We have completely changed our fee structure on small accounts. When a report is involved we require client agreement that they may not use our work product unless and until it is paid for in full under legal penalties in this state (Louisiana) which equates to admission of civil fraud by the client if we take them to court, and unpaid invoices automatically accrue interest at a monthly compounded maximum rate of 1-1/2% per month as agreed upon by the client in writing. We are losing some clients, but they weren't paying anyway, and collections costs associated with those clients make them pariahs because it reduces the net amount of the fee to less than 50% billed. We don't want them as clients. We then announce in a non-defamatory way to colleagues that these clients are not timely pay clients, which crimps their ability to hurt other colleagues.
Ladd P. Ehlinger, AIA