If your nickname's Slasher and you happen to visit your customers with a two hundred pound Rottweiler, I suspect you have no issue getting invoices paid (probably in cash too), but for most businesses, getting paid at all is a bonus.

It's your biggest nightmare - but so easy to avoid.

Why do so many large companies fail to pay their invoices — and how can you buck the system?

We found a staggering 86% of businesses considered their relationship with customers to be more important than getting paid.