AI back office ·
What an AI Back Office Assistant Can (and Can't) Do
What an AI back office assistant can do for a small business, what it should never do on its own, and a safety checklist to choose one you can trust.
8 min read
Who it's for / Junk removal & hauling
Junk removal and hauling businesses usually price by how much of the truck a job fills, such as a quarter, half or full load, with a minimum charge for small pickups, or by the item for a single sofa or a fridge. Items that cost extra to get rid of, such as mattresses, tires or appliances with refrigerant, carry a fee, and cleanouts can be billed by the hour per crew member. Most jobs are priced on site and paid when the truck is loaded. Tell Clodou what you hauled and at what price: it writes the invoice, records the payment after your approval and keeps track of who still owes.
"Invoice Tom Reyes: half truckload at $325, 2 mattresses at $25 and a fridge disposal at $50" writes three lines, $425. Clodou uses your prices; it never estimates the volume or picks a fee.
Log transfer station and recycling fees as expenses from a receipt photo you confirm, and put them on the job's invoice at cost or at the fee your price list states.
Property managers, realtors and contractors who book several cleanouts can be invoiced per job or once a month, with each address on its own line and their purchase order number in the note.
Most junk removal is priced by the share of the truck a job fills, such as a quarter, half or full load, with a minimum charge for a small pickup; single items, such as a sofa or a hot tub, can be priced by the item. Give Clodou the load and your price, such as half truckload, $325. Clodou does not estimate the volume or decide the price: you tell it.
Items that cost extra to get rid of, such as mattresses, tires, electronics or appliances with refrigerant, usually carry a fee per item, and stairs, heavy items or a same-day pickup may carry a surcharge. Cleanouts, light demolition and estate jobs are often billed by the hour per crew member. Give each its own line at the price you set; Clodou never adds a fee by itself.
Homeowners usually pay when the truck is loaded: create the invoice and record the payment, which you approve. Property managers, realtors and contractors are often invoiced per job or once a month with their purchase order number in the note, and Clodou keeps their balances on the list of what is owed. Whether junk removal is taxed where you work is for you to check with your accountant; Clodou applies the rate you set.
Step 1
Invoice Tom Reyes for today's garage pickup: half truckload at $325, 2 mattresses at $25 and a fridge disposal at $50. I sent him the invoice and he paid the $425 by transfer.
Adds Tom Reyes as a client and creates invoice INV-0130 with three lines: half truckload, $325.00; mattress disposal, 2 at $25, $50.00; refrigerator disposal, $50.00. No tax is set on this workspace, so the total is $425.00. It marks INV-0130 as sent and shows an approval card to record $425 received; once you approve it, the invoice is marked paid.
Step 2
Quote Lakeside Property Management for the cleanout at 48 Birch Lane: full truckload at $600, a second half load at $325, and 2 crew for 3 hours at $45 an hour. Note: disposal fees billed at cost.
Finds Lakeside Property Management and creates quote DEV-0044 with three lines: full truckload, 48 Birch Lane, $600.00; half truckload, $325.00; labor, 2 crew for 3 hours, 6 hours at $45, $270.00. Total: $1,195.00, with the disposal terms in the note.
Step 3
Lakeside accepted and we did the job today. Log $84 in disposal fees at the county transfer station, then turn DEV-0044 into an invoice with the $84 added at cost.
Records an $84.00 expense, disposal fees, with the county transfer station as the supplier. Creates draft invoice INV-0131 from DEV-0044 with the same three lines and a fourth, disposal fees at cost, $84.00. Total: $1,279.00.
Step 4
I sent INV-0131 to Lakeside.
Marks INV-0131 as sent. It is due on the date your payment terms set, and $1,279.00 stays on the list of what is owed until you record a payment.
Invoice Tom Reyes: half truckload at $325, 2 mattresses at $25 and a fridge disposal at $50
Quote Lakeside Property Management for the cleanout at 48 Birch Lane: full truckload at $600, a half load at $325 and 2 crew for 3 hours at $45 an hour
Log $84 in disposal fees at the county transfer station
AI back office ·
What an AI back office assistant can do for a small business, what it should never do on its own, and a safety checklist to choose one you can trust.
8 min read
Getting paid ·
Email, phone and text scripts to ask a client for payment politely and firmly, before the due date to 30 days late, plus disputes, silence and stopping work.
13 min read
Expenses ·
How to track business expenses and receipts with a simple system: capture, categorize, store, reconcile monthly and hand clean records to your accountant.
9 min read
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