Mole Trapping, Is This One Or Two Jobs?

[jackg 7]

I was asked to trap moles in a triangular veg patch in a garden of a barn conversion property, by a regular customer, who is an experienced business man, he lives elsewhere.

It was very hard to find runs and I think I put down five traps. I checked and lifted them the following day and had trapped two.

Three days later, I was asked by his son in law to trap moles on his garden, a large country house which the Father in Law owns, when doing this I met the Father in Law and he said another mole was back in the veg patch and can I trap it.

So I returned and found it even harder to find runs and put three traps down, from which I trapped one mole.

As I did two lots of trapping, I regarded it as two jobs.

So I emailed one invoice with the work written as one job and the amount double what I had previously charge.

I spoke to him to discuss and he pointed out that I should have issued two invoices.

 

He queried this and has suggested he will pay it but I do the next trapping job for him FOC

 

I used to offer a ten day guarantee for my work but no longer do as it was abused which he quoted.

I charge on my time to set traps and to lift them.

He pays after four to six weeks rather on completion.

 

So do other people come up against this and how do they approach it?

 

 

[mad4it 694]

going by what you have said I would have said it was two different jobs so would need two invoices.

Some who know better will be along and they will tell you.

[moxy 617]

I offer no guarantees where moles are concerned. Roughly 3 visits.

Set traps. Return. Empty and reset then leave them down for a week.

Once the traps are lifted after that week it's then another job.

I explain this to all my domestic customers and get them to agree before the traps are out of the motor. I've had some jobs in the past which seemed never ending with a constant reappearance of new moles and it ended up with me out of pocket.

This I find is the fairest for me and the customer.

[Phil Lloyd 10,738]

The customer must pay you on completion of the job....end of story...

 

You kill his Moles/Foxes/Rabbits,.he gives you money for doing so,.it ain't fecking Rocket Science..

 

Learn the basic rule,..."Keep it simple".....

[pirate pack 109]

Charge a fee to set includes first mole plus fee per mole their after,don't give any free visits its not your prob if get reinvested has phil said pay on last visit don't like that find some one else,I find if you let people take the piss they will.

[shropshire mole 190]

Its 2 jobs IMO or at very least extra paid visits for the 2 job, since they were started at different times.

 

The mole that popped up after the initial job completed, I would catch for free as I do give 7 days "no more mole hills" this I find gives the customer confidence in choosing you over someone who does not offer this.

 

But, you have to ask yourself:

 

Is this a good customer

Do I make a good profit from this customer

Would it be a shame to lose them

 

Only you can answer

Edited August 18, 2016 by shropshire mole

[Jaggsy 25]

An all too common scenario...... he might well be 'an experienced buisnessman' but dont allow him to dictate how you work (dont worry we all run into them) Take charge of the situation.

[Rowan 308]

I have a set charge for an average size garden using no more than ten traps, often only 3 or 4 . this covers setting the traps and 3 return visits , removing the traps on the 3rd visit , if any more visits are needed the a charge per visit . I explain this to every new customer , previous ones know , take it or leave it . with new customers I ask for the payment on the first visit , when I set the traps.

[shropshire mole 190]

I have a set charge for an average size garden using no more than ten traps, often only 3 or 4 . this covers setting the traps and 3 return visits , removing the traps on the 3rd visit , if any more visits are needed the a charge per visit . I explain this to every new customer , previous ones know , take it or leave it . with new customers I ask for the payment on the first visit , when I set the traps.

Each to their own. I do not take any payment until job completed. Personally I feel this gives the customer confidence.

To date, other than a couple of late payers, all have paid, often they become return customers.

 

I guess for me as a part time business, its not so critical to get the money in to pay those bills, and can wait a couple of weeks

[earth-thrower 493]

I offer no guarantees where moles are concerned. Roughly 3 visits.

Set traps. Return. Empty and reset then leave them down for a week.

Once the traps are lifted after that week it's then another job.

I explain this to all my domestic customers and get them to agree before the traps are out of the motor. I've had some jobs in the past which seemed never ending with a constant reappearance of new moles and it ended up with me out of pocket.

This I find is the fairest for me and the customer.

Not a bad way, of going about it ,....

[earth-thrower 493]

The customer must pay you on completion of the job....end of story...

 

You kill his Moles/Foxes/Rabbits,.he gives you money for doing so,.it ain't fecking Rocket Science..

 

Learn the basic rule,..."Keep it simple".....

Good advice,....

[earth-thrower 493]

Charge a fee to set includes first mole plus fee per mole their after,don't give any free visits its not your prob if get reinvested has phil said pay on last visit don't like that find some one else,I find if you let people take the piss they will.

 

Charge a fee to set includes first mole plus fee per mole their after,don't give any free visits its not your prob if get reinvested has phil said pay on last visit don't like that find some one else,I find if you let people take the piss they will.

This seems ok, too,.....

[earth-thrower 493]

I dont know, about the rest of you,....but a question, i often get asked by a customer (in a domestic situation) is, "how many moles, do you think , ive got ?",....ha ha !

[Phil Lloyd 10,738]

Getting calls every week,.. for mole trapping jobs...

 

Flat out on the wasps, so I tell folk to 'hang on in there',...some will wait,.others won't...

 

It is what it is...

 

Edited August 20, 2016 by Phil Lloyd