Thread: Customer That Beg - It's a bit too much sometimes :)

Just a slight vent here; what is up w/the customers that are past-due that beg you to 'just let them in to their unit so they can get such-and-such out then they could sell it then you could get your money that I owe you' JUST WHAT do they NOT understand about "no!"
I have one customer, nice enough, but annoyingly persistant all the same, having money troubles, does pay a bit, but still past-due, I've taken-off late-fee's, not too much appreciation there but lately keeps asking me to let her do the above. NO way, it will never happen. But I am getting annoyed w/her repeatedly asking, and then sitting there in silence while I have over-explained myself as to our policy and to top it off they have no sense of numbers and I have to explain a hundred time's over wasting valuable work time how what they did pay applies to this and that and how the amount that is due IS the amount that is due. It's all very simple math, but not understood. Frustrating! Whew, I feel better now. Any advice as to how to shorten these types of interactions would be great....

Can't really help with advice except make sure you are constant across the board with everyone.

the other one I hate is the person who comes in saying they have $XXX and they want it applied to the current month so they can get into their unit

- "I'll be in next week to pay the back 2 months, just need to pay this month so I can get in."

No matter how many times you explain to them that any partial payments are applied to the back rent first they just don't get it.

Next time she asks you can tell her in a nice way "Please listen this is the last time I am going to tell you." Then you say now can you please get out of my office

Originally Posted by Autodoc

- "I'll be in next week to pay the back 2 months, just need to pay this month so I can get in."

Ha! That's a good one Some people, I swear

Whenever we have customers wanting to sell something out of the unit, we will offer to walk back with them, grant a supervised access to take pictures of the item, and then it all goes back in the unit. They can then advertise it on craigslist or an equivalent local site that works great. When they need access it has to be coordinated with us, and the sale of the item is supposed to go to pay the storage bill so the cash comes straight to us or no deal. This usually works okay for most people, maybe that's an option in your case. If nothing else, the supervised access will give you an idea of the condition of the unit and whether working iwth them more diligently is worth it opposed to auction....

I have found that people only hear what they want to hear. I am sorry for your frustration FFI! We always apply money to the oldest balance first. Period. No Access until you pay up. And we do not let anyone access that is delinquent.

NOW that being said, I have also done a few escort to the unit trips. You get to know your tenants very well and I have had some cases that I made exceptions. That is the beauty of being a manager!

But I tend to be more like Wayne on this, No Money, No Access...Period!

One of my bus tenants (btw, just implemented a "no bus" policy) called the other day to pay with his mom's credit card. It was declined. He asked if he could come by to pick up "just a few things" from the bus. I told him he had to pay first as he owes $150. Sooooo, Saturday when I am not here, my maintenance man, who lives on the property, was looking out his window, watching a guy just sitting in a truck. As soon as another tenant put his code in and the gate opened, this other guy tailgated on through. Well, my maintenance guy followed him back to the BUS, and confronted him about tailgating. "But Geraldine never gave me a code," said the bus guy. "Baloney," said Russ, who is a very large and imposing former prison guard. "I just want to get a few things," said the bus guy. "You need to leave the property and talk to Geraldine on Monday," Russ told him.

Y'all probably know the rest: I still have not heard from him!

Originally Posted by geraldine1051

One of my bus tenants (btw, just implemented a "no bus" policy) called the other day to pay with his mom's credit card. It was declined. He asked if he could come by to pick up "just a few things" from the bus. I told him he had to pay first as he owes $150. Sooooo, Saturday when I am not here, my maintenance man, who lives on the property, was looking out his window, watching a guy just sitting in a truck. As soon as another tenant put his code in and the gate opened, this other guy tailgated on through. Well, my maintenance guy followed him back to the BUS, and confronted him about tailgating. "But Geraldine never gave me a code," said the bus guy. "Baloney," said Russ, who is a very large and imposing former prison guard. "I just want to get a few things," said the bus guy. "You need to leave the property and talk to Geraldine on Monday," Russ told him.

Y'all probably know the rest: I still have not heard from him!

Hooray for Russ!!!! Talk about being at the right place at the right time!!!

Guess if he wants his "few things" he'll have to pay up!!!

Pat
High Point, NC

Originally Posted by geraldine1051

One of my bus tenants (btw, just implemented a "no bus" policy) called the other day to pay with his mom's credit card. It was declined. He asked if he could come by to pick up "just a few things" from the bus. I told him he had to pay first as he owes $150. Sooooo, Saturday when I am not here, my maintenance man, who lives on the property, was looking out his window, watching a guy just sitting in a truck. As soon as another tenant put his code in and the gate opened, this other guy tailgated on through. Well, my maintenance guy followed him back to the BUS, and confronted him about tailgating. "But Geraldine never gave me a code," said the bus guy. "Baloney," said Russ, who is a very large and imposing former prison guard. "I just want to get a few things," said the bus guy. "You need to leave the property and talk to Geraldine on Monday," Russ told him.

Y'all probably know the rest: I still have not heard from him!

Mr. Bus strikes me as less than credible in general - wonder if mom even knew he tried to use her card? I won't take someone elses CC as payment from anyone. The holder has to call and then I ask f/ the validation code to do my best to make sure they have it in their little hands. However, I prefer they come in person. So far, no one has given me a hard time.

On the matter of begger's access: The hard/fast rule here is pay up or no access and I'm a real stinker about it, too. And, 99.99% of those that have ever asked get a flat "no".

I did, however, make an exception once for a very, very good paying and long term tenant. He'd always paid on time, every time - until, that is, he lost his job and fell a month behind. He came in one day and very nicely explained that he'd been hired on by a local PD but he needed his original birth certificate and social security card for them to copy when he reported for the job. He had is SS card but his birth certificate was in the unit. Without it, he wouldn't be able to start working and, unless he could get working, he wouldn't be able to pay us. His record coupled with his demeanor were what prompted me to make an exception. He understood that I would be right there and that was all he was walking away with. No argument at all. He knew exactly where it was, got it, and 2 weeks later when he got his 1st check he came by and paid up AND paid 1 month in advance. (Not everyone is like Mr. Bus but, unfortunately, too many are.)

Originally Posted by palmettostorageFC

Mr. Bus strikes me as less than credible in general - wonder if mom even knew he tried to use her card?...

I have taken phone cc payments from Mr. Bus's mom before. This time he called and asked that I bill her card. When the cc was declined that was a major clue that perhaps Mom has had enough of her adorable Mr. Bus. btw, He has been a tenant here for 2 years. Go figure. He told me his entire life is in that bus.

In this case,

They beg because 'it works'. That positively reinforces the behaviour.

With this type of customer, less is more and shows you mean business.

Say 'NO'. Getting into explanation feels like the beginning of negotiations for them. NO is NO or show me the MONEY.

Next person please.