Customer paid late and now you are short?

You did the work, sent the invoice and planned around the due date. Then the date passed. A big customer paying late can leave a smaller business short for wages, suppliers and tax, through no fault of its own. The fix has two parts: chase the money properly and cover the gap so the delay does not spread through your own payments.

Chase it the right way

1. Check the basics. Was the invoice sent to the right person, with the right purchase order number, in the format the customer requires?
2. Ask a specific question. “Is invoice 1043 approved, and which payment run is it in?” gets a better answer than “when will we be paid?”
3. Escalate politely. If the accounts team cannot help, ask your contact in the business to chase internally.
4. Put it in writing. Keep a clear record of every contact.
5. Know your rights. Government guidance on unpaid invoices and your state’s small business commissioner can help if it drags on.

Cover the gap

Situation	Fast fit
One late invoice, payment confirmed	Short-term funding repaid when it lands
Many large invoices, regularly late	Fast invoice finance
Recurring timing gaps	A line of credit
Late payment plus other pressure	Property-secured funding or consolidation

With bank statements shared online, approval within the hour is common and funds can land within 24 hours, before wages or suppliers are affected.

Seen enough to know you want to talk? Start here. It costs nothing to ask and leaves your credit file untouched.

Do not repay with money you are unsure of

If there is genuine doubt the customer will pay at all, do not let the funding plan depend on it. Choose a term and structure you can repay from normal trading, and treat any eventual payment as a bonus. If a customer is in financial trouble, get advice quickly about your options.

Make it less likely next time

• Ask for deposits or progress payments on large jobs.
• Invoice the day work is complete, not at the end of the month.
• Agree payment terms in writing before starting work.
• Avoid one customer making up most of your revenue where you can.
• Consider credit checks on new large customers.

The business.gov.au guidance on payment terms is a solid checklist.

A worked example (illustrative)

A signage company finishes a $72,000 job for a retail chain, invoicing on 30-day terms. Day 30 passes; the chain’s accounts team says the invoice is in a payment run in three weeks. Wages and a vinyl supplier are due this week. The owner enquires, shares statements and is approved within the hour for short-term funding. When the chain pays, the facility is cleared, and the company now asks for 40% deposits on large jobs.

The cost of carrying your customers

Every day an invoice sits unpaid, your business is effectively lending money to its customer for free. That is fine within normal terms. When it stretches well beyond them, it becomes a cost you are paying. Knowing that figure makes conversations about terms easier.

Documents that speed things up

Most delays come from documents that are not ready when they are asked for. Line these up before you enquire:

• The overdue invoice and any correspondence
• Expected payment date
• Bank statements
• Bills due in the meantime
• Photo ID and ABN

Speed bumps to avoid

Avoid these and you avoid most of the waiting:

• Not knowing whether the invoice is approved
• Disputes over the work that have not been raised
• Relying on a doubtful payment to repay
• Several late payers not mentioned

Get the form right, get funded faster

We ask a short list of questions because each one changes which option fits and how fast it can move. Please answer them as they really are, not as you hope they will be next quarter. If you have a default, an ATO debt or a new ABN, say so up front. It will not stop us looking, and it means there are no surprises halfway through that slow everything down.

The short version

• Chase politely, specifically and early
• Short-term funding can cover the gap within 24 hours
• Invoice finance suits businesses with many large invoices
• Tighter terms and deposits reduce the risk next time

How we keep it fast

Here is the usual rhythm. You enquire in about 60 seconds. A person calls, often within minutes during business hours, to confirm the details and the deadline. Statements are shared through a secure link or property details are confirmed. Approval follows, sometimes within 15 minutes and commonly within the hour. Loan documents arrive by email for electronic signing. Once every borrower and guarantor has signed and the conditions are met, funds are released, often the same day or first thing the next business day.

See if you qualify today

Put the details in once and let us do the chasing. No credit check to enquire, no spray-and-pray, and a real person on your file. Be as accurate as you can on the form, and we will be as fast as we can in return. Start your enquiry.