The Federation of Small Businesses' guidance on late payment is practical rather than indignant: agree terms in writing before the work starts, invoice promptly and correctly, chase systematically, know your statutory rights to interest and compensation, and escalate deliberately instead of emotionally.
We would underline the process angle. Most late payment we see is invited: invoices sent days after delivery, missing PO numbers, no reminder schedule. Fix the mechanics inside your own administration first, and reserve the legal instruments for the genuine bad payers. Debtor days are a controllable number, and they belong on the monthly dashboard.