Payment reminders by SMS: is it allowed and does it work?

An SMS gets read where a reminder letter sits on the pile. But the tone decides whether you get paid or lose a customer.

What is allowed

A payment reminder is not advertising, so you need no marketing consent. You must be identifiable and state the amount and reference correctly.

The tone

For a first reminder: neutral and factual. Most unpaid invoices are forgotten, not refused. A threatening tone on the first reminder costs you more than it earns.

Make paying easy

Put a link to a payment page in the message. The difference between "transfer with this reference" and one click is large, precisely because the message is read on a phone.

What you leave out

Details not intended for third parties. Amount and invoice number are enough.

When you stop

After one or two reminders the case goes into your normal procedure. SMS is a prompt, not a collection tool.