6 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

Members are starting to reach out to make payments to us for past due amounts. Unfortunately they can not pay the amt showing due. I am doubtful there is a way to manage this via the system but will ask before I mess things up and start allowing manual payments via the OTP system.

 

The manual process will be a PITA as well since we will have to create a payment program for them reducing what they owe to a net cash amt since the OTP grosses up the cc fee if used and Hika reduces by 3% if cash is used.

 

Any thoughts? Thank you!

[Cmdr. Clownfish]

Modifying the site to support this is almost as much effort as just building a new site at this point.  Some options

 

1) they can pay by credit card and pay the balance off with them

2) you can manually change their balance for each payment. This takes alot of coordination and is probably going to be a headache.

3) you can go in and change the partial payments so they push out payment another X months/years and payments are now low enough most can probably pay them.  This is easiest but risky and everyone has the same schedule so it may not work 100%.

4) B&H Photo created a credit card for themselves.  They made a deal with synchrony bank to take the sales tax out of the interest so that the bank gets less interest, BH still pays sales tax, and the customer doesn't pay sales tax.  I have it and it works.  I use them for nearly everything they can support now.  The card is through this bank

 

https://www.synchron...oter_syfbiz_int

 

5) There is always Klarna for financing

https://www.klarna.com/us/business/

 

The last two will probably take some development effort and you are back to the problem of modifying code but you can check to see.  Just changing the payment schedule is the easiest and fastest way.   $100 a month for whatever time it takes to pay the balance should do it. The balance would still show in My Trips so if you change it again later and it won't mess up their records so they can just keep making payments.  It is risky that they won't pay after the trip.  You would probably want first time trip goers to pay in full or they may not pay after the trip is over.  Repeat trip goers are probably not a problem.

[WreckWench]

WOW Scott I think that would work. The other options are clearly options to review going forward....again THANK YOU!

 

If we change the payment due date by pushing it out that will affect everyone correct? 

 

Another option is to selectively do this for the bigger trips impacted ie. Raja & Socorro and then have everyone reply to an email to us saying they will still pay what they owe even if it past the due date. OR we can have them print out something and sign it and have it witnessed like they do the diving waiver.

 

I can always state that I have to do it for the accountant and legal team and everyone will understand this but this is the only way to let them make smaller than normal progress payments.

 

2nd Question...if we extend the payment due date do we have to chg the payment amts to say $100 a month so they can pay $100 a month or how specifically would that work? I thought the system would automatically force them to pay the amt due plus any outstanding amts?

[Cmdr. Clownfish]

I think you can only load 6 or so partial payments so you have to get inventive.  Take some representative balance on a given trip.  This may be the highest balance of anyone or an average balance or throw out the highest and average that... whatever seems reasonable for those numbers.  Amortize that balance out over a year (divide by twelve if they are to pay by month).  Then load that into the 6 partial payments.  6 months from now you will have to change the dates to the get the next 6 months.  Most will probably find a way to pay it off in a year. 

 

Maybe a year doesn't work for an expensive trip, maybe it's two years.  Whatever it takes to make it work. 

 

Its a hassle, but not too bad once you have the representative balance, you only do it once every 6 months at the trip level instead of handling each person individually and the paying process is what they are used to.

 

Or just make it $100 a month and call it good.  Either way SHOULD correct for the missed payments and start everyone over with no missed payments.  Might want to test that. Calculating it on a representative balance is better for SD since the money is recovered faster and on a schedule.  You can forecast your capital with that method... otherwise you can't really plan ahead.

[WreckWench]

Thank you Scott. I need to see how much work it will take Butch/Pam to set this up with possible partial intervention for some vs 100% manual intervention for those affected.

 

Thank you for the creative thought processes on how to approach this. This will allow the team to make a better decision.

[Cajun Diver]

So if I understand your thoughts Scott we would change the due dates and the amounts then do it again after 6 months since we can do up to 6 payments.  Did I get that right?

[Cmdr. Clownfish]

So if I understand your thoughts Scott we would change the due dates and the amounts then do it again after 6 months since we can do up to 6 payments.  Did I get that right?

correct