Invoices and payments for moving companies: getting paid on time
A move done well but paid late hurts cash flow. Most delays come from unclear terms and late invoices. Here is how to shorten the time between a finished job and money in the bank.
1. Payment terms start in the quote
Write in the quote when and how the customer pays: a deposit on confirmation, the balance at the end of the job or by a date. If the customer signs a quote with these terms, there are no surprises when the invoice arrives.
2. Consider a deposit on confirmation
A deposit protects you from last-minute cancellations and covers costs you already have, such as parking permits and materials. For large or business moves it is common practice. State the amount in the quote and what happens if the customer cancels.
3. Invoice straight away, with the right details
The longer the gap between the job and the invoice, the later the payment. Issue the invoice the same day or the next, from the job data: customer, addresses, quote lines and any extras that came up on the day. Tax and e-invoicing rules differ by country, so check them with your accountant.
4. Make paying easy
Every extra step for the customer is another day of delay.
- A link to pay online by card
- Clear bank details on the invoice
- A visible due date
- A place where the customer finds their quotes and invoices
5. Track what is paid and what is not
Once a week, look at open invoices and chase the overdue ones, politely but without waiting months. Reconcile the payments you receive against invoices, so you always know how much is still owed.
In MovesFlow you issue invoices from your own PDF templates starting from the job, the customer pays by card online through Stripe or from their customer portal, you reconcile payments in batches, and the dashboard shows earned and collected revenue for any period.