Invoice due dates and reminders: conventions, legalities, and stuff

TomJG

I emailed an invoice to someone outside the EU last week.

I dated the invoice as due to be paid a couple of days after the date I sent the invoice.

(Before working with the guy, I mentioned to him in an email that I date invoices like this.)

The payment hasn't been sent yet.

What would be the convention (and/or any legalities) on when to send reminders?

Is a couple of days after the due date ok would you say?

Or leave it a week at least?

Gloomtastic!

You can call them a couple of days before the payment is due to check:

1. Did they get the invoice? If not, re email while they are on the phone and check they got it.
2. If yes, are they the person responsible for making the payment? If not, who is?
3. If yes, is everything still ok for payment on the due date?

Do not put the phone down until you have got a positive answer to one or all of the above.

TomJG

Thanks Gloomtastic.

I'll give him a call.

And then after that call -- in case the payment doesn't arrive on the agreed date -- any advice on sending reminders -- when to send them, etc...?

Gloomtastic!

Depends on the call....

If he says it's all fine and payment going though tomorrow. Check your balance when you believe it should arrive in your account. If it's there fine, if not then call him back and say last time we spoke you said.....

If he hasn't sent it then you need to ascertain why. It will be one of three reasons:

1. Inefficiency.
2. Inability or,
3. Company policy

No need to wait on procedure. If they say they're going to do something by a certain date and they haven't, call them back and ask why not.

Be polite, friendly and professional at all times.

Good luck!

Gloomtastic!

Also, print out the invoice and on the back write the date of each call and what happened. Then next time you can quote them verbatim.