It can be an ongoing effort to get clients to pay their invoices faster or even just on time. Clients run on a different timeline than your firm, so they may not understand the moving parts involved in your invoice and billing department.

Before you start placing blame, you need to step back and analyze what obstacles your clients may be facing that are preventing them from paying their invoices on time. The issue could very well lie within your firm’s billing practices or lack thereof.

Continue reading to learn 3 simple law firm invoice practices that support clients to pay their invoices faster.

Get Your Law Firm’s Invoices Paid Faster

If your law firm’s billing isn’t in order, how can you expect your clients to be? Having a uniform, automated law firm invoice and billing process are key to setting your clients up for success.

Step 1: Communicate Your Firms Billing and Invoicing Policy

Create a clear communication plan that outlines your firm’s billing expectations. This should be discussed at the beginning of the client relationship, preferably during the client intake process. The plan should include a scope of work, billing timeline, payment options, fee arrangements, and billing point of contact. Think of common questions you get from clients that can easily be satisfied in your communication plan and build from that. This plan should also be available electronically for the client to reference.

Step 2: Standardize Your Law Firm Invoice Process

Just like you, your clients are busy and can occasionally lose track of deadlines. Understanding that this is human nature, your firm can set up invoice payment reminders leading up to the date. For example, you could send invoice payment reminders 14 days, 7 days, and the day before the due date. Your firm should also send reminders if the invoice is late and any associated consequences or fees.

Step 3: Offer Online Payments

Clients don’t want to waste time running to their bank or filling out physical checks. If your firm is still relying on a paper check process, it may be creating more hoops for your client to jump through. For instance, if a client is accustomed to paying online, they may not have checks easily accessible to them.

Online payments are not only a form of great customer service, but they will prompt your client to pay faster. Faster payments mean a cleaner billing cycle and increased revenue for your firm.

Streamline Your Law Firm’s Invoice Process

If your law firm is still hesitant to adopt practice management software, you may be limiting your firm’s profitability and creating obstacles for clients. Particularly when it comes to billing, closing unnecessary gaps in the paper check billing process and offering modern ways for clients to pay will ultimately lead to a higher yield of on-time invoices for your firm.