15
Why I stopped sending invoices the same day I finish work
Used to fire off invoices right after I wrapped up a job, thinking faster billing meant faster money. Last month, a client in Phoenix called me at 9 PM on a Thursday complaining my invoice landed before I even cleaned up their basement. They held payment for 3 weeks out of spite, and that $4,200 delay almost busted my material budget for the next project. Now I wait a full business day before sending anything, and people seem way less annoyed about paying on time. Has anyone else had a client get weird about fast invoices?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
sullivan.quinn4d ago
Bookkeeping is just one of those things that feels aggressive to some people if they aren't expecting it" - that line really hit home for me. I think my problem is I get so excited to get paid that I act like a golden retriever with a check... just shoving it in their face before they've even caught their breath. Honestly, waiting until the next morning sounds like the kind of obvious fix that makes me feel stupid for not thinking of it myself. I've definitely been that guy who fires off an invoice while I'm still wiping dirt off my boots, and looking back I probably looked like I was trying to ambush them with a bill. Now I sit on it for a full 24 hours and pretend I'm being thoughtful when really I'm just giving myself time to stop being weird about money.
10
kimr914d ago
Did you ever figure out if the client was upset about the timing, or just looking for a reason to delay payment? I had a similar thing happen with a small retail job where I sent the invoice out within a couple hours and the owner called me all defensive like I was rushing him. Bookkeeping is just one of those things that feels aggressive to some people if they aren't expecting it, so I've since switched to sending invoices the next morning instead of that same night. It's a small change but nobody has gotten weird about it since, and my payments still come through at about the same pace. Take this with a grain of salt, but waiting that extra day has never hurt my cash flow and it saves me a headache.
4
webb.hannah4d ago
Honestly I think waiting a day is the smart play and your Phoenix client proved why. Some people see fast invoices as pressure even when you're just being efficient. In my experience the ones who get weird about it are also the ones who will hold a payment just to prove a point. That 3 week delay for $4200 is brutal and I'm guessing you won't make that mistake again. The golden retriever comparison made me laugh because I've been that same fool too many times. Waiting 24 hours costs you nothing and saves you from looking desperate or pushy.
0