I recently spoke with a micro-business that had just completed a major project for a global travel corporation. However, when it came time to receive payment, the barrage of emails and phone calls was met with complete silence from the customer.
Because? Well, according to the company, “being a micro-business of only four people, we simply weren’t on their radar.”
This is an infuriating reality for many businesses and something I see all too often. When you’re a team of four and working with a team of 4,000 people, your invoice can easily become a rounding error. But remember: Its size is no excuse for another company’s negligence.
If you have a microbusiness and feel like you’re shouting into the void, here’s how to make the kind of noise that gets attention.
1. Stop being polite and start being procedural
Many small founders worry that being too “aggressive” will burn bridges. But think about it this way: if you don’t get paid, the bridge is already on fire.
- Find the human: No luck with the generic “finance@” address? Use LinkedIn or your project contact to find a specific name in Accounts Payable.
- Use “push” as a weapon: If emails are ignored, switch to a phone call or even a professional WhatsApp message.
2. Use the big business rule book against you.
Large companies have processes. Unfortunately, if not followed, 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. Request your purchase order before starting work.
- Review your tasks: Use the government Consult payment practices tool to see if this company is a serial offender. If so, you should charge the legal interest (8% above the base rate) and offset the moment They arrived on the 31st.
3. Bring in the big boys (free)
You don’t need a legal team to take on a corporation. my team in Office of the Small Business Commissioner (OSBC) is a free, government-designated service designed specifically to help small businesses (less than 50 employees) chase larger ones.
In the media case I mentioned earlier, the OSBC intervened and turned months of silence into a payout in just a few days. We provide the “official” weight that a microenterprise often lacks on its own.
Emma’s professional advice
If a customer tells you they’re “not on the radar,” tell them you’re about to be. Mentioning that you’re considering taking the matter to the Small Business Commissioner is often the only radar ping a large finance department needs to find your bill (funny).
Remember: you did the work, so you deserve to get paid.
Emma Jones advocates for SMEs in the UK, ensuring they receive the resources they need to grow. With a degree in Law and Japanese, Emma has spent the last 25 years founding and leading multiple companies, including Enterprise Nation and StartUp Britain, before being appointed Small Business Commissioner at the Department of Business and Trade in June 2025.
This content is contributed by a guest author. Startups.es / MVF does not endorse and is not responsible for the opinions, advice, analyzes or statements made in this publication.