Every excuse means the same thing
Do an Internet search for “reasons for non payment” and you get tons of results. Not just lists of common excuses for non-payment, but clever ways to respond to each one.
There’s merit in studying possible responses. Learning what works from others can save you time, however, every excuse leads to the same conclusion: the debtor can’t pay right now.
Sometimes the excuses you hear are actually bone fide reasons. Every word is truthful. Sometimes they’re a flat-out lie. The problem is, you can’t always tell even when you dig a little deeper through a process of investigation.
One thing you can do with or without fully understanding what’s truth and what’s fiction is this: Follow-up in proportion to the excuse for non-payment.
As an example; if your customer says he’s waiting on a check from his customer that he’s expecting in a day or two, then follow up in a day or two – Not a week or two. If your customer tells you the person who signs the checks is out of town until next Tuesday, then follow-up next Tuesday.
Don’t let time slip by you without applying the right amount of pressure.
Follow-up pressure is what will help to change how your customer has prioritized your invoice.
Clearly, your invoice has fallen in line behind someone else’s. Sometimes it just takes a follow-up squeeze to push it to the top where it belongs.