How to Professionally Ask Clients for Payment

How to Professionally Ask Clients for Payment?

Obtaining a monetary remuneration is the main motivation when performing an assignment for a client. Sometimes, clients need an extra reminder to pay for your services. Learning how to ask for payment of an invoice politely via email is important. Asking for remuneration for your services is a valuable skill.

In this article, you will learn about how to ask for payment properly. We will explain how to invoice as a contractor and when to start asking for your remuneration. With proper communication between both parties, independent contractors can make invoicing easier. Let us observe:

1. How to invoice as a contractor?
2. Why is my employer taking so long to pay me?
3. When should I start asking for payment?
4. How should I ask for payment of an invoice politely via email?
5. Tips to obtain payments on time
6. How can EOR Middle East help you?

1. How to invoice as a contractor?

When you are a 1099 employee or a small business owner, you have to be responsible for every side of your company. Invoicing your clients makes it so much easier to take control of your assignments and remunerations. An invoice is a payment demand presented by a contractor to a company that acquires its services.

Freelancers need to detail the goods or services provided, and how much employers have to pay in return. This technique can be used to bill for one-time assignments or recurring work. However, it is mostly utilized to ask for payments once a project is complete.

In recent years, independent contractors need to learn how to ask for payment of an invoice politely via email. Freelancers need to know how many hours they dedicate to a specific task. Time tracking is a priority if they are charging clients by the hour.  

Specifying the price per service is the essential part of an invoice. Including the time it took you to finish it adds professionalism to your invoice. Doing it explains the cost of your work in an efficient way. When creating an invoice, good organization is necessary.

1.1 Requirements for a professional invoice

To avoid inconveniences your invoice needs to contain the following requirements:

• Document name.
• Your business logo, especially if you have a sole proprietorship.
• Date of the invoice.
• Your business details and client’s contact information.
• A list of services provided with a description of your work and the number of hours spent working.
• Payment terms, due date, and total amount due.

1.2 Common invoicing mistakes to avoid

There are many mistakes independent contractors typically make when invoicing. The most common are:

• Not preparing your invoice in advance.
• Forgetting to track the time worked.
• Creating inconvenient invoices for their clients.
• Hesitating to request any missing payment.

Preparing your invoices can be a hassle. Hence, hiring a professional employer organization can free you from having to go through the task of creating an invoice by yourself. In addition, they can even help you to find more job opportunities according to your skills and experience.

2. Why is my employer taking so long to pay me?

When a company forgets to make payments can feel personal for some employees. Generally, they worry if there is something they did wrong in the process of finishing their assignments. Not receiving a certain payment on time can feel like a risk to independent workers. These are the reasons why you are not obtaining your payment on time:

2.1 The manager forgot

Most of the times managers are running busy with a thousand pendant tasks. Even if sufficing a payroll should be their priority, the truth is that it is not always that way. Learning how to ask for payment of an invoice politely via email can be beneficial when this happens.

Companies who work with an employer of record organization do not forget to fulfill invoices. Most agencies take care of this responsibility and more. EOR companies will help businesses make payments on time and remain compliant with the law.

2.2 They are waiting for other payments

When you send your invoice at the beginning or middle of the assignment, and it is a larger sum than expected, the company could be waiting to receive an external payment to suffice yours. It is common for companies to wait until the end of the month to pay invoices. As it is most likely that they will have enough capital in that period.

2.3 They may have other remaining financial obligations

When a company is going through financial difficulties they normally do not let their employees know. Especially if they are part-time independent contractors. In this case, you need to know how to ask for payment of an invoice politely via email.

Learning how to reach out in times like this is very important. Maintaining good communication with your manager is a great way of knowing if there are inconveniences within the company. If you do not receive your payment on time, you will probably have it within the next few days.

3. When should I start asking for payment?

Before the due date of your project, you should send your client an email about your payment. Later, once you finish your assignment, you can send them an email with your invoice requesting your remuneration. If they work with a payroll outsourcing company, it should be on your account as soon as the invoice is due.

Nonetheless, your invoice payment can come later than expected when a company is on its own. To know when an invoice is considered late, you need to review the payment terms established in your contract. There is a certain grace period that exists after sending an invoice, specifically for remote teams.

