Kit Barber tells UK business owners owed an average of £21,000 that late payment isn't a client flaw but a system failure. Set payment terms before work starts, invoice immediately after, and follow up on day one of being overdue, not day 30.
If you're a UK business owner who's owed money right now, and statistically you're owed around £21,000, but you don't have a system to get it back, then stay with me. The problem isn't that your clients are bad people. The problem is the conversation that you didn't have before the work started. Payment terms, method, expectations, all of it needs to be agreed upfront, not after you've delivered. Because this is what happens when you don't. You finish the job, you send the invoice, then you wait. And then you chase, and then you wait, and then you chase again. And that isn't really a client problem, that's a system problem, and it's your problem. So simple fix: set your terms before the work actually starts, invoice the moment it's done, and follow up on day 1 of it being late, not day 30. The money is there, you've earned it, go and flipping well get it.
