5 Billing Mistakes That Cost Sign Installers Thousands — and How to Avoid Them
For many real estate sign installers, billing isn’t the most exciting part of the business—but it’s definitely one of the most expensive places to make mistakes. Missed charges, wrong payer settings, forgotten rebills, and inconsistent billing cycles can add up to thousands of dollars in lost revenue each year. The good news? Most of these issues can be prevented with better billing workflows and tools already available inside SignTraker. With built-in billing modes like Prepay, Monthly Credit Card, and Terms billing, plus automated Consolidated Billing for monthly customers, SignTraker helps installers reduce errors and get paid consistently.
Mistake #1 — Not Using Consolidated Billing for Monthly Clients
Many installers lose money simply because they invoice clients at random times—or worse, inconsistently. SignTraker’s Consolidated Billing for Terms customers solves this by collecting all the month’s activity, generating a single bill, and ensuring the customer receives one clear invoice per month. You can even schedule different groups of customers to bill on different dates if cash flow requires it. This structure eliminates forgotten invoices, reduces time spent reconciling, and ensures clients know exactly when to expect a bill.
Mistake #2 — Forgetting About Rebill Cycles
Extended rentals (rebills) are a major revenue driver for sign installers—but only if they’re billed correctly. Many installers lose money when rebills are forgotten, delayed, or misapplied. SignTraker lets you enable Extended Rental Fees, set the number of days before rebilling, customize intervals, and even send automatic reminders before the rebill date. By structuring rebills based on the average days-on-market in your area (often around 90–120 days), you prevent gaps in revenue and ensure recurring income flows without manual tracking.
Mistake #3 — Not Controlling Payment Methods and Billing Modes
Using the wrong billing mode for certain clients can lead to unpaid jobs or costly administrative work. SignTraker supports three billing modes—Prepay, Monthly Credit Card, and Terms—allowing you to assign the appropriate method on a per-agent basis. Prepay protects you from unpaid invoices. Monthly Credit Card automates payments on a chosen billing day. Terms allow larger offices and enterprises to pay by invoice, supported by automatic consolidation and export to QuickBooks. Choosing the right mode helps eliminate collection issues and keeps your cash flow predictable.
Mistake #4 — Missing Processing Fees and Transaction Settings
Credit card fees might look small, but they add up fast—especially for high-volume installers. SignTraker lets you configure transaction fees based on your plan (such as 3.5% + $0.34 for Essentials, or 3.6% + $0.30 depending on license type) and set fee-pass-through options. This ensures you’re not quietly absorbing thousands in merchant fees every year. When configured correctly, you can either charge clients a transparent fee or factor it into your pricing structure.
Mistake #5 — Not Tracking Partial Payments or Open Balances
Another costly oversight is failing to monitor partial payments, which can leave orders stuck in “Open” status and disrupt your accounting. In SignTraker, every payment—full or partial—is recorded and tracked automatically. Orders remain open until the full balance is received, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks. With tools like the Open Balance Report and the ability to drill into bill details, installers can quickly identify unpaid items, reconcile accounts, and prevent outstanding balances from piling up. This improves cash flow and keeps your books accurate month after month.
Conclusion
Billing mistakes are silent profit killers—but they don’t need to be. By using SignTraker’s built-in billing tools, automations, payment modes, and warning systems, installers can eliminate the most common billing errors and regain thousands in lost revenue each year. With a few simple adjustments—and consistent use of features already available to you—you’ll strengthen your financial workflow, improve cash flow, and give your customers a smoother billing experience.
For additional information on SignTraker’s real estate sign tracking and real estate sign installation software, or how to join SignTraker’s network of professional sign installers throughout the United States and Canada, contact Douglas Deist, Vice President, Marketing and Technology, at 443-938-9178 Ext 2.
SignTraker Technologies LLC is a privately held sign installation service software provider located in Gaithersburg, MD. The company supplies cloud-based mobile software, consulting, and durable products to companies and real estate firms interested in providing a superior ordering and sign marketing experience for their stakeholders. For additional information, contact sales@signtraker.com.
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