The most usual grace period is 15 days from the date stipulated on the invoice. Occasionally, invoices will have a 30-day grace period after sending them, depending on where the employee locates. But, if the invoice has not been paid within this period, it can be considered late.

It is an absolute necessity for you to learn how to ask for payment of an invoice politely via email. You can send a reminder for your payments two weeks before the invoice is due and another one on the day of the due date. If this does not work, you can send chasing emails one week, two weeks, and one month after your invoice is due.

It is important to remember that you should not chase for payments if:

• If you did not fulfill your responsibilities stated in the contract.
• When the invoice is still within the payment time terms.
• Or when the company gave you a fair warning letting you know they will be late with the payment.

4. How should I ask for payment of an invoice politely via email?

Some individuals find it awkward to ask for the required remunerations for their work. But, it is imperative to know how to ask for payment of an invoice politely via email. Learning this will allow independent contractors providing their services to value their work.

Communicating with your superiors in the right way assures that you will get paid on time, or at least that they will let you know if there are any inconveniences. When asking your clients for payment, you need to be professional, polite, and persistent.

4.1 Assure the client received the invoice

You must be sure that there were no errors or miscommunication about the invoice. Send a cordial email to the company explaining the situation and assuring they received the invoice. Considering investing in HR management services will free companies and freelancers from any inconveniences when looking to suffice their necessities.

4.2 Send an email to the company requesting the payment

If the company acknowledges that they received the invoice but still have not issued your remuneration, you can follow up with a professional email. Highlight the invoice due date and how many days have passed since then.

Remind them of any late fees and let them know if you will be charging them for late payment. In addition, recap the company about the different ways they can send payment and resend the original invoice in this email.

Here are some templates you could use when you need them:

4.2.1 Template #1

Greetings, [CLIENT NAME],

[Short intro about the assignment you did for them]

This is a notice to let you know that your invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] of [INVOICE AMOUNT] is due on [DATE].

The payment specifics are on the invoice attached.

If you have any inquiries or remuneration problems, please do let me know.

Best regards,
[YOUR NAME].

4.2.2 Template #2

4.3 Give a call to the client

It may seem uncomfortable. But, if after sending the emails you do not receive any response, the next step should be calling the client. When calling, you should identify yourself and politely explain that you have sent multiple emails about not receiving the requested payment.

The objective of this call is to obtain a firm commitment on the date and method of payment. Remember to remain friendly and professional through the call, thanking the manager for their time.

5. Tips to obtain payments on time

Now that you have learned how to ask for payment of an invoice politely via email, it is important to note that if you are not sure a company you are working with will pay, you should take some precautions beforehand.

Be transparent with the client with the records of your work. Achieving full accountability and transparency with your clients will allow you to gain credibility. Choosing a good payment processor is always a great idea to further ease the remuneration process. You need to settle on a freelance processor that is convenient for you and your client.

Additionally, assuring that your invoice is organized and professional will always help. Stating your terms in the contract is recommended. If the company violates any of them, you can take legal matters into action. Obtaining advice from an EOR company about your contract terms and conditions is beneficial.

Asking for an advance deposit is another way of knowing if you should rely on a company. If businesses are willing to pay part of the final amount in advance, they are likely to provide your remuneration in full at the end of the project.

6. How can EOR Middle East help you?

EOR Middle East offers its services to help companies and employees alike. With our support, you can find the perfect job opportunities with the utmost business in the Middle East. We provide tailored amenities for companies who want to develop in regions such as:

• Lebanon
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia

From relocation services to open subsidiaries all over the Middle East to immigration services to suffice your in-site workforce with foreign employees. We assure your expansion while remaining compliant with all regulations.

Do you want to suffice your international payroll with EOR Middle East? If you want to hire our payroll outsourcing services, you can get in touch with us. Call us at 00 971 433 16 88 or reach us via email at [email protected]. Our agents will be more than glad to answer any of your queries.

In the same vein, if you want to find a job offer that meets your expectations, you can go to thetalentpoint.com and submit your resume or CV. You can also send it via email at [email protected], and we will be reviewing your application.