly and knew I’d done it so contacted them immediately and they just paid it into my account. Due to the uncertainty and how long I’ve left it I may have to put it down to a learning curve.

 

[House Beauty]

Hello!
I’m feeling a bit annoyed with myself right now as I’m 99% sure that I forgot to charge a client after her treatment. I usually leave the room to allow the client to get dressed then come back in to take payment etc but I’m 99% sure I forgot to charge her as we’d been chatting and as she picked up her bag etc I found myself seeing her out. As I was seeing her out she gave me a ‘look’ into my eyes which I noticed at the time and wondered why she’d looked at me as she had. It was only after she’d left that I realised I couldn’t remember taking payment but I’d been busy that day so couldn’t be sure. She’s only been to me 3 times and each time she’s paid by card. There has been no card payment from her for that visit. This strengthened my suspicion that I’d forgotten to take payment coupled with the look she’d given me. It was for services close to £50 which makes it all the more annoying. She’s a very young client. A 19 year old and I suspect she thinks I haven’t noticed. I would have contacted her about it if I was 100% sure but because I can’t be completely sure she didn’t pay in cash on that visit I find it difficult to raise. I occasionally take cash from my tin when I need to and don’t always keep the same amount as float. I don’t record how much I take out my tin when I do as it’s just me working by myself at home. This is why I can’t be 100% sure but I’m 99% sure that she didn’t pay on that last visit. She’s a regular client who pays close to £50 each visit and I suspect if I mention it to her it’s going to be embarrassing and awkward for her as much as me and may damage our relationship as then she will have to pretend she didn’t notice she hadn’t paid. I can understand her maybe thinking oh goody I forgot to charge her. She’s 19 after all and we’ve all probably been in that position when we’ve been undercharged and said nothing. But I’m not a big business. It’s not like I’m Asda or Tesco etc and she comes to my home. It feels very personal that she’s decided to keep quiet about it and I’d worry that she might not return out of embarrassment if I bring it up. It’s quite a lot of money to expect her to pay twice on her next visit too which is today.

What would you geeks do in this situation? Would you mention it, even though you couldn’t be fully 100% sure she didn’t pay cash? Or would you just put it down to your mistake and learn from it to be more careful? It’s just really annoying me.

Hi Suchandsuch, you have an outstanding payment of £50 for x services on x date. You can pay this via bank transfer to:

Or a little more casual, hi, I still haven’t received payment for your visit the other day, is everything ok?

If she has paid act stupid and be like oh yes silly me, I must have forgotten to write it down.

I did this yesterday and it was for only £25 for but I waited an hour and she text me to apologise and said can she send it to me by bank transfer. But it’s happened where a huge payment has been declined and i’ve not noticed and just given card back or i’ve forgotten and just let them walk out.

You deserve to be paid so just get it, I believe in you!

Now that this has happened, I thought about sticking something to my door but seemed weird so i’m going to be putting an object by the front door so every time I see it so i can be like doh have i checked every payment. Even a little ornament that i go ‘oh yeah, that ornament is my don’t forget ornament, has this person paid for everything?’

I mostly do ok as I have the ovatu app on my phone. I have a little schpeel ‘how are you feeling after your treatment, that’s good, so (looking at phone), say their name, look at sale and say all treatments they had, any add ones then say x pounds today please.’ You really do need somewhere to write this down, as your accounts will be a mess otherwise.

 

[Freelancetrainer]

Hi. It’s not as complicated as that. I have all treatments written down/takings etc. I just don’t make note of what I’ve had to take in cash out of my tin. That’s all. This is why I’m not 100% sure she didn’t pay. The client has been today and after me thinking she only ever paid by card, did produce cash this time. So perhaps she did in fact pay after all. I wouldn’t want to contact a client unless I was sure and today has made me even more unsure now. I’ll put it down to a learning experience and will just jot down when someone pays cash in the book beside their name as habit then it shouldn’t happen again. I wouldn’t want to contact a client and act stupid either because that’s exactly how I’d look and feel if I did. [emoji23]

 

[lizzie bee]

Hi. It’s not as complicated as that. I have all treatments written down/takings etc. I just don’t make note of what I’ve had to take in cash out of my tin. That’s all. This is why I’m not 100% sure she didn’t pay. The client has been today and after me thinking she only ever paid by card, did produce cash this time. So perhaps she did in fact pay after all. I wouldn’t want to contact a client unless I was sure and today has made me even more unsure now. I’ll put it down to a learning experience and will just jot down when someone pays cash in the book beside their name as habit then it shouldn’t happen again. I wouldn’t want to contact a client and act stupid either because that’s exactly how I’d look and feel if I did. [emoji23]

I agree,I would not pursue it as you are not 100% sure. Chalk it up as you said as a learning experience and it will definitely be a reminder not to make that mistake again. We have all been there.....[emoji4]