The big or small companies commonly face the issue of unpaid invoices. To remind the customers about the payment over the phone is not mostly preferred, and also frequent calls will lead to trust issues and will break the good customer relationships. So email is one of the easiest and effective ways to go behind your customers reminding them of their payment.
The advantage of emails over call are the following:
- Continuous and detailed notifications can be sent. For example before the due date, on the due date and after due date, irrespective of what the customer thinks we can send the mail as automated. But over phone notifying this can disturb the customer.
- Over phone the language and voice can make many differences and there are chances of getting misunderstood.
- Emails are proof which could be used later whereas phone calls are mostly not.
- Emails can be checked by anyone at anytime and reply according to the free time
Here are the email templates to help you to inform your customers about their invoices.
- Email to remind the customer the payment date a week before
Subject: [Your business’ name]: Follow up on invoice #XXX
Hi Daniel,
I hope you are doing well. This is a reminder on the payment of invoice #XXX, which was sent to you on August 21 [the month and date the invoice was sent first], will be due on October 21[the month and date of the due date for payment].
I do know you have a busy schedule, but it would be appreciable if you find some time to check the invoice. Feel free to contact me if you have any doubt or questions.
Thanking you
Mark Leo
This email helps in reminding and will make the customer not forget the due date. As we are mailing this a week before the customer gets enough time to get the money and get ready to pay. If the customer is having any problems or he or she wants more time they can reply to the mail or make a deal than not paying without notice. This type of mailing is like chasing.
- Email to ask for payment on the due date
Subject: [Your business’ name]:due date on invoice- #XXX:
Hi Daniel,
Hope you are well. Here is a kind reminder for your payment on invoice #XXX. The total amount to pay on invoice is $6,200 [ the amount in invoice],according to that we sent on august 21 [the month and date the invoice was sent first], is due today [october 21]. The payment can be completed by transferring the amount to the account mentioned in invoice.
Hope you will let me know once the transfer is completed. Please reply if you have any doubts or whatsoever.
Thanks,
Mark Leo
This email helps in reminding the customer about payment even if he forgets. This will force the customer to transfer or reply fast as you have already sent a message a week ago.
- Email to remind late payment after a week of due date
Subject: [Your business’ name]:- Overdue of invoice #XXX
Hi Daniel,
Hope you are doing fine. We are disappointed in sending this mail. Till the date we haven’t received the payment on invoice #XXX. The total amount to pay on invoice is $6,200 [ the amount in invoice]. The invoice is overdue by one week, and we haven’t heard anything from your end. If you have sent the payment already, please discard the message.
It will be a great help if you check from your end and notify us and also we can send you the invoice once again if you have lost. Feel free to ask.
Thanks,
Mark Leo
This email makes the customer to be more serious as the mail in a polite manner informs the disappointment over the unpaid invoice
- Email after 2 weeks from the due date of payment
Subject: [Your business’ name]:- invoice #XXX overdue
Hi Daniel,
I have tried to contact you several times reminding the payment of invoice #XXX which was due two weeks before, on October 21[the month and date on the payment was due]. I haven’t heard anything from your end regarding the invoice and payment.
Please contact me or reply as soon as you get this mail. If you have any queries regarding the invoice payment let us know. Here attached is the copy of the invoice, in case you missed the same. Awaiting your reply and let us know once you receive the message.
Thanks,
Mark Leo
- Email after one month after the payment was due
Subject: [Your business’ name]:- invoice #XXX overdue from October 21
Hi Daniel,
We are totally disappointed on the unpaid invoice #XXX. We have already sent many reminders and got no replies. This email is to inform you that we may charge additional interest to your interest after one month. The due date passed 30 days already.
Once again, please contact us as soon as possible or please clear the pending payments.
Thanks and Regards,
Mark Leo
This will be the last mail you will be sending to the customer on an unpaid invoice. After all the five unreplied messages you will now directly call the customer and enquire the reason for the delay in the payment.