It is a very enticing prospect to work as a freelancer, but the amount of freedom that you have comes with a lot of individual negative anxiety. One such being, if a client doesn’t pay up. You are very likely working long hours to please clients to deliver products and services, which makes it all the more frustrating if at the very end of the process you need to chase them up for payment. So here are some things you need to think about to make the process easier for you and your bank balance.
Lay The Groundwork First
Before working with any client, you need to make sure that you have the relevant documentation in place, such as the terms and conditions. These mark out what you would expect from them and what they would expect from you. An important aspect of the terms of conditions is to highlight the service level agreements, KPIs, as well as how many revisions you would do to the project. Another way to cover your bases is to invoice on a regular basis rather than just at the end of the project.
Issues In Payments
A lot of freelancers and businesses use invoice factoring or spot factoring to help fill any cash flow gaps. But if you have any issues with chasing payments it is possible to acquire a short-term loan if you are struggling on a personal basis. You can learn more at www.moneyboat.co.uk/short-term-loans about short term loans and how they can benefit you. It isn’t a method that is suitable for everyone, but if you can make it work for you, then it is worth the effort. There are a lot of questions that arise with taking out a personal loan to cover business expenses, and while it isn’t illegal, it’s always best to be upfront with the lender for the purposes of your loan.
Chasing The Client
If you still find there are problems, then you need to strike the right balance between being friendly but also assertive in your demands. It’s important that they don’t take you for a ride, especially if the prospect of future work with them is very likely. If you do find you have issues, it’s important to put the stop gaps in place and put any work for them on hold until you receive a payment. If there are problems after persisted emails to them, it’s time to go down the legal route and send a letter to the client with your intention to pursue legal action if they don’t pay up. Have a look at www.freeagent.com/guides/invoicing/taking-legal-action for more information on how to deal with this in a professional context. If your threat of legal action still hasn’t made them pay up, it’s time to take it to the small claims court. Although, you should be aware that this doesn’t guarantee you your payment — especially if the client is a repeat offender with a track history of late or no payments.
If a client doesn’t pay you for your work, it is very frustrating but rest assured, there are ways to navigate the issue. However, the best solution is to prevent these issues arising in the first place by having a contract that is as detailed as possible.
