How to politely request late payment from a car dealership client

Late payment from a car dealership client usually comes down to their process, not bad faith. Here's who pays, when, what tends to hold payment up, and a polite reminder you can send today.

Who pays, and when

The dealer principal or a department manager approves. The office manager or controller pays. Many pay vendors monthly, after the month-end close.

Why payment runs late

Invoices sent near month-end can wait for the next cycle.

Tips for chasing a car dealership client

Find out who the controller or office manager is and send invoices to them.
Reference the department (sales, service or parts) that ordered the work.
Send invoices early in the month.

Example reminder email

Subject: Quick reminder: invoice [number] Hi [first name], I hope all's well. Invoice [number] for [amount] was due on [date]. If it's already on its way, thank you, and please ignore this. This is for the work ordered by the department noted below. Should I send invoices to the controller from now on? You can pay here: [payment link] Thanks, [Your name]

Write your reminders

Fill in the invoice to get four emails for a car dealership client, from a heads-up to a final notice, with the dates to send them. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

Your reminders will appear here.

Want these sent for you?

We're building a tool that sends these reminders automatically from your own Gmail when a Stripe invoice goes overdue, all in one email thread, and stops the moment it's paid. It isn't ready yet. Planned price: $19 a month.