The business too small to be paid

I recently spoke with a microbusiness that had just completed a major project for a global travel corporation. When it was time to get paid, however, their flurry of emails and phone calls was met with total silence from the client.

Why? Well, according to the company, “being a microbusiness of just four people, we simply weren’t high on their radar.”

This is an infuriating reality for lots of companies, and something I see far too often. When you’re a team of four dealing with a team of 4,000, your invoice can easily become a rounding error. But remember: your size is not an excuse for another company’s negligence.

If you’re a microbusiness, and you feel like you’re just shouting into the void, here’s how to make the kind of noise that gets you noticed.

1. Stop being polite and start being procedural

Many small founders worry that being too “pushy” will burn bridges. But think about it like this: if they aren’t paying you, the bridge is already on fire.

• Find the human: Not having any luck with the generic “finance@” address? Use LinkedIn or your project contact to find a specific name in Accounts Payable.
• Weaponise the “Nudge”: If emails are ignored, switch to a phone call or even a professional WhatsApp message.

2. Use the big business rulebook against them

Large companies have processes. If they aren’t followed, unfortunately, this can often render you invisible.

• The PO is King: Often, a payment is “stuck” simply because a Purchase Order (PO) number is missing or incorrect. Ask for your PO before you start the job.
• Check their homework: Use the government’s Check Payment Practices tool to see if this company is a serial offender. If they are, you should be charging statutory interest (8% above base rate) and compensation the moment they hit day 31.

3. Bring in the big guns (for free)

You don’t need a legal team to take on a corporation. My team at the Office of the Small Business Commissioner (OSBC) is a free, government-appointed service specifically designed to help small firms (under 50 staff) chase larger ones.

In the media case I mentioned earlier, the OSBC stepped in and turned months of silence into a payment in just a few days. We provide the “official” weight that a microbusiness often lacks on its own.

This content is contributed by a guest author. Startups.co.uk / MVF does not endorse or take responsibility for any views, advice, analysis or claims made within this post.