Question about chasing invoices via text message

I had a client last spring who was 45 days late on a $600 invoice. I always emailed reminders but got nothing back. One day I just sent a casual text asking if they saw my note and they paid within 20 minutes. Has anyone else had better luck with texts than formal emails for slow payers?

3 comments

3 Comments

kai_ramirez389d ago

I actually read about a study that found text messages get opened like 98% of the time while emails just sit in inboxes forever. That 20 minute turnaround you got is no joke, I had a similar thing happen with a $400 landscaping invoice where texts got me paid in a day after weeks of silence. It's honestly about the casual vibe, like a text feels way less aggressive than a formal "PAST DUE" email. People get that wall up with emails but a quick "hey just checking" breaks right through it.

brooke4488d ago

But isn't everyone just getting bombarded with texts now too? I've seen clients get annoyed when businesses get too casual, like it crosses a line they didn't agree to. @margaretc42 your friend got lucky but I've had a couple of contractors tell me people actually block numbers after two or three "hey just checking" texts because it feels super pushy. Is a text really less aggressive or is it just easier to ignore than an email that sits quietly in a folder without alerting you?

margaretc429d ago

My buddy runs a small plumbing company and had a client ghost him on a $350 pipe repair bill for almost two months. He was about to send a certified letter but instead shot a quick text saying "hey forgot to circle back on this one" and the guy paid in 10 minutes. @kai_ramirez38 hit the nail on the head about that casual vibe just cutting through all the awkwardness.