June 8, 2008Poison Phrase ~ Please remit payment to…
This week’s poison phrase might not seem poisonous to others, but it’s my preference, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this.
The people I work with usually become my friends. So it always seems odd when I get invoices from them with standard formal phrases like:
- Please remit payment to
Do you talk that way? Neither do I. It’s strange enough to read this kind of impersonal wording from people we don’t have personal relationships with, but it’s stranger still when we do.
These statements are standard on accounting software like QuickBooks. Take the time to personalize them.
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How about suggesting some alternatives?
Comment by nobody — May 4, 2009 @ 8:37 pm
Sure. My husband just got a bill reminder from ATT that said he was a great customer and he probably overlooked the bill. They were sending a friendly reminder.
ATT was right – he had overlooked the bill, so he appreciated the benefit of the doubt.
I received an unfriendly reminder last week for a bill I had overlooked from a small vendor that I have done thousands of dollars of work with. The overlooked bill was for $33. All I needed was a reminder – not a dissertation on how everyone needs to get paid in economic hard times. The reminder came via email. I suspect had it been voice, she would have been softer.
Comment by merylrunion — May 11, 2009 @ 8:34 am
Greg, I’m saying that when you have a relationship with a customer, a standardized, impersonal message seems cold. Even if I don’t have a relationship with a vendor, I still prefer language that sounds friendlier. It’s a preference, and nothing that I need to get over.
Comment by merylrunion — November 19, 2011 @ 8:34 pm