Client owes me

I am a small business and am trying to be client friendly and understandable to their needs and problems. I also believe in trusting my clients, however lately things seem to be out of control and I might change my philosophy toward the clients.
I always work with a contract and a signed model release, however if additional charges apply- like additional images ordered or pages to the album- I just send them an email stating the amount they owe me. I read it once in one of the professional legal forums that an email has the power of a contract and can be used in a court as a proof. Never had any problems with that before.. But now I have two clients who owe me money. Not a big amount- but still .
One of them is having health issues and I am not contacting them just yet to remind, the other one has been notified already twice- but no answer. So what do I do? And how many times do I need to reach to them before I submit a claim? Where do I submit it? Collection bureau? Court?
Now I also think I might change my policies just to avoid situations like that in the future.

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1041012

I have been a few times there. It's a fact of life when operating a business.

On all of my invoices, I have the following at the bottom of the invoice:

If they are late, then I send:
* Copy of the invoice
* New invoice for the interest
* Statement showing the total amount owing

If I do not receive the payment with a couple of week, I usually phone and tell them that I will have to turn over the invoice to my accountant, meaning the collection agency and that will affect their credit rating. Only once did I have to turn it over the collection agency.

A guy that owed me a small amount ($200) and that the collection agency would not deal with. The guy was from Iran, so I sent him the following email:

I did it at 45 days. I also did it at 60 days and at 70 days. On day 77 after the original invoice I received the cheque in the mail. I'm not asking why, but I think that with all the snow and ice at the time, something happened. Could be a car accident, a fall, an icy sidewalk,... I don't know, I don't care. I got paid!

syv wrote in post #12414353
I have been a few times there. It's a fact of life when operating a business.

On all of my invoices, I have the following at the bottom of the invoice:


If they are late, then I send:
* Copy of the invoice
* New invoice for the interest
* Statement showing the total amount owing

If I do not receive the payment with a couple of week, I usually phone and tell them that I will have to turn over the invoice to my accountant, meaning the collection agency and that will affect their credit rating. Only once did I have to turn it over the collection agency.

A guy that owed me a small amount ($200) and that the collection agency would not deal with. The guy was from Iran, so I sent him the following email:


I did it at 45 days. I also did it at 60 days and at 70 days. On day 77 after the original invoice I received the cheque in the mail. I'm not asking why, but I think that with all the snow and ice at the time, something happened. Could be a car accident, a fall, an icy sidewalk,... I don't know, I don't care. I got paid!

People on here will probably tell you that what you did was unprofessional.

I think it's pretty ****ing cool.

Hahaha love that!

This is business and that is going to happen in you work on a billing system. I do and have been very lucky in that I haven't had to chase too many people for money. I normally only extend credit to commercial clients and I always, for every type of client, request a read receipt for any email that I send them that is important like this.

With some of the companies that I deal with I will let them deduct a certain percentage of the non-taxable portion if they pay within 30 days. In this economy it was surprising to me how many will make the extra effort to get things paid inside this time line to save a few dollars.

I've used a collection agency a few times in 30 years of doing this and it is just part of the business process. I don't worry about being client unfriendly if they are late enough in paying me that it is forcing me to go to an agency or small claims to get my money.

Other than the fact that if his business did burn down...or bodily injury occurred....your email certainly provides motive to move you to the top of the suspect list!!! NEVER wish ill will.....at least publically!

syv wrote in post #12414353
I will be praying every day, asking God that you get in a car accident, that your business burns down, that the CRA (the tax people) audits you, that you will become blind and everyone, that works with you, gets sick.

I did it at 45 days. I also did it at 60 days and at 70 days. On day 77 after the original invoice I received the cheque in the mail. I'm not asking why, but I think that with all the snow and ice at the time, something happened. Could be a car accident, a fall, an icy sidewalk,... I don't know, I don't care. I got paid!

Ridiculously funny.

But i couldn't condone or recommend it.