Two kinds of follow-up, two different stakes#
People often talk about “follow-ups” as if they were one topic. There are actually two, and they aren't handled the same way.
- Quote follow-ups are about sales. The client hasn't signed anything yet: they're hesitating, comparing, have forgotten or are waiting for internal sign-off. The goal is to stay present without pushing, and to understand where their decision stands.
- Invoice reminders are about money. The work is done; payment is due. The goal is to get paid on time while preserving the relationship, and to know when to move to a more formal step.
In both cases, the problem is the same: nobody wants to do it, and it gets remembered too late. A quote followed up after three weeks has often already been signed elsewhere. An invoice chased after two months becomes an awkward subject to raise.
An AI agent mainly solves that timing problem. It reads your quotes and invoices every business day, knows which ones need a message today and picks the right tone.
Following up on quotes: the method#
The schedule#
A simple rhythm works for most service businesses:
| When | Message | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 5 business days after sending | Short follow-up, in the original email thread | Check the quote arrived and offer to answer questions |
| 12 business days | Second follow-up, with an open question | Find out where the decision stands, offer a call |
| After 12 business days | Automatic follow-ups stop | You decide what's next: call, drop it, new offer |
The Quote follow-up template in the library applies exactly this schedule: it reads your quote tracker in Google Sheets, sends nothing on weekends (catching up on Monday), writes from your Gmail and logs each follow-up in the tracker. You can change the delays during your conversation with the architect.
A follow-up that works#
Hello Ms. Roux, I'm following up on quote Q-2026-118 for your bathroom renovation, sent on September 3. Have you had a chance to look it over? I'm happy to clarify or adjust any line items if needed. Best regards, Julian Morel
This message is short, cites the quote number and subject, and offers help rather than pressure. That's the default style of a well-tuned agent; you can give it a sample of your own writing to take its cue from.
When the quote is accepted#
The natural next step after a quote follow-up is invoicing. The Invoice as soon as the quote is signed template turns an accepted quote into a deposit invoice sent the same day, with no re-keying. The two agents can be linked: when the first one logs that a quote is signed, the second takes over.
Chasing unpaid invoices: the method#
What the law says (in brief)#
Late payment rules depend on the country. In France, between businesses:
- The agreed payment term generally cannot exceed 60 days from the invoice date, or 45 days end of month if the contract provides for it.
- Invoices must state the late payment interest rate and the flat €40 recovery fee.
- These penalties are due from the day after the due date, with no reminder required.
The €40 flat fee comes from an EU directive and applies across the European Union. Elsewhere the amounts differ: in the UK, for example, statutory interest and fixed compensation that scales with the size of the debt can be claimed on late commercial payments.
An agent doesn't decide to apply penalties: that's a business decision for you. It can, however, mention them in the firm reminder if you wish. For special situations (regulated industry, public-sector client, dispute), ask your accountant.
The graduated schedule#
| Days overdue | Tone | Content |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days after the due date | Friendly | A simple reminder, invoice attached, assuming it was an oversight |
| 15 days | Firm | Restates the amount and missed due date, asks for a payment date |
| 30 days | Final reminder | Mentions the penalties in your terms and conditions, notes that a formal demand may follow |
| Beyond that | You take over | Call, formal demand, collections |
The Unpaid invoice reminders template follows these tiers. It reads your invoices in your invoicing software (QuickBooks in the standard version, other tools on request), attaches the relevant invoice to each reminder and sends you an outstanding-balance update every Friday.
Rules to give the agent#
Rules prevent blunders. These are worth writing down from the start:
- Never chase a contested or disputed invoice. Add a “dispute” column or label that the agent respects.
- Never send reminders on weekends or public holidays.
- Don't chase a client who has announced a payment: if the client replies with a date, the agent pauses reminders until then.
- Alert you for large amounts: above a threshold you set, the agent suggests you call rather than sending the final reminder itself.
- Never threaten. The final reminder informs; it doesn't intimidate.
A complete sample brief#
Here's a brief you can paste into the Future Agent chat and adapt:
Every business day at 9 a.m., read my invoices in Xero. For each overdue, unpaid invoice: at 3 days, send a friendly reminder; at 15 days, a firm reminder asking for a payment date; at 30 days, a final reminder that mentions the penalties in my terms. Always attach the invoice. Don't send anything if the invoice has the “dispute” label or if the client replied with a payment date. For any invoice over €5,000, skip the final reminder: alert me so I can call. Every Friday, send me the total outstanding and the list of invoices chased.
The architect will ask for the signature to use, check that your invoicing tool is connected, show you a sample summary and a sample of each reminder, then quote the monthly price.
Scenario: a month of reminders at a consulting firm#
A four-person consulting firm issues about twenty invoices a month. Until now, the partner in charge of admin chased payments “when she remembered,” usually at month-end.
Week 1. The agent spots three invoices that are three days overdue. It sends three friendly reminders. Two clients pay within the week, apologizing for the oversight.
Week 2. One client replies: “Payment scheduled for the 20th, approval in progress with our finance director.” The agent logs the date and pauses reminders for that invoice.
Week 3. The third invoice reaches 15 days with no reply. The agent sends the firm reminder. On Friday, the summary shows the outstanding balance, the invoices chased and those awaiting a promised date.
Week 4. The invoice promised for the 20th is still unpaid on the 21st. The agent resumes the schedule and sends a reminder that refers to the date the client gave.
The partner didn't write a single message that month. She read four summaries and decided to call one client.
Quotes and invoices: compatible tools#
The agent works with the tools you already use. Among the most common:
- Spreadsheets: Google Sheets, Excel online, Airtable, for simple quote tracking.
- Invoicing and accounting software: QuickBooks, Xero, Pennylane, Sellsy, Zoho Invoice, among others.
- Email: Gmail or Outlook, so reminders go out from your address and stay in your threads.
- Payments: Stripe, to match incoming payments and avoid chasing a client who just paid.
If your tool isn't on the list, describe it to the architect: with more than 1,600 apps available, a connection often exists, and a simple CSV export to a shared folder can serve as a fallback.
What an agent won't do#
It helps to set the boundaries from the start:
- It doesn't negotiate a payment plan on your behalf. It can pass on the request, but the decision is yours.
- It doesn't start collection proceedings or legal action.
- It doesn't invent penalties that aren't in your terms and conditions.
These limits are a safeguard. An automated reminder should help you stay consistent, not replace your client relationship.
How much a follow-up agent costs#
A follow-up agent usually falls into the “Essential” tier, with a monthly price around €9; an agent that combines several tools and finer logic can cost more. The exact price is calculated and shown before launch, and you only pay for active agents. Plan details are on the pricing page.
Read next#
Follow-ups are part of a bigger picture: a weekly reports agent can track your cash and outstanding balances, and an email management agent can spot client replies announcing a payment. Templates for accountants and business owners are grouped in the library.