Getting paid on time — M-Pesa, deposits, and what to put in writing

A lot of payment friction isn't a customer being difficult — it's two people who never actually agreed on the payment method, timing, or amount, and only found that out once the job was already done.

Agree the payment method before you start, not after

Till number, paybill, or a direct send — say which one you use upfront, and mention it before the job starts rather than negotiating it at the end alongside M-Pesa transaction fees and change. It's a small thing that avoids an awkward conversation at exactly the wrong moment.

A deposit protects both sides, not just you

• It covers materials cost before you have to buy them out of your own pocket
• It signals the customer is committed, which matters once you've cleared space in your diary for the job
• It gives the customer a clear record — an amount and a date — that's part of the job, not a vague verbal promise

Put the essentials in writing, even informally

A short SMS or WhatsApp message confirming the price, scope, and payment terms after you've agreed something verbally costs nothing and takes ten seconds — and it protects both sides if there's a disagreement later about what was actually agreed.

None of this is about distrust — it's the same habit that makes a good job go smoothly, applied to the money side instead of the work itself.