Invoicing may not be one of the most fun jobs, because sorting out the paperwork can be quite a boring task. However, completing that task successfully is the most important for every business. It needs a lot of attention and effort. However, this implies complete control and professionalism when it comes to invoicing goods and services.
Sometimes you just haven’t achieved the maximum and that’s really bad for your business. There are several signs that indicate this very clearly. Keep in mind how important it is not to make mistakes in this part of the business because they cause blockades of business activities. If it is not your goal to stop your business at some point, keep reading and find out if you are making some mistakes that can harm your business. Read the list of signs below that tell you that it is definitely time to change the way you work.
1. You forgot to send an invoice
If you happen to forget about invoicing, that’s not good. You may have had some thoughts that distracted you from this part of the job, but it is not the responsibility of your clients. It is true that people sometimes find themselves in different circumstances, but it is inadmissible for a business owner not to send an invoice. Although you have excellent communication with the client or customer, we advise you to be careful what you do and never forget things like this.
In case this happens to you, you can always reimburse their products or services, but other people are not obliged to tolerate this. That’s why invoicing is a priority and if you put it at the top of the list you’ll never forget it. It’s too late if customers ask you for an invoice, don’t allow yourself to be warned. The sooner you do that, the sooner you will be paid. So, it is sent first as soon as you finish it.
2. You waited a long time before sending
Okay, you may not have forgotten to send the invoice but you have waited long enough for it to look like this. This is another example of irresponsibility and bad behavior. If you are not sure which deadline you should meet, we advise you to always send it immediately after the completion of the project or sale. You can’t go wrong if you stick to this timing. Of course, we say this if you are not engaged on the other side when it comes to the same customer and so you are waiting to finish everything. Otherwise, you must not wait to send an invoice.
3. You did not pay attention to unpaid bills
Tracking unpaid bills is also a very important part of the job. Even though you haven’t made previous mistakes, you shouldn’t make this one, which is equally bad. So, if the invoice is your priority and you did it on time, you cannot guarantee for the other party either. The client may also make a mistake by replacing the invoices or just forgetting about it. However, such things must be monitored and recorded.
Although the problem may arise as a result of the client’s irresponsibility, the only responsible person is you if these invoices are not sent. All you have to do is contact the client as soon as you discover this kind of omission and find out what is going on. For example, you can use billing software and it will send reminders itself. If you do not receive feedback from the client soon, you will start a lawsuit or some other similar steps.
4. You weren’t clear enough to clients
When it comes to printing an invoice, there can be several unwanted situations that eventually lead to poor communication. It’s one of the worst things that can happen to you because it can trigger a series of bad events. However, avoid using obscure language in this process. This is definitely a safe way to avoid slow bill payments, vaguely stated item descriptions, prices, etc. Basically, avoid anything that is not specifically indicated, that is, ambiguous language.
This applies to specific conditions such as payment terms, the consequences of delays and other details of the services you offer. It is very important to stay specific during the process because clients can sometimes take up valuable time by asking for changes or revisions. It’s easiest for you to use the template, edit it as you wish and then know that the invoice will always look right. To see what invoice templates look like and how you can edit them visit here.
5. There is no signing of the contract
The most important thing for any business cooperation is that both parties are well-protected. In an ideal world, simple handling and respect for the mutual agreement would be enough. However, the reality is a little different. Items such as business conditions, the economy and consumers make daily changes in different business fields. That is why there is a contract that is very simple in this case and it is in your interest to sign it.
This will keep you safe and establish better communication with the other party. So, after you shake hands, call your lawyers and close the deal. They will record all the details and you will establish clear rules.
6. You sent the invoice to the wrong address
If you sent the invoice on time and did everything properly, and it has been up to several weeks since you did not receive the payment, something is not right. The customer may not honor the agreement, but ask yourself if the shipment is at the wrong address. It happens that people send it to the wrong person or even the wrong department, but don’t let that happen to you.
So you can experience many inconveniences, and certainly one of the biggest is charging the wrong person. In this way, you endanger your reputation and cooperation with clients may be terminated. So before shipping, make sure you have all the necessary information to send the invoice to the right person or department. Then paying the bill will not be inconvenient and you will not jeopardize your professionalism.
Conclusion:
Don’t worry if you find yourself in these mistakes at work, it happens that everyone makes mistakes. The most important thing is to understand in time what is not necessary to do in this part of the job and correct it. It is also important to keep trying in the future and to avoid them as much as possible. We hope we’ve helped you improve your invoicing.
