What to do when a client hasn’t paid after 60 days?

At 60 days overdue, an invoice enters the band where it becomes hard to collect. The polite reminders have gone out; they weren’t enough. This is not the time to chase more often, but to chase higher up and more precisely.

Is your file complete?

Before calling, check that you have the signed purchase order or contract, the proof of delivery (delivery note or acceptance report), an invoice that matches the order and a record of your previous reminders. If a document is missing, get it first: it is often what the client is waiting for, or what they will use not to pay.

Who should you call?

Your usual contact often has no power to pay. Call the client’s accountant or finance director, with three precise questions:

1. Has the invoice been received and approved?
2. Who still needs to sign it?
3. What is the payment date?

Write down the name, date and commitment, then confirm in writing the same day.

What should you put in writing?

A short message that states the facts and the penalty clause, if your contract has one:

Hello [First name],

Following our call today, I confirm that invoice no. [N] for [amount] FCFA, due on [date], is still unpaid, i.e. [N] days overdue.
You told me payment would be made by [date] at the latest.
As a reminder, article [X] of our payment terms provides for a penalty of [X]% per month of delay.

Kind regards,
[Your name]

Should you keep delivering?

It is the hardest decision, and the most effective. Making new deliveries conditional on payment of the overdue invoice shows that payment terms are part of the relationship. Announce it calmly, in writing, before the next order.

What if nothing moves?

Set yourself a date: if the commitment isn’t kept within eight days, send a formal notice. The reminder schedule includes the template.

Worked example

Fictional example. A 3,400,000 FCFA invoice is 60 days overdue. With a contractual penalty of 1.5% per month, the client already owes 102,000 FCFA in penalties. Pointing this out in writing, figures in hand, is often enough to get a firm payment date.