Nearly every tradie is quietly owed money right now. Not because customers won't pay, mostly they just forget, and chasing feels awkward, so the invoice drifts. The fix isn't being aggressive. It's being consistent: a calm, predictable sequence that most people respond to at the first nudge.
Set the terms before you start
Payment terms belong on the quote and the invoice, not in your head. "Payment due within 14 days of invoice." Put your bank details right there. Half of all late payments are just friction, make paying you the easiest thing on the customer's to-do list.
The sequence
Don't send one angry message three weeks late. Send four calm ones, on a schedule:
- 1Day of / day after the job: send the invoice with a friendly thank-you.
- 2Due date: a gentle 'just a reminder this is due today' nudge.
- 33–5 days overdue: a short, direct follow-up.
- 410–14 days overdue: a firmer message that names the next step.
The friendly reminder (on the due date)
Hi Sarah, just a quick reminder that invoice #1042 for the bathroom job ($1,850) is due today. Bank details are on the invoice, happy to resend if that's easier. Cheers, Dave.
No apology, no essay. You're not asking for a favour; you did the work. Keep it warm and specific, the invoice number, the job, the amount.
The direct follow-up (a few days over)
Hi Sarah, following up on invoice #1042 ($1,850), which was due on the 12th. Could you let me know when I can expect payment? If there's an issue with anything, tell me and I'll sort it. Thanks, Dave.
This version does two jobs: it asks for a date (which is harder to ignore than a vague nudge), and it opens the door to any problem, so a genuine dispute surfaces now instead of at day 30.
The firm one (10–14 days over)
Hi Sarah, invoice #1042 ($1,850) is now two weeks overdue. Please arrange payment within the next 3 business days. If I don't hear back, I'll have to follow up formally. I'd much rather sort it directly, let me know. Dave.
Still calm, but it names a deadline and a consequence. You almost never need to go past here.
A few rules that keep it working
- Always reference the invoice number and amount, vague chases get ignored.
- Keep records of what you sent and when. If it ever escalates, the paper trail matters.
- Never chase angry. The goal is the money, not the last word.
- Make it automatic. The reason chasing fails is that you forget, put it on a schedule, not on your mood.
Where Agentize fits
Agentize's Invoicer drafts these reminders for you in your voice, tracks what's overdue, and nudges you to send the next one on schedule, so the awkward, easy-to-forget part happens on autopilot. You approve every message before it goes; nothing is sent in your name without your say-so.