A short YouTube clip by Mike Andes advising how to handle customers who don't pay: prioritize preventive measures (collect deposits, keep a credit card on file, invoice promptly) and, if necessary, pursue remedies (charge card, place liens, send to collections, impact customer credit). Emphasis is on screening/setting expectations to avoid escalation.
If a customer doesn't pay the invoice that I'm owed, I'm going to put a lien on their property. I don't want it to get there. Ideally, I have a credit card file. I'm able to charge them a deposit prior. I'm able to make sure I collect immediately when I finish the job. But if they're not going to pay their credit card balances, their check doesn't come through, eventually it will get there and I'll send them to collections, I'll ding their credit. But ideally, I never have to get there because I got the right customer that actually cares about their credit. They pay to deposit, they have a credit card on file, and then when I send them an invoice that's due, they pay it right away.
