Debate: Should you send a reminder before the invoice is even due?

I had this situation last month with a client in Portland who always pays exactly on the due date, never late but never early. I sent a friendly reminder 3 days before the invoice was due and they got weird about it, saying it felt pushy. But then I have another client who literally said 'if you don't remind me I will forget' after I let one slide. Which side do you fall on? Do you nudge people before the deadline or just wait and see?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_faith5d ago

Start by asking if you've ever had a client get annoyed at being reminded even though they said they wanted it. Because that's the tricky part, right? The one who asked for reminders might still get weird about it if the timing feels off to them. Did the Portland client ever say they didn't want reminders before, or was it just a surprise reaction?

max_schmidt775d ago

Connect this to a bigger pattern I've noticed in everyday life. It seems like more and more people say they want something but then get bothered when it actually shows up. Like with reminders, someone asks for one because they feel overwhelmed or forgetful, but when it pings them at a bad moment, they get annoyed at the reminder instead of at the situation that made them need it. I see it with neighbors who ask for a heads up about noisy work, but then fuss when I text them at 8 AM on a Saturday. It's like we want the cure but not the taste of the medicine, you know?

faith275d ago

A friendly nudge? I once reminded myself to pay a bill and still forgot, so maybe I'm the problem here.