What to do when..Job Payment..
 

Hello,

OK so you do a job for a client,and you finish the job, and you give the client your invoice.. On the invoice, it says the payment is due in full in 30 days..What happens if the client does not pay up in time?? Send a nasty reminder??Send another invoice with another deadline?? head right to small claims court??

I am not currently in this situation, but I am approaching the 30 day mark, and want to know of my options and what others have experienced..

Thanks,
Mike M.

I can't really answer you, but can tell you what I've learned in my own business. We rent scenery to other companies. We have a very strict policy: payment in full must be received before we shp the scenery. People sometimes complain, but as the shipping date approaches they realize there isn't much choice.Once you give the customer their goods, you've their incentive to pay is greatly reduced. I know some businesses are very competitive and you couldn't make this strategy work. But I think it's really the only way to insure that you get payment in full in a timely fashion.

Don't send a nasty reminder; send a friendly one, and another friendly one at 45 days. We had a policy where no tapes went out the door unless payment in full was received first.

The policy of payment before receipt of goods is best. Sometimes, though, it just doesn't work out that way.

The two times that clients just kept "forgetting" to pay me I ended up calling and politely saying I was driving in to pick up my payment. Voice and/or visual communication can be more effective than paper/e-mail.

Half payment at the time of shooting and balance upon completion seems to work well, too.

My favorite was my last job. The client had paid for the shooting but not the rest. He was looking at a deadline and couldn't pay the balance upon delivery so I gave him the stuff. But I kept his analog camera as [unspoken] collateral until he paid. Waited four months. He finally needed his camera and paid up!

I used to have to send friendly reminders at the 30 day mark, and make a phone call as well. If it went past 45 days (and we hadn't negociated this beforehand), I would send them a new invoice with the total due marked up by 1.5% financing fee. It also depends on the laws in your state.

Jeff Patnaude

Hey all,

Thanks for the replies..So far I have not had to cross this bridge..But I am sure it will happen..

Mike Moncrief