Appreciation post: A client's offhand comment about his own business changed how I chase payments

I was at a coffee shop in Tacoma last month, meeting a client who was 60 days late on a $2,500 invoice. Instead of getting mad, I just asked how his cash flow was. He sighed and said, 'Honestly, I pay my plumber the same day he finishes because I know he'll drop everything if I have another leak.' That hit me. I realized my own payment terms were vague and I wasn't showing my value clearly. Now I list exactly what happens after a project ends on my invoices, like file access and support. Has anyone else found that being more open about your process gets you paid faster?

4 comments

4 Comments

jamesc792mo ago

Sounds a bit over the top for a late payment chat.

fionanguyen2d ago

Wait, hold on... $2500 is just sliding by for a coffee chat? That's like... that's a car payment or a month of groceries for some people. I get that Ivan is saying maybe the real win was getting the client on the phone, but still, that amount of money just... gone. Seems like a lot to just let go of without a fight or at least a proper plan.

derek_ross2mo ago

Wait, you just let a $2,500 late payment slide for a coffee chat?

ivan4622mo ago

Ever think about the time cost? A coffee chat is maybe an hour, plus travel. If that $2500 is tied up for another month, you're losing the chance to use it. Jamesc79 is right it sounds like a lot, but maybe the real payment was getting that client to finally answer their phone. Some people only move when you're face to face.