There are no doubt a half dozen to a dozen critical success factors to running a successful business. Having the pretties invoices or laser checks is not even in the top 150 things to do. Information overload is what a small start up has to worry about. Limited time and even more limited cash and resources. Focus your limited time, attention and finances on stupid stuff might well cause you to run out of money and time before you get off the ground. Focus on what is important to make money not some low rate possible image issue such as preprinted forms or laser printed invoice. Having a logo-ed shirt and name tag are more important than invoices.
Its more important that he focus on getting customers rather than pretty invoices.
These are great.
http://www.nebs.com/nebsEcat/Valida...005VT&path=products/product_detail.jsp&pc=311
This particular invoice does more than just invoice: It improves internal control and operations.
1. notice that you can have your logo and information printed so it looks professional. Its a real business not something someone printed at home on word or QB's. Everyone knows about desktop publishing so that is no longer the thing to have. It sort of reminds me of the old Rockford files when he would make one off business cards making him whatever title he wanted for the day. Preprinted invoices are more stable and professional than laser printed desk top published docs.
2 you can add boiler plate information on the pre printed forms. Legal notices. "rent charged if not picked up within 14 days" and such.
3 it is easy to get into the habit of filling out all the fields so you can later enter all this into QB's or CRM program for long term management of your customer database but you don't have to do it now. I had lines on there to circle how they heard of me Web, YP, Search, WordOM, radio, TV, logo van...... so I can track where my customrs were coming from.
4 there is an area to list the equipment taken, also with or without keyboard,mouse, speakers or laptop charger and case.
5 They are serially numbered (you can track by number to see that they do not disappear 1101, 1102, 1103, oops 1105? what happened) so when you do get someone helping you it is more difficult to make bogus invoices to cheat you (any invoice in QBs can be deleted even with audit trail turned on.
6 There is note place to put down what you find, times you called the customer to update them on progress and get further approvals.
7 there is a detachable receipt you can give the owner for taking possession of their equipment (whether you took it from their home or office or they dropped it off in your retail location this is handy way to make your customers feel comfy for letting you take their computer/laptop- BTW most Techs do not give receipts for equipment so this one step puts you leaps ahead of everyone else).
8 there is also a detachable asset tag to put on the computer so once you get it on the work bench you don't forget which is which. We have had 55 computers in our shop at one time and it is possible to get mixed up on which is which.
9 similarly you can list what the issues are so when you put it back for a day or so to get too it you can remember the complaint and what you originally promised. People using qb's often do not take this step, it is easy not too. This keeps you on track andout of trouble.
10 Ever do a job and they can't pay you on site, check singer not in, no checks on them or whatever excuse for a new client that you don't know? On the back of this invoice is a legally binding contract you can have them sign, fill in the amount, it also states if you have to incur late fees and collection costs those are added to the bill. Without this notice you will never get awarded costs of collections. With it most judges will allow you to collect it.
11 these are four part with the last page being a manila hard copy. I kept that for my permanent records. The pink 3rd page I used as a work order and attached to the computer with tape. The white copy we kept clean to fill in the amounts and make final invoice attache it to the completed computer ready for pickup or delivery.
It also helps your business and return customers if you put something like this following label on every laptop or computer you work on. I get calls from people I have not seen in 5 years and find one of my old stickers on their computer. yesterday they got my phone number off an old pc they were not even using but it was sitting in the garage with my sticker so they called me. Turned into a $700 job.
http://www.nebs.com/nebsEcat/products/product_detail.jsp?pc=346
Since I was a Quickbooks Pro adviser from back in the 90's I always used QB's from version 1. It is easy to setup and use but if yo don't know squat about bookkeeping it is also easy to screw up. Once screwed up it is a real challenge to get fixed. I never really stopped using qbs for accounting but I did prefer the printed invoices which I later entered into the computer for tracking.
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