Automating client reminders: save time and reduce unpaid invoices
Introduction
Every unpaid invoice represents a double cost for your business: the money missing from your cash flow and the time wasted chasing your clients. According to statistics, nearly 40% of invoices in Switzerland are paid late. And for each delay, how many hours do you spend checking due dates, drafting reminder emails and following up?
Most entrepreneurs manage their reminders manually: a reminder here, an email there, often sent too late or forgotten in daily operations. This artisanal approach creates holes in your cash flow and sometimes damages client relationships when you have to chase payments hastily.
Automating reminders changes everything. An automated system sends reminders at the right time, with the right tone, without you having to think about it. Well-formulated reminders sent systematically drastically reduce payment delays whilst preserving your business relationships.
In this guide, you'll discover how to configure your automatic reminders, create workflows adapted to your business and implement best practices to reduce your unpaid invoices before they even appear.
📌 Summary (TL;DR)
Automating client reminders allows you to send systematic reminders at the right moment without manual intervention. Configure a progressive reminder schedule, create message templates adapted to each stage and define automatic triggers according to your due dates. Effective workflows combine preventive reminders and firm follow-ups, whilst facilitating payment with QR-invoices and clear conditions from the start.
📚 Table of contents
Why automate client reminders?
Late payments represent a major challenge for Swiss SMEs. According to sector studies, nearly 40% of invoices are settled late, directly impacting cash flow.
Automating automated reminders transforms this reality. You save between 3 and 5 hours per month, reduce your unpaid invoice rate by 20 to 30%, and improve your cash flow without damaging client relationships.
An automated system sends reminders at the optimal moment, with a consistently professional tone. Your client receives a courteous and structured message, never an email written in frustration. For more complex situations, consult our guide on dispute management.
The limitations of manual reminders
Managing your reminders manually quickly becomes unmanageable. You forget due dates, waste time checking who has paid, and draft each email individually.
The tone varies depending on your mood. Sometimes too conciliatory, sometimes too harsh. This inconsistency damages your professional image.
Beyond 10-15 active clients, manual payment tracking consumes several hours per week. You spend more time chasing money than developing your business. Errors accumulate: reminders sent twice, or worse, forgotten completely.
The advantages of an automated system
An invoicing software with automatic reminders guarantees perfect regularity. Every invoice follows the same process, without exception or oversight.
The tone remains professional and consistent, regardless of your workload. Your clients receive their reminders at exactly the right moment, on the due date.
Concrete gain: 5 hours per month saved on average for an SME with 30 active clients. You centralise tracking in a single tool, instantly visualise outstanding invoices, and reduce your entrepreneurial stress. Automation works for you, even during your holidays.
How to configure your automatic reminders
Configuring an automated reminder system in your invoicing software requires an initial investment of 30 minutes. Once configured, it operates autonomously.
Three main steps structure this configuration: define your reminder schedule, create your message templates, and configure automatic triggers.
The objective: create a workflow that reflects your business approach whilst respecting Swiss professional standards. Each company adapts these parameters according to its sector and clientele.
Define your reminder schedule
An effective schedule structures your reminders over several weeks. Here's an example to adapt according to your business sector:
D-3: Friendly reminder before due date
D0: Notification on the due date
D+7: First courteous reminder
D+14: Second firmer reminder
D+30: Final reminder before legal action
Adapt these timings according to your sector. Creative freelancers often allow longer delays, whilst B2B companies remain stricter. The sending timing directly influences your results.
Create your message templates
Your reminder email templates must progress in firmness whilst remaining professional. The first reminder remains friendly and understanding. The last one clearly mentions the consequences.
Personalise with dynamic variables: client name, exact amount, invoice number, due date. This personalisation increases the response rate by 40%.
Systematically include payment information: bank details, QR-code for direct scanning, and deadline reminder. Consult our examples of effective reminder emails for inspiration.
Configure automatic triggers
Triggers define when to send each reminder. The main criterion: the invoice due date. Your invoicing software automatically calculates sending dates according to your schedule.
Add additional conditions: minimum amount (no automatic reminder under 50 CHF), client status (new versus recurring), or business sector.
Create exceptions for certain clients. Large accounts with special conditions, or clients in negotiation, deserve personalised manual follow-up. Disable automation for these particular cases whilst keeping the system active for others.
Effective reminder workflows
A reminder workflow defines the complete sequence of automatic actions for each unpaid invoice. It combines schedule, messages and trigger conditions.
Each type of business requires an adapted workflow. An SME with 50 clients doesn't apply the same approach as a freelancer with 5 regular clients.
The following three workflows cover the majority of situations. Use them as a base, then adjust according to your results and field experience. Continuous optimisation improves your collection rates.
Standard workflow for SMEs
The SME workflow prioritises rigour and regularity. Here's the complete sequence:
D-3: "Friendly reminder: your invoice is due in 3 days"
D0: "Due today: please proceed with payment"
D+7: "First reminder: your payment has not been received"
D+14: "Second reminder: payment expected within 7 days"
D+21: "Firm reminder: late payment fees applicable"
D+30: "Final reminder before collection procedure"
This workflow reduces the average payment delay from 45 to 32 days on average.
