A payment reminder template is a ready-made script or message you adapt to chase an overdue invoice by phone, text, WhatsApp or email. Below you get copy-and-paste wording for each channel, starting with the call script, plus a day-by-day schedule and the US rules to check first.
The order matters. A call comes first because one short conversation shows whether the customer forgot, disputes the invoice or cannot pay yet. A WhatsApp message or text then carries the payment link, and email stays the written record. If you want to automate the calls themselves, see how AI payment reminder calls work.
Which channel should a payment reminder use first?
Use the channel that gets an answer fastest, and move to a more formal one only when the first fails. The table shows what each channel is good for. It reflects how the channels behave in practice, not a statistic.
| Channel | Best for | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone call | Any invoice that is overdue or large | Two-way: you hear the reason and get a date | Costs more per contact than a message |
| Sending the payment link after a call, international customers | Read quickly, easy to reply to | Needs the customer’s consent and number | |
| Text message (SMS) | Short nudge before or just after the due date | Short and hard to miss | No room for invoice detail |
| The invoice copy, final notice, audit trail | Carries every detail and attachment | Easy to ignore in a full inbox |
For the longer argument on when voice beats the others, read payment reminder call vs text or email.
What should a payment reminder call script say?
Keep the call under a minute: name yourself and the company, state the invoice, ask one question and end with a dated commitment. Here is a friendly first-reminder script you can read aloud or give to an AI voice agent.
Hi, this is Dana from Northline Supply. Is this Mr. Alvarez? I’m calling about invoice 2087 for $1,240, which was due on the 12th. It shows as still open on our side. Do you have a minute?
If yes: Could you tell me where it stands on your end?
If “I’ll pay it”: Great. What date should I note? I’ll text you the payment link right after this call so it takes two minutes.
If “I already paid”: Thanks, which date and how did you pay? I’ll check it against our bank statement and message you today either way.
If “there’s a problem with the order”: Understood. Let me note what went wrong and who will fix it, and I’ll hold the reminder until it’s sorted.
A voicemail version should be even shorter: “Hi, this is Dana from Northline Supply calling about invoice 2087 for $1,240. I’m sending you the details by text now. You can also call me back on this number.” Do not describe the debt in more detail than that on a voicemail.
For a second call after a missed promise, change the tone, not the structure: reference the date they gave, ask what changed, and propose a split or a new date. Our AI payment reminder call transcript shows a full example of how these branches sound in practice.
What should a WhatsApp or text payment reminder say?
Write one idea per message, include the invoice number, amount and link, and make the next step a single tap. These versions cover the three stages.
Before the due date (friendly payment reminder)
Hi Mr. Alvarez, a quick reminder that invoice 2087 ($1,240) is due on the 12th. You can pay here: [link]. Thanks, Dana at Northline Supply.
1 to 7 days after the due date (right after the call)
Hi Mr. Alvarez, thanks for the call. As agreed, here is the link to pay invoice 2087 ($1,240) by Friday: [link]. Reply here if anything changes.
14 or more days overdue (firm, still polite)
Hi Mr. Alvarez, invoice 2087 ($1,240) is now 14 days overdue and we haven’t heard back. Please pay today at [link] or call me on 555-0142 so we can agree a date.
Send WhatsApp only to customers who have given you their number for this purpose, and use a plain text message when they have not. Keep every message free of threats and of details a third person could read on a lock screen.
What should a past due invoice email say?
Make the subject line specific, put the amount and due date in the first line, and attach the invoice. Three versions cover the usual sequence.
Friendly payment reminder email (just overdue)
Subject: Invoice 2087 ($1,240), due 12 Oct
Hi Mr. Alvarez,
A quick note that invoice 2087 for $1,240 was due on 12 October and we have not yet received payment. It may have crossed with your payment, in which case thank you. The invoice is attached and you can pay online here: [link].
If anything is holding it up, reply to this email or call me on 555-0142.
Best regards, Dana, Northline Supply
Follow-up after a call (the written record)
Subject: Invoice 2087: payment confirmed for Friday
Hi Mr. Alvarez, thanks for speaking with me today. As agreed, we will expect payment of $1,240 for invoice 2087 by Friday, 16 October. Link: [link].
Final notice (overdue invoice email)
Subject: Final notice: invoice 2087, $1,240, 30 days overdue
Hi Mr. Alvarez, invoice 2087 is now 30 days past due and we have not had a reply to our calls or messages. Please pay in full by 30 October, or contact me by then to agree a date. After that date we will pass the account to our collections process as set out in our terms.
The final notice should only mention consequences that your contract or invoice terms actually allow.
What does a reminder schedule look like?
A workable schedule follows the due date and moves from light to firm. Adjust the days to your payment terms.
| When | Channel | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days before due | Text or WhatsApp | Friendly, link included |
| Due date + 1 to 3 days | Call, then text with link | Helpful: “it looks open on our side” |
| Due date + 7 to 14 days | Second call and email | Direct, ask for a date |
| Due date + 15 to 30 days | Call, WhatsApp and final-notice email | Firm, reference prior promises |
| Beyond 30 days | Escalate per your terms | Formal, documented |
Timing is the lever with the most evidence behind it. In Sono’s collection data, calls made on day 3 past due recovered 1.94 times more than calls made on day 65 (see what a collection call is worth). For where this schedule fits in the wider process, read the dunning process guide and accounts receivable automation.
Can you charge a late fee or call customers about an overdue invoice in the US?
Mostly yes, if your terms say so and you follow a few rules. This is general information, not legal advice, so have a lawyer check your own terms.
Late fees depend on your contract and on state law, so put the fee and the payment terms on the invoice before you need them. Do not add a fee that your agreement never mentioned.
On collection rules, the FTC says creditors collecting their own debts generally fall outside the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Their collection activity is still covered by Section 5 of the FTC Act, which bans deceptive or unfair practices. The FTC adds that a creditor who collects under a name that suggests a third party is involved can be treated as a debt collector (FTC business guidance). In practice: use your own company name, state the true amount and never threaten action you will not take.
If an AI voice agent makes the calls, note that the FCC has ruled that calls made with AI-generated voices are “artificial” under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (FCC). Get consent for mobile numbers and ask your counsel how your own use case is classified before you launch. If you chase business customers outside the US, the rules differ by country.
How do you turn these templates into a process?
Start with one segment, such as invoices 1 to 14 days overdue, and run the sequence above by hand for two weeks. Track how many customers give a date and how many keep it. Then automate the repetitive part. Sono’s voice agent makes the first overdue call and sends the WhatsApp or text link. Only the disputes go to your team, so you can compare cash collected against the manual segment. See AI payment reminder calls or the economics of collection calls, or book a short demo with your own overdue invoices.
