Key points
- Start before the due date, so the first message is helpful.
- Keep messages short, with one clear way to pay.
- Firm up the tone gradually.
- Stop automatically when they pay.
- Escalate to a person, not another email.
Step 1: set the schedule
Start before the due date. A reminder three days before reads as helpful, not pushy, and it catches the invoices that would otherwise be paid late by accident.
Step 2: write the messages
Before it’s due
Hi Jo, a quick heads-up that invoice 4521 for £[amount] is due on Friday. A copy’s attached. Any questions, just reply.
On the due date
Hi Jo, invoice 4521 is due today. You can pay here: [link]. Thanks.
A week overdue
Hi Jo, invoice 4521 is now a week overdue. Could you let us know when it’ll be paid, or if there’s a problem with it?
Short, specific, one clear next step. No threats, no essays.
Step 3: connect it to your accounts data
The reminders need to know what’s been invoiced, when it’s due and when it’s been paid. That comes from your accounts package. Connected properly, reminders go out on time and stop the moment payment lands.
Step 4: escalate to a person
If an account is still overdue after the automated reminders, another email won’t help. Alert a manager and create a call task. That’s where a conversation works.
Step 5: chase applications too
If you sell on trade accounts, chase unfinished applications the same way. A customer who never finished their form can’t buy on account.
Want it done for you? The Trade Account & Payment Chaser sets all of this up and looks after it every month.
Questions people ask
How many invoice reminders should I send?
Two or three automated reminders is usually enough: one before the due date, one on it, and one a week later. After that, a person should pick up the phone.
Should invoice reminders be by email or text?
Email for the invoice and detail, text for a short nudge that actually gets seen. Using both works best.
Is it OK to send automated payment reminders?
Yes. Reminding a customer about an invoice they owe is a normal service message. Keep it polite and in your name.
