What to do if clients never send things on time

Clients will never care about your deadlines as much as you do. It’s not that they don’t value your work, it’s just that your requests are simply one more item in a long list of competing priorities. That’s why you keep reminding and following up far more often than you’d like.

Almost every client-facing business, from accountants to marketers to web designers, faces the same struggle: getting clients to actually send the things you need, when you need them.

So, is it possible to solve this problem?

It turns out it is, and it’s a lot simpler than you think.

Why it happens (and why it’s not really their fault)

Before blaming clients for dragging their feet, it helps to step into their shoes. We say that because most delays don’t come from laziness or a lack of respect. On the contrary, they come from everyday realities like:

• Overload: Your request is sitting alongside who knows how many emails, meetings, and to-do lists, so it’s easy for it to get buried.

• Fear of messing up: Sometimes clients delay instead of risking a mistake, especially if they’re worried they might provide the wrong file or information.

• Unclear instructions: This is closely related to the previous reason. If your instructions are vague, chances are they’ll put it off until they have more clarity.

• Technology friction: Hunting through email chains, digging out attachments, or printing and scanning is frustrating, and it gets procrastinated.

In other words, the problem isn’t usually the client. Delays are practically guaranteed when things get confusing or time-consuming.

How to deal with that? Remove friction, not just send more emails

The “how to deal with it” part is where most firms make a big mistake. You shouldn’t approach late clients by sending more reminders and another “just checking in” message. Piling on more messages actually makes the problem even more acute.

Ok, then you’ll probably ask: What’s the alternative?

The real solution is to remove barriers:

For one, make your requests crystal clear. This means being highly specific about what you need and in what format. If necessary, use examples to support your explanations. Secondly, give your clients one simple place to respond instead of forcing them to scroll through endless email threads.

In addition, you should provide flexibility and not force respondents to do everything in a single sitting. They need the option of taking breaks and coming back to their progress without losing work. We also encourage you to automate the nudges using a professional and polite reminder system.

When the process is that easy, clients are far more likely to complete your requests quickly. The bottom line is that the solution isn’t about shouting louder: it’s about making their part as frictionless as possible.

Content Snare: A secure client portal that actually works

Content Snare is a secure client portal for exchanging information, files, and content with your clients. Servicing more than 1600 clients worldwide, our tool is made to optimize client onboarding and communication. Here’s how Liston Newton Advisory explains the benefits of using Content Snare:

It has increased our efficiency by 50%, but we're still continuously improving it. Data accuracy and completeness improved massively, I would say 70%.

According to a user survey, firms using Content Snare spend 71% less time gathering information and see a 67% reduction in stalled projects. This is possible because Content Snare encourages a different way of working, one that removes the back-and-forth and takes you out of follow-up mode with these features:

1. Automated reminders

Rule number one is to stop wasting hours chasing clients by using automated reminders. These follow-ups happen in the background, so you don’t have to send any messages manually. For instance, Content Snare automatically nudges respondents based on your predefined schedule:

The system features built-in email and SMS templates, but there’s also an automatic reminder schedule that you can customize to fit your communication preferences. 

2. Crystal clear instructions

Vague requests lead to delays, so Content Snare encourages you to provide detailed explanations. For example, most of our ready-made form templates feature instructions that guide respondents through the questionnaire:

However, you are free to edit instructions, attach examples, or even embed videos so clients know exactly what you need the first time.

3. User-friendly and secure client portal

Content Snare makes it easy for your clients to access requests. There are no logins or passwords required - all they need to do is click the link you provide:

In addition, Content Snare is ISO 27001 certified and built with bank-level security mechanisms, so you don’t have to worry about compromising your clients’ data.

4. Auto-save responses

For most clients, it’s such a pain in the neck to complete everything in one sitting, especially if they need to fill out a long questionnaire. That’s why Content Snare features auto-save:

Clients can fill in part of a request, step away, and return later without losing progress. In other words, you’ll get what you need sooner when clients feel free to start now and fill in the gaps later.

Most clients don’t have to be late

Some clients will always run behind, that’s just reality. 

However, it doesn’t have to be the norm.

With the right data collection tool in place, you can switch from constant chasing to predictable workflows where late becomes the rare exception, not the everyday rule.