6 Best Practices To Follow When Submitting Past Due Invoices To Clients

Punctuality is a trait that is expected and appreciated in whichever human we find. But when it comes to finances, punctuality becomes the utmost necessity. When you’re dealing with a client, it might be possible that he is late with his payments. So reminding him about it subtly is an art that requires some skill. You can’t be abrupt and rude with your client for late payment. Being subtle about it is the key. However, there might be many queries that bother you for the payment of the past due to invoices. 

6 Best Practices To Follow When Submitting Past Due Invoices To Clients

So trying to make something that is impactful but not out of your boundary, you need to use some tricks. Also, if you’re new to the business, a past due invoice might bother you and make you a lot Sceptical. For someone who depends on the PayCheque to pay bills, past due invoices again play a major role. So how can we address it to the client without being too upfront about it?

Here are the 6 tips to follow when your are submitting your past dues:

Follow up regularly

Some people don’t address this issue too often as they think that a little delay might be because of some issue or something else of the sort. But it is very important to address the elephant in the room. Even if your paycheque is a day late, it is still later than it was promised. It will be very improbable that a client would like your work at a day’s delay, so voice your opinion as soon as it occurs. However, you don’t have to spam the client with your emails regarding the same.

Maintain good gaps between each mail. First, talk after a day of delay. Then after a week and so on. Ensure that you talk to the client or send mail to him during hours when he is more likely to check them. It is preferred that you do it before noon. Also, you can use a weekend to inform the client about the same. This will ensure that he pays your past due invoice on time and you’re not left waiting for the paycheque.

Pay attention to your language

As the delay increases, your language is bound to get firmer. However, being too inconsiderate with only a day’s delay would not be a nice practice. To ensure that you maintain a nice bond with your client, you should talk to him very politely while subtly reminding him about the late invoice in the first week of delay. However, as the time increases to a week or a month, get firmer with your voice and depict the urgency of your issue.

Explain to your client why the payment should be done as soon as possible and any further delay should be avoided. If you’ve been working with the client for a longer period, you can also track his behaviour about making payments and react accordingly. For example, if a client has been late for the first time, you can be milder and more subtle. But if the client is prone to being late every time, you should be more firm and keep your point in a crisp clear tone. 

Offer them alternative payment options

You might suggest to the client other methods to pay you for a job. If he can’t pay the entire amount at once, you can suggest breaking it down while adding appropriate interest for each day and charging that price. That will ensure that you get your past due invoice rather early. You won’t be paid the entire amount together but something is always better than nothing. Charging interest will also promote the client to pay quicker and pay more together. Therefore, it will be a benefit for you on both the ends. 

Try automating reminders for yourself

Sometimes writing the emails can be such a task. So if you think that it is getting hectic, you can just automate it for yourself. Schedule emails to be sent at a particular time. In this manner, you’ll not have to be concerned about the regularity of the emails. You can type them previously and keep them stacked to be sent when in need.

Alternatively, if you do want to write your email at that particular time but want to stay regular with the past due invoice reminders, you can set reminders for yourself. This will ensure that you are reminded of every time you have to raise a concern about it and you don’t forget about it in your busy schedule. Many tools can help you with this.

Include all the necessary details

Don’t forget to add all the details when you form your emails. During the formation of the email, you have to ensure that you go direct to the point, be crisp and that you have everything mentioned. If there has been a contract that mentions the date of payment, quote it. You have to ensure that you add all the details including the sum amount left, the days that it was late including other important details. You can also mention the options of payment in that mail and enter all your contact information for the client to contact you with the issue later. This will ensure that you are well-equipped with the necessary information.

Be polite at all times

If your client is paying late, this is no excuse to be rude with him. Your past due invoices should not impact the relationship between you and your client. You have to ensure that you don’t cross the line while talking to your client or mentioning it in the email. Even if the client is habitual of paying late, you can’t project your frustration towards him. These are a part of your work ethics and you should retain them even when it gets very difficult to.

Past due invoices can be very frustrating. Especially with the bills lining up, it can pressurize you even more. But if you deal with the situation accurately, you’ll get paid soon and still have good relations with your client. Tackling the issue of a past due invoice is very sensitive. Therefore, you should always handle it with care and ensure that you maintain your cool during the situation.