The verdict in three sentences
A Miami services company invoicing 80 B2B clients with 95 days of DSO is in effect financing its customers with its own cash. Dunning automation at USD 8,000 to 20,000 (email, SMS, WhatsApp, payment link and a receivables dashboard) brings DSO toward 60 days and deploys in 4 weeks. On USD 6 million of revenue, that frees about USD 575,000 of cash, enough to repay the project many times over in year one.
Why invoices stay unpaid in Miami
In most mid-size companies, late payment does not come from insolvent clients but from irregular follow-up. The accountant chases when there is time, often after 60 days, and rarely the right person. Here are the observed causes and the automated response.
| Cause of delay | Share of late invoices | Automated response |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice not received or lost by the client | 20% | Tracked delivery + reminder 5 days before due date |
| Missing PO number or reference | 15% | Mandatory field check before sending |
| Client internal approval workflow | 25% | Reminder to the right contact (accounts payable) |
| Simply forgotten | 20% | Sequence at day 1, 10, 20 by email, SMS and WhatsApp |
| Inconvenient payment method | 10% | Card, ACH or Zelle payment link |
| Dispute on the service | 10% | Alert to the account manager, sequence paused |
Half of late payments disappear with two simple moves: a reminder before the due date and follow-up sent to the team that actually pays.
What the project includes and its 2026 price
The ranges below are 2026 orders of magnitude for a Miami company of 20 to 100 employees with existing invoicing software (QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite).
| Module | Indicative price | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing software integration | USD 1,500 to 4,000 | Daily sync of invoices and payments |
| Multichannel reminder scenarios | USD 2,000 to 5,000 | Email, SMS, WhatsApp, escalating tone, English and Spanish |
| Card and ACH payment link | USD 1,500 to 4,000 | Automatic payment reconciliation |
| Receivables dashboard | USD 1,800 to 4,500 | Aging report, DSO, top 10 late accounts |
| Setup, testing and training | USD 1,200 to 2,500 | 2 sessions with the finance team |
| Total | USD 8,000 to 20,000 | Timeline: 4 weeks |
| Monthly cost (SMS, WhatsApp, hosting) | USD 150 to 400 | SMS at about USD 0.01 each |
A one-click payment link changes everything for smaller invoices: a client who can pay USD 4,500 by ACH in two minutes does not leave the invoice sitting in an approval queue.
Rules for chasing without damaging the relationship
An automated reminder is still a reminder signed by your company. Keep a courteous tone on the first two messages, personalize with the invoice number and contact name, and pause the sequence as soon as a dispute is logged. Key accounts and public sector clients deserve a separate, more spaced-out scenario.
State late payment charges and payment terms in your contracts: the automated sequence relies on that framework. For SMS and WhatsApp, the TCPA requires prior consent for automated text messages, so collect it in your onboarding forms. Florida's FCCPA mostly targets consumer debt, but bilingual, factual and non-threatening messages remain the safe standard.
Mini case study
Carlos, CFO of an IT services company in Miami, invoices USD 6 million a year to 80 B2B clients, with 95 days of DSO. His line of credit costs 9% a year.
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He invests USD 14,000 in automation, plus USD 300 a month in messaging fees. After 4 months, DSO falls to 60 days. With daily revenue of about USD 16,400, the 35 days gained free USD 575,000 of cash.
Interest saved: 575,000 × 9% = USD 51,750 a year. Minus USD 3,600 of annual fees, the net gain reaches USD 48,150, a payback of about 3.5 months. The accountant also gets back 2 days a month previously spent chasing.
FAQ
Do B2B clients accept WhatsApp reminders?
Yes, especially in Miami's Latin American business community, as long as you use WhatsApp Business with a verified account and short messages. Read rates exceed 90%, versus 30 to 40% for email.
Do we need to change invoicing software?
Not in most cases. QuickBooks, Xero and NetSuite all have APIs. If invoices live in a spreadsheet, plan USD 1,500 to 2,500 to structure them.
How long before DSO goes down?
First effects show in the first month on new invoices. DSO settles at its new level, around 60 days, after 3 to 4 months.
What are the payment link fees?
Card payments cost about 2.9% + USD 0.30, while ACH costs under 1%, often capped at USD 5. Offering ACH by default protects your margin on large invoices.
What happens in a dispute?
The account manager gets an alert and the sequence stops for that client. The invoice resumes its reminders once the dispute is closed, with no manual action.
Let's scope your project. Send us your invoice volume, software and current DSO: we will price your dunning automation between USD 8,000 and 20,000, delivered in 4 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
