Dealt with a client who reacted badly after I checked in on a 45-day overdue invoice. They brought up complaints about the work that were never mentioned before.
It’s frustrating how some folks get defensive when money is involved. How do you keep your cool and stay professional when issues unexpectedly arise right after you ask for payment?
Document everything when this happens. Everything:
When clients suddenly find problems after you ask for payment, they’re stalling. I’ve seen this pattern countless times.
I respond with “I understand you have concerns. Here’s what we agreed on originally, and here’s what I delivered. The invoice stands.”
Then I offer to discuss their concerns separately if they want to hire me for revisions. But I make it clear the current work was completed as requested.
Don’t get emotional. They’re hoping you’ll waive the fee to avoid conflict. Stay factual and reference your documentation.
I completely separate these two things. First, I acknowledge their work concerns and set a specific time to talk about them. “I hear you have issues with the project - let’s schedule a call tomorrow to go through them properly.”
Then I redirect to the invoice. “This invoice covers work that was approved and delivered per our original agreement.” I stay calm but firm about payment.
Don’t let them derail payment talks with suddenly discovered problems. Most times these complaints disappear once they realize it won’t make the invoice go away.
I learned this after getting dragged into endless debates that went nowhere. Now I handle each issue separately.
Listen to their complaints before discussing payment. It shows you care instead of just wanting money. Clients often bring up issues when they feel rushed to pay. Resolve their concerns first, and most will pay without further issues.
Send a quick email acknowledging their concerns but still ask for payment. Try something like: ‘I get that you have concerns about the work. The invoice is still due since I completed the project per our agreement. Let me know if you want to discuss additional work to address these issues.’ Don’t negotiate or defend yourself in that first response - just state the facts. Most clients will pay once they realize complaining won’t make the bill disappear.
Some people just try anything to avoid paying. I stick to what we agreed on originally.
I just ask for payment and wait it out.