Workflow adapted for freelancers
Independent professionals prioritise long-term client relationships. Their workflow includes fewer steps and more flexible timings:
D-2: Friendly and personalised reminder
D+10: First cordial reminder
D+25: Firm but respectful reminder
D+40: Telephone contact before legal action
For recurring clients, add a personal touch even in automated messages. Mention the specific project or service concerned. This approach maintains the relationship whilst obtaining payment.
Workflow for high-value invoices
Invoices exceeding 5,000 CHF deserve specific treatment. The workflow tightens with more frequent reminders:
D-5: Reminder with confirmation of receipt
D0: Due date notification
D+3: First quick reminder
D+7: Firm reminder with telephone contact
D+14: Formal notice
For these amounts, combine automation and manual follow-up. The system sends emails, but you also make telephone calls. Some companies completely disable automation beyond 10,000 CHF.
Tips to reduce unpaid invoices upstream
Automating reminders treats the symptoms, but prevention reduces the problem at source. Several upstream actions drastically decrease your payment delays.
These preventive measures complement your automated system. Together, they create an optimal invoicing process from quote to final payment.
Investing 10 extra minutes when creating each invoice saves you hours of subsequent reminders. Prevention always remains more effective than correction.
Facilitate payment
The more you simplify payment, the faster your clients settle. Swiss QR-invoices allow payment with a single scan using the mobile banking application.
Clearly display your bank details at the top of the invoice. Avoid foreign IBANs that complicate transfers and generate additional fees.
Offer several payment methods if possible: bank transfer, credit card, or online payment solutions. BePaid automatically generates QR-invoices compliant with Swiss standards, eliminating any input errors for your clients.
Clarify conditions from the start
Define your payment terms in every quote and contract. The Swiss standard sets a 30-day net period, but you can negotiate according to your sector.
Explicitly mention the late payment interest rate (5% per year in Switzerland) and authorised reminder fees. This transparency avoids subsequent disputes.
Have these conditions signed before starting the service. An informed client pays faster than a client surprised by additional fees. Discover other best practices in our article on common invoicing mistakes.
Invoice quickly after service delivery
Send your invoice within 24-48 hours following delivery or completion of service. The longer you wait, the more the client forgets details and disputes amounts.
An immediate invoice benefits from freshness in the client's mind. They validate more quickly, and their accounting department processes the document without additional delay.
For regular services (subscriptions, monthly maintenance), automate with recurring invoices. They are sent automatically on a fixed date, guaranteeing predictable cash flow without manual action on your part.
Monitor and analyse your results
An automated system generates valuable data on your collection performance. Analysing these metrics allows you to continuously optimise your process.
Payment tracking becomes strategic when you measure the right indicators. You identify weak points in your workflow and adjust accordingly.
Dedicate 15 minutes each month to analysing your reminder statistics. This regular review progressively improves your collection rates and reduces your average payment delay.
Indicators to monitor
DSO (Days Sales Outstanding) measures your average payment delay in days. Objective for a Swiss SME: maintain a DSO under 40 days.
Monitor your unpaid invoice rate (percentage of invoices not settled after 60 days) and your response rate by reminder type. Which stage generates the most payments?
Calculate the average number of reminders needed before payment. If this figure exceeds 2.5, your workflow lacks efficiency. Your invoicing software centralises these statistics in a single dashboard for simplified tracking.
Optimise your workflows according to results
Test different delays between reminders. If your first reminder at D+7 generates few payments, try D+5 for a month and compare results.
Adapt the tone of your messages according to client feedback. A tone that's too firm from the first reminder can damage the relationship without improving collection.
Segment your clients by payment behaviour. Create a more flexible workflow for habitual good payers, and a strict workflow for chronic late payers. This differentiated approach optimises both your cash flow and your business relationships.
Automate with BePaid: practical implementation
BePaid integrates an automated reminder system accessible from the free version. You configure your workflows in a few clicks from the management interface.
Access reminder settings from the main menu. Define your schedule, write your message templates with personalised variables, and activate automatic triggers.
The free version allows a simple workflow (3 steps maximum). The Premium subscription at 20 CHF/month unlocks unlimited workflows, client segmentation, and advanced collection statistics. The system operates 24/7, sending your reminders at the optimal moment even during your absences.
Automating your client reminders transforms a time-consuming task into a smooth and efficient process. You save time, reduce unpaid invoices and improve your cash flow without damaging your business relationships. A well-defined schedule, personalised messages and automatic triggers are sufficient to recover your payments more quickly.
Workflows adapted to your business, whether SME, freelance or high-value invoices, guarantee consistent and professional reminders. By facilitating payment from the start and clarifying your conditions, you prevent delays before they occur. Regular monitoring of your indicators allows you to continuously optimise your results.
With BePaid, configure your automatic reminders in a few clicks and let the platform manage your reminders. Test free of charge up to 10 invoices and discover how automation simplifies your invoicing on a daily basis.
