We recently got some feedback that made us think about why we do some things the way we do them.

We paid an invoice from one of our brilliant freelance suppliers by return as we always do and sent a remittance note. A few minutes later they sent a note back:

“Thank you, it is the quickest remittance I have ever received in 9 years.”

It’s nice feedback, but the first time you’ve been paid by return in nine years of trading? It really shouldn’t be that unusual.

Being paid when you’re working freelance should be straightforward: you perform the task, you submit your invoice, you get paid promptly. Your clients want your skills, want the best price and want their work done to a deadline, then some of them make you wait ages for payment.

Caroline and Paul both worked freelance before setting up Stand, so they know that getting paid when you’re working for yourself can be a real headache. Chasing payments is stress you can do without. A late payment can have a big impact on your income and personal finances. Freelancers have to spin a lot of plates and it is easier to do if you know you’re going to be paid on time.

We want our freelancers to be focussed on producing the brilliant work we’ve come to expect from them. And we want talented people to want to work with us. We want our freelancers to have confidence, enjoy working with us and never have to pester us to be paid. So we chase our freelance suppliers for their invoices and we’ve set up our systems to pay them by return.

It’s nice to know that approach is having the effect we want it to.