Invoicing - following up when people don't pay an installment

[BirdFromDaNorf]

Hello

Does anyone have a standard wording for people who are late paying their invoices? And how long you leave it before you chase them?

This is with regard to people paying by instalments. Previously, late payers have had a phone call. I can?t afford the time to do this with instalment payers. I don?t know them very well at all, so don?t feel I can write a ?hi, did you forget to pay me? email.

This is what I?m looking at, at the moment.

Dear
The payment for invoice XXXX was due XXX, for XXX. I have attached a copy for your information and reference.
Please arrange for payment by direct counter credit or internet banking, using your invoice number as the reference on Monday morning. Thank you.
If you have already made payment and it is not showing in our account yet, please accept my apologies. I am working from a statement for the close of business, Friday 31 July.
Best wishes
Bird From Da Norf

Anything that you?ve got would be appreciated, as I want to be nice, but still quite formal about it. Grrr.
I?m also counting on your telling me if I am over analysing from being on my own in this office too long....

Thank you

I just send a statement with a big red OVERDUE stamp on and ring the accounts dept regularly until they pay. To be honest I never have a lot of success with sending a letter but yours is what I would write.

Yep, statement is the way to do it. Some larger companies have a policy not to pay until they receive a statement from you.

keep sending and then follow up with a call if necessary.

your letter/email sounds fine.make sure you do put a copy of the invoice in with it so if they say they havent got it they will already have a copy there.

some companies dont pay until they receive a statement so if you havent got a lot of time for phonecalls i would try to send out statements each month just before the invoice is due to make sure that people are being chased still.put a note on it like F.Y.I this invoice is due for payment on such a date.thank you for your prompt payment and custom.

if people are regular clients and keep getting in arrears id refuse to do anymore work for them until they're up to date. if its a one off that they've missed payment id put a happy note of thank you for your regular payments, there seems to have been an oversight as one seems to have been missed, please make the payment to bring the account up to date and carry on with your regular payments at the usual time. thank you for your custom

its my job to chase clients for money and it normally works.if it doesn't, ring them every couple of days, they'll soon get annoyed with it and pay you.

good luck

What do you do that means your customers are paying in instalments? And is it the same people who aren't paying?

And are they individuals or businesses that you're dealing with?

I would say that you have to make the time to phone people to chase them. And don't worry about how well you know people - you're running a business and they owe you money, therefore you have a right to ask them to pay!