Customer service standards touch every business. People always notice bad service and the negative association that comes along with it.  On the flip side, people also always remember the feeling of a great service experience.  When it comes down to it, people like to feel that they have made good purchasing decisions choices and their service experience is directly related to that validation.

This is exactly why super customer service needs to be a priority in any marketing plan. Good service is a sure-fire way to have happy customers, support word of mouth buzz, generate referrals and…. have invoices paid in full and promptly. Money isn’t an easy topic for people to discuss, but it is part of the overall success formula.  A few thoughts on how to make invoices a part of your customer-friendly plan:

• Ask clients what they need to make payment easy.  Have a billing conversation with your clients early on in the relationship.  Make sure you understand what is important to them for reviewing and processing invoices.
• Be concise and consistent.  Now that you know what clients want to see on the invoices, provide it in a concise manner. Don’t be over-inclusive, but also don’t make them chase down clarifying information. If they need to do more work on their end, you are ultimately creating a bad service experience and holding up payment processes.
• Take time to invoice properly. Make sure your invoices reflect detail regarding the services you performed. Don’t just throw a number on a bill and send it along.
• Make it personable. Include a brief cover letter or email with your invoices so that you may acknowledge the importance of your relationship.
• Please and thank you.  You earned the work from your clients, so make sure they know you appreciate the trust they have put in you. In your cover letter, politely ask them to please process the invoice for payment. Perhaps more importantly, make sure you include a brief thank you that let’s them know you value their relationship.

A quick review of your invoicing process offers you an easy way to make sure you meet service expectations from start to finish. Think about how you like your business interactions as a consumer and use that information to your advantage. Good service experience always translate into happier clients who are more prompt with their payments.