December cash flow becomes problematic when clients shut down early, accounts teams disappear on holiday, and payments stall. Your expenses increase from holiday stock and staffing whilst income slows dramatically between mid-December and late January. Waiting until payment problems occur leaves you scrambling to chase invoices during the busiest time of year. Setting up automated reminders and recurring billing now prevents the cash flow crunch that catches many businesses off guard.

In this episode, Charly covers:

✅ Using recurring invoices to ensure billing happens automatically

📌 Setting up polite automated payment reminders before invoices become overdue

🔗 Sending invoices earlier with extended payment terms during December

✅ Configuring holiday-friendly wording in automated reminder templates

📌 Checking CRM and accounting system connections before the rush

🛡️ Scheduling thank-you messages that double as subtle payment nudges

Most payment delays during holiday periods are not intentional non-payment. Clients simply forget about invoices buried in overflowing inboxes during their busiest season. Automated reminders that go out the day before payment is due, then again seven days after, dramatically improve payment rates without requiring you to manually chase invoices. The key is setting these automations up now, before the chaos begins, and adjusting invoice timing to account for slower December processing. Sending invoices at the end of November with 14 or 21 day payment terms rather than waiting until mid-December with standard seven day terms gives clients time to process payments before their accounts teams leave. The episode covers practical strategies using tools like Xero, Zoho Books, and CRM systems to automate the entire invoice-to-payment cycle.

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Music and Credits to:

Paradise Found is covered under Creative Commons.

"Paradise Found"

Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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