The short answer: invoice the same day, make paying effortless, and let reminders do the chasing. Most late payments are not refusals; they are invoices that arrived late, were hard to pay, or were simply forgotten.
1. Invoice the same day the work is done
The sooner the invoice goes out, the sooner the clock starts. If the quote was accepted, convert it to an invoice in one click instead of typing it at month-end. With job cards, the work done on site becomes the invoice before your team is back in the van.
2. Make it easy to pay
Every extra step is a reason to wait. Put your banking details on every invoice, and let customers pay by card straight from the invoice with the Yoco Card Payments module. You can also send a payment link by email or WhatsApp.
3. Set a clear due date
“Payable on receipt” tends to mean “whenever”. Set your standard payment terms once, so every invoice shows a clear due date, and agree them in your quote before the work starts.
4. Know who owes what, every day
You cannot chase what you cannot see. An age analysis shows every outstanding invoice at 30, 60 and 90 days, so the oldest, hardest money gets attention first. CRM Online’s Age Analysis module shows it as a daily debtors list, with notes and reminders on each account.
5. Remind automatically, on the channel they read
Customers answer WhatsApp faster than email. With Age Analysis + WhatsApp Connect, reminders and payment links go out on WhatsApp from your own number, and the email version goes out too. Polite, consistent reminders work better than the occasional awkward phone call.
6. Send monthly statements
A statement shows a customer everything they still owe in one place, which is often all it takes. The Statement Manager module sends monthly statements by email, and by WhatsApp too, with the age analysis on them.
7. Match payments, record promises, escalate properly
- Match proofs of payment automatically. The POP Matcher module reads POPs that customers email in and matches them to the right invoice, so you know who has really paid.
- Record a promise to pay. When a customer promises a date, record it (signed by them) and follow it up.
- Escalate in writing. For accounts that stay overdue, the Debt Collection module sends two-stage letters, up to suspension of services, with every step on the record.
The quick checklist
| Do this | In CRM Online |
|---|---|
| Invoice the same day | Quote to invoice in one click |
| Make paying easy | Card payments (Yoco) and payment links |
| Clear due date | Default payment terms on every invoice |
| Know who owes | Age analysis at 30, 60 and 90 days |
| Remind on WhatsApp | Age Analysis + WhatsApp Connect |
| Monthly statements | Statement Manager |
| Match POPs, escalate | POP Matcher and Debt Collection |
Card payments, age analysis, WhatsApp reminders, statements, POP matching and debt collection are add-on modules, each free for 30 days. See all modules.
Frequently asked questions
What is an age analysis?
A list of what each customer owes, grouped by how long it has been outstanding: current, 30, 60 and 90+ days. It shows you which debts to chase first.
Can I send payment reminders on WhatsApp?
Yes, with the Age Analysis + WhatsApp Connect modules, reminders and payment links go out on WhatsApp from your own number.
How do I match proofs of payment to invoices?
With the POP Matcher module, proofs of payment emailed to you are read and matched to the right invoice; anything unclear waits for you to review.
Read more: Invoicing software · Pricing · Free video course
How to send a quote your customer can accept online (and stop chasing the “yes”)