The problem here is almost never bad faith. It is a payment circuit the supplier does not know about.
The payment methods actually used
Three, and they are not equivalent.
Bank transfer dominates for companies. It usually goes out on a fixed date, which means an invoice arriving just after that day waits for the next cycle.
Instant person-to-person payment serves for small orders, local businesses and deposits. It is fast and practical, but it does not replace an invoice: the document remains mandatory, and its form depends on your situation, to be checked with an accountant.
And payment platforms, used by foreign clients, with fees and withdrawal times you need to know before setting a price.
The terms you will meet
They vary with the client's size, not with their kindness.
A shop or a self-employed person pays fast, often at delivery.
A structured company applies its internal cycle, with a fixed payment day in the month.
A large company or an administration adds an approval, a purchase order and sometimes a supplier portal. The term is not negotiable, but it is predictable.
Hence the rule: ask for the real term before accepting, and above all ask for the payment day in the month. Those two pieces of information are worth more than a promise of speed.
The deposit, your best protection
It is the most effective measure, and the least requested.
A deposit on order does three things: it proves the client has decided, it covers your time if the project is cancelled, and it saves you advancing costs.
A reasonable proportion for a first client, the balance on delivery. On large batches, staged payment.
A client refusing any deposit with no explanation is information, not an incident.
What must be written
Five lines, in the quote, before starting.
What is delivered: number of files, formats, revisions included.
The delivery date.
The price, and what it includes in rights: duration, territory, channels.
The payment calendar, with dates rather than periods.
And the exact invoicing details: company name, address, identification number, order reference if there is one.
That last point avoids half the delays, because an invoice addressed to the wrong entity goes back to the start.
What makes an order go off the rails
| Signal | What it announces | The response |
|---|---|---|
| An addition asked for after the quote | Unpaid work | A written amendment |
| An approval that drags | A deferred payment | A cut-off date in the contract |
| A contact who changes | A forgotten agreement | Resend the signed quote |
What you say when the request goes beyond scope
Say yes, but price it. One sentence is enough: this point was not in the quote, here is what it adds to the price and the deadline. The brand then decides.
What is prepared before the very first client
A quote template, an invoice template and a follow-up sentence already written. All three get reused dozens of times.
When the client is late
A calm sequence, in four steps.
First, check that the invoice arrived in the right place and was registered. That is the most frequent cause, and it is settled with one message.
Then write to the person who ordered, with the document and the due date, without reproach. They will pass it on, because it is their supplier they risk losing.
Then ask for the direct contact in accounts, with the order reference.
Finally, suspend the work in progress, saying so clearly. An announced suspension settles more situations than one more reminder.
Beyond that, the remedies, applicable interest and procedure depend on your situation and are checked with a lawyer. Keep every exchange in writing from the start: that file is what counts, not memory.
