Paying the Customer ..

Here's a tip that might work out for some of you with not much working capital but have that chance to pick up a big hit now im talking E-waste customers but can work for any.

We send checks out only once a month on the 25th for every thing purchased on the previous month. This works out well for 90% of the people we deal with the other 10% want payed. ASAP.. Well too bad it don't happen. But those seem to be the ones that think there stuff is worth a bundle.

I never quote an Exact amount. I have a list of prices I pay for specific items and that is only if the unit are complete there will be deductions for missing parts and final value will be determined during break down. The rest I will gladly help them dispose of at no cost.. or I can purchase the whole lot buy the pound at current scrap price of .10 per Lb its their choice. Some of you may not have the option to weigh.

Now mind we log every item removed and the customer signs a pick up receipt with a Invoice number and a customer number this is a major CYA..Plus when we mail out checks it has a list of all items and their value plus any reason for deduction even the items with no value will be listed.


What this does is gives time to get every thing back to the shop and broke down and evaluate the actual value and make sure nothing is missing and we loose money plus paying on the next month also gives you time to turn it into money to pay the customer.

Oh yeah it keeps the wife happy too she doesn't have to spend every day in the office trying to figure out who gets a check sent when and try to keep track of cash payouts.

I think that would work if you are dealing with an established customer base that has a constant flow of materials for you on a regular basis. But I think if most tried that with the people we deal with we would get the old saying from them " money talks and bs walks". I know that if I sell something to a buyer here on the first or second of the month I expect to be paid in a timely manner and not have to wait till the end of the month to get paid. If it works for you, more power to you but I know my regulars want cash in hand or they will sell to someone else or bring it to the scrap yard. Just my 2 pesos.

Dude you ALWAYS just spot check towers for instance...I can pull the side off in like 30 sec with my dewalt and know what co.ponents are in there at a glance. Laptops...well memory is under tab on bottom and hard drives ect are usually removable drives...harder to know if they really pulled other stuff or internal drive out unless you take it apart. Just spot check and if you get something funny then usually they will own up or you can expand the checking...especially if you show them you know your stuff.

I know as much as many IT people so they dont mess with me generally. Education is the key.

I was going thru some old Threads and this one made me laugh, its one sure way of putting yourself out of the scrap metal recycling business for sure, and judgeing from his recent activity hes a goner. What ever business you are in, when you feel like you are doing the customer a favor doing business with him you will be history soon.

yea I wouldn't want to owe someone for scrap I just take the billfold out of pocket and pay the "MAN"......LOL