Some tips for dealing with clients who do not pay
How long does it take you to check every invoice and work out how much is still unpaid?
Getting invoices paid is not always straightforward; not all clients are respectful and fair. Some act in good faith and simply forget the payment deadline, others do everything they can to put it off as long as possible.
1. Create and send invoices online
If you have been patient so far but realise you cannot keep giving away goodwill for free, you can try a couple of tricks to deal with the problem.
Using an invoicing program like BeebeeBoard, issuing an invoice takes no more than a few minutes.
Everything happens online and the invoice is sent straight to your client.
2. Enter all the required data correctly on the invoice
This may seem obvious, but you must enter all the data required by law for an invoice to be valid.
If the invoice is correct, the client simply has to go ahead and pay. If it is not, they will have to contact you again to ask you to update the details and issue the document again. A waste of time, and an annoyance for both of you.
BeebeeBoard, the invoicing program, will check that all the data has been entered correctly and warn you if information is missing or wrong.
3. Do not forget the payment details
Imagine your client wants to pay you, picks up your invoice to make the payment and finds no information at all.
At best, if they have your contact details they will call or email you to ask for the missing information.
However, they may also decide to let it go and wait for your next reminder.
4. State the payment terms
State on the invoice the final date by which the invoice must be paid. Invoices are often set at 30 days, but you can specify a different period to suit your needs.
This lets you give the client some flexibility while still setting a limit by which the invoice must be paid.
5. Offer online payment
A customer who receives an invoice they can settle quickly, without having to make a bank transfer, will certainly be more inclined to pay promptly.
So why not offer the option to pay your invoices directly online when you email them to your clients?
Online payments are secure and effective, and they also let you get paid sooner.
6. Check the status of payments
Check invoice status regularly and, if payment is missing, send reminders to the clients who have not paid.
Do not let too much time pass between the due date and sending the reminder.
