A useful payment message tells the customer which job the invoice covers, what is due and how to pay. Tender’s online invoice payment links use Stripe-hosted checkout, so the customer can follow the link when they are ready to make the payment.
The useful bits
- Check the invoice, recipient and outstanding amount before sharing the link.
- Include a short explanation so the customer recognises the payment request.
- Check the actual payment record before sending a reminder.
Use a link when payment happens elsewhere
An invoice link is useful when the customer is not present, when someone else handles the bills or when you have agreed to invoice after the visit. It gives the recipient a specific next step without needing both of you in the same place at the same time.
Complete the online payment setup before offering this route. Tender uses Stripe-hosted checkout and business onboarding for online payments. Processing fees apply, so review the applicable terms instead of assuming that the subscription covers the cost of taking a payment.
Check the details the customer will check
Look at the invoice as if it has arrived in your own inbox. Can you tell what the work was, who carried it out and how the total relates to the quote? Replace vague descriptions with the agreed scope and include approved changes clearly.
Confirm the recipient rather than assuming that the person who booked the work also pays. Where a business customer uses a purchase-order reference or a particular accounts contact, ask for those details before the invoice becomes a chasing task.
- The customer and billing contact are correct.
- The invoice reflects completed, agreed work.
- Previous payments are accounted for in the balance requested.
- The payment arrangement matches what was agreed.
- The message provides a clear way to ask a question.
Keep the message short and recognisable
The link should arrive with enough context to feel expected. Use your normal business contact route, name the job and tell the customer what the link is for. Avoid unexplained links, urgent language you have not agreed, or a message that looks unrelated to the visit.
Send the payment request directly to the intended recipient. There is no reason to put an individual customer’s invoice link on a public business page or in a social-media comment. Keep customer-specific paperwork within the appropriate conversation.
A message you can adapt
“Hi Alex, thanks for today. Here is the invoice for the repair we completed this morning: [invoice link]. The balance is [amount], with payment due as agreed on [date]. You can pay using the link. If anything needs explaining, reply here and I’ll help.” Replace the placeholders with the actual agreed details.
Check first, then follow up
Before sending a reminder, check whether the invoice has been paid or the customer has raised a question. A reminder sent after payment creates extra work for both sides and makes the payment record harder to trust.
If the invoice is still outstanding, refer to the same job and agreed payment arrangement. Ask whether the recipient needs any missing information. If they say they have paid another way, check that the funds arrived before recording the payment. Tender can keep a record of cash and bank transfers, but recording one does not move the money.
