Every trade has its own payment traps
The three workstreams stay the same in every sector: solid contracts, weekly tracking and reminders on fixed dates. What changes is where the money gets stuck. Each sector page lists the usual traps, the clauses that matter and a worked example in FCFA, with links to the tools.
Construction
In construction, money gets stuck in three places: progress statements waiting for approval, retention money nobody remembers to claim, and extra work done without a written order. A signed monthly statement, a release date recorded for each retention and no extra work without a priced written order solve most of it.
B2B services
For a service provider, money gets stuck when the service has no written proof, when the client complains about quality only when the invoice arrives, or when the invoice goes to the wrong department. A job sheet signed every month, a complaint window in the contract and the approver’s name recorded at signing change the picture.
Trading
In trading, money gets stuck when client credit has no limit, when goods leave without a signed delivery note, and when a client who already owes places a new order. A written credit limit per client, retention of title and deliveries paused above the limit, without exception, protect your cash.
Transport and logistics
In transport, money gets stuck when the signed waybill is lost between the driver and the office, when waiting or handling charges are disputed, and when monthly batch invoicing starts the payment clock too late. A photo sent the same day, a schedule of charges attached to the contract and invoicing every two weeks fix most of it.
Agencies and firms
For an agency or a consultancy, money gets stuck when work starts without a deposit, when back-and-forth on deliverables never ends, and when the final instalment is held back “until satisfied”. A deposit before starting, a number of revisions written in the quote and a payment schedule by approved milestone solve most of it.