A friendly collection letter is a friendly but professional reminder to pay past-due funds and is the first step in the collection of an overdue account. Most companies need to remind their customers and clients to pay their debts at some point. A friendly collection letter is the first step in an attempt to collect past-due funds. This type of document works to gently remind the customer that their account is past due and they need to pay the requested amount.
In this article, you will learn a polite way to ask your customers to pay their overdue balances. We offer some sentences for you to use in your friendly collection letters and a format you can use to write them. We also provide a sample letter you can read to see how you can use it to create your gentle reminder letters.
How to Gently Ask for Payment of Overdue Amounts
When an account is ten days overdue, and you have not yet received payment, writing a friendly collection letter may convince the debtor to pay. This first letter in the collection process should encourage remittance without overwhelming the customer. You can add this type of reminder to an invoice or write a letter asking for payment. This article focuses on collection letters, but you can add any of these sentences to an invoice as a reminder to pay.
Use the first sentence of your letter to remind the customer their account is overdue, and inform them of the amount. Here are some example sentences you can use.
- Perhaps you forgot to make your scheduled payment of {amount}.
- While reviewing your account, I noticed your {amount} payment is past due.
- Did you forget to make your payment of {amount}?
- This letter is a friendly reminder that your scheduled payment of {amount} is ten days overdue.
- We are waiting for your {amount} payment.
- We want to remind you that your {month} payment in the amount of {amount} is overdue.
- Our records indicate your {month} payment of {amount} is past due.
Ask Your Customer to Send the Payment
The next sentence in your letter should ask your customer to pay the overdue amount. Here are some examples of ways to ask for payment.
- Please send the overdue amount within ten days.
- We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.
- To continue serving your needs, we need to receive your payment.
- Will you please send your payment today?
- We look forward to receiving your payment soon.
- Thank you for sending your payment for the amount shown.
- Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
- Please correct this oversight today.
Recognize Your Customer May Have Already Paid
The last sentence of your paragraph should acknowledge that the check may be in the mail.
- If you have already paid the requested amount, please disregard this notice.
- Perhaps you have mailed your payment, but if not, please remit the past-due amount today.
- Please accept our thanks if your payment is already in the mail.
- We apologize if you have already paid the requested amount.
- Our records show that you are prompt in remitting your payments. If we have sent this letter in error, we apologize.
- If you have already remitted this amount, please disregard this letter.
Offer Your Contact Information
If you have already paid the requested amount, please disregard this notice.Perhaps you have mailed your payment, but if not, please remit the past-due amount today.Please accept our thanks if your payment is already in the mail.We apologize if you have already paid the requested amount.Our records show that you are prompt in remitting your payments. If we have sent this letter in error, we apologize.If you have already remitted this amount, please disregard this letter.
Friendly Collection Letter Format
{your name}
{company name}
{company address}
{date}
{recipient name}
{recipient address}
Subject: Overdue balance, Account No. {number}
Dear {recipient name},
{Insert your chosen reminder of the debt here.} {Insert your chosen request for payment here.} {Insert your chosen acknowledgement the customer may have already paid here.}
If you have questions or need further information, please contact me at {phone number} or {email address}. If you are unable to pay the requested amount, please contact me right away so we can find a solution that works for you.
Sincerely,
{your signature}
{your name}
Sample Friendly Collection Letter
Mallory Holmes
Aviation Electronics
3024 South Hemlock
Elysium, MI 89227
March 20, 2032
Jessica Miller
Elysium Aircraft, Inc.
2098 West First
Elysium, MI 89227
Subject: Overdue balance, Account No. 384962
Dear Miss Miller,
While reviewing your account, I noticed your $287.00 payment is past due. Please correct this oversight today. If you have already remitted this amount, please disregard this letter.
If you have questions or need further information, please contact me at (896) 334-6897 or holmesmallory@aviationelec.com. If you are unable to pay the requested amount, please contact me right away so we can find a solution that works for you.
Sincerely,
Mallory Holmes
Friendly Collection Letter (Word Template)
- Remind your customer that a payment is overdue.
- Politely ask for payment.
- Acknowledge payment may have already been made.
- Provide your contact information.
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