They promised to pay by Friday. They didn’t.

The promised date has passed without money

A supplier has an email confirming that an overdue balance will be paid on Friday. Monday arrives without a cleared receipt. The customer says the transfer was arranged, but provides no useful details. The supplier needs to verify whether the payment is genuinely in transit, correct any misunderstanding and decide what to do if the commitment was simply not met.

Check the transaction before escalating

Confirm the bank account, amount and payment reference expected. Ask for the transfer details through an established contact, and check whether the money was sent to an incorrect or outdated account. Do not treat a screenshot alone as cleared funds.

Keep any payment information secure and verify unusual bank-detail changes independently. If there appears to be a payment error, establish who is investigating it and when an update will be available. That is different from granting an open-ended extension.

Return to the actual commitment

Read the wording of the agreed date and amount. Was it a firm payment promise or a proposal awaiting approval? Send a short message describing the missed commitment and asking for a clear explanation.

Avoid turning one broken date into an accusation about the customer's entire character. The useful facts are the agreed payment, the lack of a receipt and the response now requested. Preserve those facts for any later recovery assessment.

Decide whether another date is justified

If the customer proposes a replacement date, consider the explanation, evidence and your cash needs. Ask who has authorised it and what amount can genuinely be paid. Record any revised arrangement without casually waiving existing rights.

Business.gov.au identifies negotiation as a way to resolve disputes. Negotiation here should produce something specific: a verified transfer, a supported revised plan or a decision that informal follow-up has run its course.

Source: Prevent, manage and resolve disputes — business.gov.au

Make the next step happen

If no credible explanation or payment follows, implement the planned escalation rather than resetting the account indefinitely. That may mean a formal demand or advice on the appropriate recovery process, depending on the facts.

Tell anyone relying on the receipt that it has not arrived. Rework your own immediate cash commitments using what is available. A dated promise can be useful evidence, but it should not continue to appear as cash after the date has passed without payment.

Verify the transfer and make the next decision

Verify whether the payment was actually sent and received.

Document the missed commitment and request a specific explanation.

Accept a revised plan only deliberately, or move to the next recovery step.

Call CRP today about an overdue payment after a promised date has been missed.