A well-run follow-up settles most unpaid invoices without ever going further. Here’s the legal framework to know and the method that makes the difference between a follow-up that works and one that gets ignored.
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Every follow-up rests on a precise legal framework, worth knowing and restating in your exchanges:
Restating these elements in a follow-up — even calmly — gives the message weight without changing its register.
1. Preventive follow-up, before the due date. A few days before the expected payment date, a friendly reminder (“your invoice is due on…”) avoids a significant share of avoidable delays, especially administrative oversights on the client’s side.
2. Follow-up once the due date has passed. The day after the due date, a more direct message restates the amount owed and the penalties now applicable, without accusation or a threatening tone.
3. Firm follow-up, with a clear deadline. After a reasonable delay (10 to 15 days), a final follow-up sets a clear payment deadline and, if necessary, announces the move to a formal notice — the first step of more formal collection (amicable, then legal if needed).
Three mistakes come up most often and explain why a follow-up has no effect:
A dedicated account manager structures and automates your preventive and first-level follow-ups, while personalizing more sensitive exchanges. Every step stays firm on substance — amount owed, deadline, penalties — and measured in tone, preserving the business relationship as long as it can be.
Discover our smart reminders →The best practice is to follow up before the due date, a few days ahead, as a preventive and friendly reminder. A second, firmer follow-up comes the day after the due date if no payment has been received.
Friendly and factual in the early follow-ups, firmer on substance as the delay grows — but never threatening in tone. Restating the facts (amount, due date, applicable penalties) is enough to add pressure without harming the business relationship.
There's no fixed number, but two to three follow-ups (before the due date, at the due date, then after a reasonable 10-to-15-day delay) are usually enough to see whether the client will pay on their own. Beyond that, the formal notice marks the shift to a more formal stage.
Yes, from the first day of delay, provided the penalties (ECB rate + 10 points) and the €40 fixed compensation for collection costs are stated explicitly on the invoice. Mentioning them in the follow-up reinforces the message without changing its tone.
Automating preventive and first-level follow-ups (before and at the due date) saves considerable time and ensures no invoice is forgotten. More advanced or sensitive follow-ups (a strategic client, a disputed case) are better handled with a personal touch.
By separating substance from tone: firmness applies to respecting the deadline and the amount owed, never to an aggressive tone or disproportionate pressure. A well-calibrated follow-up restates the facts and consequences (penalties, escalation) without ever leaving a professional register.
A first conversation is enough to review your current follow-up method and identify what's actually blocking payment.
We identify with you what, in tone or timing, is slowing down payment of your invoices.
Automated preventive follow-ups, gradual escalation — without overhauling your existing tools.
Firm on substance, measured in tone — at every stage of the follow-up.