Frustration with Clients Ignoring Invoices – Seeking Advice

Hi y’all…
I’m feeling really frustrated and could use some advice from others who might be in a similar situation. I run a residential cleaning company with my partner, and we handle both the cleaning and administrative tasks ourselves.

Here’s the issue: Many of my clients consistently ignore their invoices for days on end. I’m confident they have the money; it’s not a financial issue on their part. Despite sending daily reminders, I can see that they view the invoices but don’t pay. I’m constantly dealing with hundreds of dollars in unpaid invoices.

One client even told me to just text her if she forgets to pay, which is incredibly frustrating. I shouldn’t have to chase clients like this.

I’m finally switching to a new invoicing system where clients are required to set up auto-pay or have their card on file for automatic charges. While I’m relieved to be making this change, it feels like I’m having to overhaul my system because some clients are inconsiderate.

For those of you with similar businesses (like lawn care or other service-based fields), how do you handle client payments? How prompt do you expect payment to be? At what point do you decide to stop working with clients who consistently fail to pay on time?

Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I run a small side gig myself, and I’ve been there. For me, the game-changer was switching to auto-pay. It’s awesome because it takes the hassle out of reminding clients. No more waiting around or awkward texts. Also, setting clear terms upfront helps. Like, “Payment due in X days,” and sticking to it. If someone keeps missing payments, it’s tough, but sometimes you gotta move on.