Make the invoice payable
Check the legal customer name, billing contact, agreed reference, delivery evidence and payment instructions. Send the invoice through the channel the customer actually requires. Confirm acceptance if the customer uses a procurement system. An invoice that is trapped in the wrong inbox can look like a credit problem when it is a routing problem.
Keep a current aging view
Group unpaid invoices by how long they have been overdue and record the outstanding amount, owner and last contact. The groupings are an internal review aid, not automatic legal deadlines. Prioritize material balances and repeated problems, but do not ignore small amounts whose pattern suggests an underlying billing defect.
- Invoice and customer reference.
- Due date, outstanding amount and agreed terms.
- Dispute status or missing-document issue.
- Latest promise to pay and next action.
Worked example: a missing purchase order
A hypothetical supplier follows up on an overdue invoice and learns the customer's accounts team needs a purchase-order reference. The supplier confirms the reference with the project contact, reissues the correct documentation and records the revised payment expectation. Sending more generic reminders would not have resolved the actual obstacle.
Use a factual follow-up
Example: 'Our records show invoice 104 remains unpaid after its agreed due date. Please let us know whether payment has been arranged or if there is a billing issue we need to resolve. I have included the invoice and supporting reference.' Check your records first; do not accuse a customer of nonpayment when money may already be in transit.
Escalate consistently, not emotionally
Define who can agree a payment arrangement or pause further credit. Do not add fees, threaten legal action or change terms without confirming the agreement and local rules with an appropriate adviser. Record disputes separately from routine collections and preserve communications. Review repeated late payments when deciding future terms, not only when chasing the current balance.