The collection workflow is what catches the 8-15% of invoices that do not auto-pay from the text-to-pay link. Without it, owners spend hours every week chasing payment. With it, automation does the chasing. Owner only sees the 3% that need a personal touch.
The 4-touch sequence
Touch 0: Invoice sent
Right after job complete. SMS with payment link. Covered in detail in Text-to-Pay. 78% of customers pay at this touch.
Touch 1: 24-hour reminder
"Hi Maria, friendly reminder: your invoice for today's service is ready when you get a chance. Tap to pay: [link]. Thanks!" Recovers another 9% of customers.
Touch 2: 48-hour reminder
"Hi Maria, just wanted to make sure you got the invoice. Reply with any questions or tap here to pay: [link]." Recovers another 5%.
Touch 3: 72-hour escalation
Owner SMS alert: "Invoice unpaid 72 hrs · Maria H · $4,189 · Last touch 24 hrs ago · Tap to call." Owner decides whether to call personally or extend automated touches. Recovers most of the remaining customers.
The escalation framework
For the 3% who still have not paid after 72 hours:
- Day 5: Owner personal call.
- Day 7: Written notice (email) referencing signed work order.
- Day 14: Late fee added (if business policy permits).
- Day 30: Collections review.
- Day 60: Collections agency or legal action consideration.
Most escalations resolve at the owner personal call. Going beyond 30 days is rare when the workflow runs cleanly.
The math impact
| Metric | Pre-workflow | Post-workflow |
|---|---|---|
| Average days to paid | 14-21 | Under 3 |
| Outstanding receivables (60+ days) | 8-15% of invoiced | Under 2% |
| Office hours spent on collections | 5-10 hrs/week | Under 1 hr/week |
| Owner personal calls for collections | 15-25/week | 3-5/week |
For a business invoicing $200K/month, dropping days-to-paid from 14 to 3 frees roughly $80K of permanent working capital.
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Book My Free AI AuditThe bottom line
The 72-hour collection workflow does the chasing so the owner does not. 92% of invoices paid within 72 hours. Office hours on collections drop from 5-10/week to under 1. Cash flow improves permanently.
For the pillar, read The Complete Guide to Payments, Invoicing and Documents. For the SMS payment flow, read Text-to-Pay.