You did the job. The customer was happy. Three weeks later the money still isn't there, and you're the one feeling awkward about it. Late payment is the problem owners complain about most and plan for least. This article gives you a simple routine, before and after the invoice, so getting paid stops depending on your mood or your nerve.
Before the job: make paying easy to agree to#
Most late payments are decided before you lift a tool. Three habits help:
- Put the payment terms in the quote. "Payment within 14 days of the invoice" in writing, accepted before you start. Nobody can say later they didn't know.
- Ask for a deposit on bigger jobs. For anything with materials or more than a few days of work, 25–50% up front is normal in many trades. It also filters out customers who were never going to pay.
- Agree who pays. On jobs for companies, ask for the name and email of whoever pays invoices, not just the person who hired you.
The day you finish: invoice the same day#
Every day you wait to send the invoice is a day added to the end. Send it the day the job is done, while the customer still remembers how good it looked. Make it easy to pay: the amount, the due date, your bank details and a short description of the work, all on one page. A payment link or QR code helps if your bank or software offers one.
The follow-up ladder#
Decide your steps once, then follow them every time without agonising. A simple ladder:
1. Due date + 1 day: a friendly nudge. "Hi Sam, just a reminder that invoice 112 for the kitchen tiling (€640) was due yesterday. Here it is again. Thanks!"
2. +7 days: a phone call. Not an email. Ask simply: "Is there anything wrong with the invoice, or can I expect payment this week?" Most problems are solved here: a lost email, a missing purchase number, a partner who thought the other paid.
3. +14 days: a firm written reminder. Name the amount, the original due date and a new date: "Please pay by Friday 20th."
4. +30 days: the final notice. Say what happens next: a formal reminder with collection costs, or a collection agency or small-claims procedure, depending on where you work. Check the rules in your country first, because some require a specific formal reminder before costs can be charged.
Keep it calm, keep it business#
You aren't begging and you aren't accusing. You're running a business that has a process. Using the same words every time makes it easier to send and easier for the customer to take. Two things to avoid: starting new work for a customer who hasn't paid for the last job, and giving discounts "if you pay now". That teaches customers to wait.
Where an assistant helps (if you want one)#
Keep a list of open invoices with the due dates, and check it every Monday morning. A spreadsheet works. If you use a chat assistant, ask it to write the nudge, the firm reminder and the final notice once in your own tone, and save them as templates. Always check the names, amounts and dates before you send.
Your turn#
Which step of the ladder gets you paid most often? Tell us in the "A client hasn't paid. What do you do first?" thread, and share the sentence that worked.