This amicable reminder plan is a good tool for settling unpaid invoices. This guide gives you useful tips to carry out this process successfully, with a sample reminder letter.
A payment reminder letter is a letter sent to a customer to inform them of an outstanding debt. The purpose of this debt collection letter is to encourage the debtor to settle their invoice as soon as possible. After contacting the customer with this amicable payment request, the customer may respond and share their difficulties.
In the absence of a payment promise or actual payment, you can send them a formal demand letter. Under Article 1344 of the Civil Code, a formal demand is a legally binding letter requiring the debtor to act without delay.
Above all, avoid rushing into a formal demand or legal recovery without first contacting the customer for an amicable collection. A copy of the invoice will provide traceability of your claim. You should always keep this document safe if you want to obtain payment. Also make sure to keep the receipt of the registered letter. In any case, the payment reminder letter must include:
The name of the creditor
The name of the debtor
The invoice number and date
The subject of the letter with the mention "payment reminder"
The goods or services related to the invoice
While it's possible to write a payment reminder email spontaneously, a standard example remains a source of inspiration. Here is a sample reminder letter for an unpaid invoice, written in a cordial tone:
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Your company
Company name
SIRET
Address
Postal code and city
Contact
Name of debtor customer
Address
Postal code and city
Done at…, on…
Subject: Payment reminder for invoice No. … pending collection
Enclosure: Scanned copy of the original invoice
Madam, Sir,
Unless it is an error on our part, your invoice dated … remains unpaid. To date, the accounting department has not been able to settle the payment of the amounts due corresponding to the invoice amount. The payment deadline having passed, we kindly ask you to settle it as soon as you receive this email. However, we ask you to disregard this reminder if you have since settled the payment. The copy of the invoice being authoritative, we look forward to hearing from you and are at your disposal for any inquiries. Thanking you in advance for your kind understanding, we kindly ask you to consider this amicable collection request.
Yours faithfully,
First name, Last name
Accounting Department
Signature
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A customer facing cash flow difficulties may feel real discomfort in the face of a payment reminder. This makes settling their debt even more complicated, as they will be less inclined to meet your finance team. The existence of a simple and instant payment solution can help defuse these situations.
Stancer offers the payment link, which lets you send your customers a payment request including a link to a secure payment page. The request can be sent by email, SMS, or via your channel of choice.