How do you handle late or disputed invoices without damaging customer relationships?

When addressing late or disputed invoices, prioritize open communication. Begin with a friendly reminder and inquire about any concerns or reasons for the delay. Express a willingness to discuss and resolve issues collaboratively. If a dispute arises, remain diplomatic and request additional information to understand the customer's perspective. Offer flexible payment arrangements if necessary. Emphasize your commitment to maintaining a positive business relationship and assure them that your goal is an equitable solution.

You need to protect the relationship because when customers feel valued even when they pay on time , they’ll keep coming back because of the service provided . Remind them of the payment terms and make a plan to set up payment arrangements or get a payment date and amount they will pay and note it on the account. Customer service goes beyond the issue of the invoice . They will pay when they know their issues are being resolved in a timely manner.

It is important to do a client account revision before granting terms. Ask for references. When the file is good to go, send the message to advise him that terms are granted and emphasize on the requested payment terms.

In my experience, I find building a rapport with the client is key to maintaining the relationship. I always use a friendly approach and ask how they are and how their day is going. I work with them if they are in financial difficulty and find a resolution that suits us all.

I find that people typically know when they are delinquent with a payment. Rather than shame them, I use a friendly, kind voice and ask about their day. I let them know I’m calling to check the overdue account & see how we can get it handled. I find that mostly they’re relieved that I’m not miserable, & it usually ends up with our being paid pretty fast. I email weekly and call every 1-2 weeks, always polite and friendly, and after a few contacts I ask if they have any suggestions on how I can get the overdue invoice closed. In all of my collections, I only had two not pay—one said they bought the business and our invoice wasn’t disclosed; the other said the check was in the mail and that wasn’t true. #2 is in collections, #1 written off.

Always be positive, and research and document before the very first call so you have all of your backup docs in hand. Let them know they’ll be emailed documentation for review. Be sure the cover letter lists the attachments in order and points out what they need to pay attention to re your dispute. I find that 99 times out of a hundred this is all it takes to resolve a dispute. Once in awhile, they have documents I’m not aware of. I don’t let myself be surprised when I find I’m wrong and we end up with a write-off due to our error, but thankfully those are very rare!

Determine what your firm or company's expectations are for terms such as minimum payment amounts or the length of time to complete payment before you speak to the client. When speaking to the client, ask if there are any questions about their invoices that you can help answer, then suggest a proposed payment plan and work with them to determine a plan that is realistic for the client and for the company. It is important to know your company's expectations before you begin this conversation to have a higher success rate of getting the client to commit.

Je pense que la question est mal posée. Un client qui ne paye pas ses factures malgré des relances amiables et empathique, ce ne sont pas nos actions qui peuvent nuire à la relation, c'est le client qui engendre une nuisance pour le fournisseur par manque de respect sur le travail que nous lui avons fournit s'il n'est pas contesté et qu'il refuse de payer . N'inversons pas les choses. Il ne nous viendrait pas à l'idée de changer de supermarché parce que celui où l'on va ne veut pas que l'on parte avec un caddie rempli sans payer!