the amounts aren't enough to justify small claims (they're all a few grand each), but I feel like the occasional reminder email is pretty easily ignorable.
what do you guys do?
In all seriousness - these people owe you money. They've stolen from you. While I'm not suggesting you call them up and launch into a profanity laced tirade because they are a day late, there is no need to be anything other than curt yet professional with them.
One polite notice is all that is required. Then one direct reminder. Then one demand. Then a threat. (we're going to collections) Then you act on the threat. (Write off/collections/end business relationship, etc)
If you're getting 25% of your clients not paying you consistently, I'd suggest that you should alter your payment arrangements to demand more up front, or raise prices. Delinquencies are normally never more than 10%, and even that is high.
Its not a financial burden yet, just an annoyance. my higher rate/bigger projects are always on time. its the smaller ones that aren't. I might just stop doing anything that's less than 2 grand in total (time and materials, vs project rate)
I'd say you don't need to stop doing smaller projects, but you need to stop pricing them so small. Figure out all the time and effort it's taking you for collections and add that to every project under a minimum amount.
The idea is not to win every project, you can do that by charging $5/hour. The idea is to win the right projects.
I'm just annoyed and looking for a silver bullet, which there is none.