Dealing with a client who’s both challenging and behind on payments. It’s a delicate balance between keeping the project moving and getting paid. I’ve tried gentle reminders and pausing work, but it’s not always effective.
Anyone else navigate this tightrope before? Curious about tactics that actually work without burning bridges.
I usually just keep working and hope they pay eventually. Not the best way, I know. Maybe I should be more strict about it. Tough to deal with clients sometimes.
Yeah, this situation is always tricky. I’ve been there too many times.
Here’s what’s worked for me:
I also started doing progress billing. Breaking big projects into smaller chunks makes it easier for clients to pay and keeps my cash flow steady.
For really difficult clients, I’ve had to get creative. Once I offered to pause the late fees if they agreed to a payment plan. It wasn’t ideal, but it got things moving.
Sometimes you just have to be direct. I’ve literally asked, ‘What’s holding up payment?’ You’d be surprised how often it’s just an oversight on their end.
And yeah, as a last resort, I’ve had to walk away from projects. It sucks, but it’s better than working for free.
Remember, you’re running a business, not a charity. It’s okay to stand firm on getting paid for your work.
Look, here’s how I handle it. Set clear payment terms upfront. No exceptions. I break projects into milestones and get paid for each chunk as I go. Keeps cash flowing and motivation high on both sides.
If a client’s dragging their feet, I send a no-nonsense reminder weekly. After 30 days, work stops. Period. I’m not a bank, I’m a contractor.
For repeat offenders, I’ve started requiring deposits or even full payment upfront. Yeah, you might lose some jobs, but you’ll sleep better knowing you’re not working for free.
Remember, it’s your business. You call the shots on getting paid. Don’t let anyone push you around on that.
I’ve started using milestone payments. Break the project into chunks and get paid for each part as you finish.
For existing clients, I send a friendly invoice reminder every week. If they’re still not paying after a month, I have a frank talk about putting work on hold.
Sometimes offering a small discount for quick payment works wonders. It’s less than late fees and gets money in faster.
Been there, done that. It’s a real pain.
I’ve found setting clear expectations from the start helps a ton. My contracts now include payment milestones tied to project phases. No payment, no next phase.
For existing tricky clients, I send weekly updates with a friendly reminder of outstanding invoices. If it goes beyond 30 days, I have a frank conversation about pausing work.
One thing that’s worked well is offering a small discount for early payment. It’s less than late fees would be, and it motivates some clients to pay faster.
Sometimes, breaking the total into smaller, more frequent invoices helps too. Seems less daunting for clients and keeps cash flowing.
Remember, it’s okay to walk away if it’s hurting your business. I’ve had to do it once, and while it sucked short-term, it was better in the long run.