A random convo with an ex-client made me rethink my payment terms

I was at a coffee shop last Tuesday and ran into a client I worked with two years ago on a $1,200 web copy project. She told me she always paid late because she was scared to admit she didn't have the cash right then, not because she was dodging me. Said she felt like I was gonna judge her if she asked for more time. That hit different because I always assumed people were just being lazy or rude. Now I'm thinking about adding a 30-day grace period option upfront to take the pressure off. Has anyone else tried offering flexible payment timelines and seen changes?

2 comments

2 Comments

mitchell.thomas3d ago

My buddy tried that and said it actually cut his late payments in half.

noraroberts3d ago

Did they change anything else around the same time, like setting up auto pay for the minimum? My cousin swore by that calendar reminder trick but it backfired when she forgot to check which card it was on. Sometimes it's hard to tell what actually helps versus just a lucky break.