Recovering unpaid invoices without damaging client relationships

• Cash flow challenge: A client hasn’t paid, but I want to resolve it without harming our working relationship.

• Perfect for: SMEs who rely on long-term contracts or repeat clients and need to balance payment recovery with professionalism.

Novuna helps SMEs recover unpaid invoices with a mix of funding solutions and expert debt recovery support.

We ensure your business gets paid while giving you the option to protect ongoing client relationships.

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Steps to follow:

1. Keep communication professional: A calm, polite reminder often works better than a frustrated demand. Most clients want to pay, and mistakes or cash flow delays are common. By keeping your tone professional, you maintain goodwill while making it clear the invoice can’t be ignored.

2. Understand the reason for non-payment: Sometimes there’s a genuine issue: missing paperwork, incorrect details, or the client’s own cash flow problems. Asking questions before making demands can show you value the relationship while still being firm about your need to be paid.

3. Offer flexible repayment options: If the client is struggling financially, offering staged payments or revised terms can help you recover most (or all) of the debt while avoiding a total breakdown in the relationship. It shows goodwill and often encourages loyalty once the situation improves.

4. Put agreements in writing: Whatever you agree, follow up with a written confirmation. This creates a clear record, helps avoid future misunderstandings, and shows you’re treating the matter fairly and professionally.

5. Use a third party when needed: If reminders and negotiation don’t work, consider bringing in a recovery expert. Professional services can handle difficult conversations on your behalf and often recover money faster. Importantly, they’re trained to act with tact by helping protect the relationship as much as possible.

6. Protect your cash flow for the future: Late and unpaid invoices don’t just damage relationships, they can put your whole business at risk. Putting proper credit control in place, using invoice finance, or setting clearer payment terms upfront can prevent future strain.

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How Novuna Business Cash Flow can help

We support SMEs facing unpaid invoices by:

• Funding unpaid invoices quickly to keep your cash flow secure.

• Providing access to recovery services that act professionally and protect your reputation.

• Helping you set up better payment terms and credit control processes for the future.

Our goal is to help you get paid without burning bridges with your clients.