The problem
'I'll do a bank transfer tonight' is how a man and van owner ends up chasing $106£80€95A$154C$150 a week later. If 4 of 40 jobs a month are paid late and each takes 20 minutes of texts to chase, that's 80 minutes a month, and if one job a month is never paid at $106£80€95A$154C$150 that money is simply gone.
What the AI does
ServiceM8's UK pricing page lists invoices on every plan, which you email or text for clients to view online, and card payments: take payment through the app, or send clients a link to pay online. When the last item is in place, you finish the job in the app, the invoice goes to the customer's phone, and they pay by card there and then. Card payments through ServiceM8 Pay have a fee on each transaction.
A worked example
A man and van firm in Cardiff with one van and a part-time helper does about 40 jobs a month at an average of $120£90€107A$173C$169. About half the customers pay by card and the rest by cash or transfer on the spot.
Before
4 late payers a month chased for 80 minutes in total, and about 1 job a month ($106£80€95A$154C$150) never paid
After
Payment taken before leaving on almost all 40 jobs; the odd late payer sent the app's online payment link
What it's worth
About $142£107€127A$205C$201 a month saved, against about $78£59€70A$113C$111 for ServiceM8 and card fees. That's the $106£80€95A$154C$150 job no longer lost plus 80 minutes of chasing, worth about $36£27€32A$52C$51 at an assumed $27£20€24A$38C$38 an hour. The cost is Starter at $33£25€30A$48C$47 a month excluding VAT plus card fees: 20 card payments of $120£90€107A$173C$169 at 1.65% + 20p is about $45£34€40A$65C$64 using ServiceM8's UK standard card rate.
How to set it up
- Set up ServiceM8 with your prices and turn on card payments through ServiceM8 Pay.
- Put 'payment due on completion, by card or cash' in your booking confirmation.
- Finish each job in the app before you leave and send the invoice to the customer's phone.
- Hand them the phone or let them pay from the link while you're still there.
- For the rare customer who can't pay on the day, send the online payment link and a reminder that evening.
What goes wrong
- Card fees come off every payment. On a $53£40€48A$77C$75 tip run, 1.65% + 20p is about 86p, which is fine, but don't forget it in your prices.
- Check ServiceM8's current UK card rate on its fees page before you sign up; rates for business or international cards can differ.
- Asking for payment before unloading can feel like holding goods hostage. Ask at the end, politely, as standard.
- Starter covers 50 jobs a month; above that you move to Growing at $78£59€70A$113C$111.