Hi Chris
This is a pretty general question with lots of potential responses.
Is there any further information you can provide to help us understand your situation?
For example:
- What type of service will you be providing?
- If it isn't an option to take payment in advance of providing the service, could you at least take a deposit?
- Is it an option to request credit card details in advance of performing the service, on agreement that their card will be charged once the services are complete?
You should be able to cover a large part of your exposure by drafting some terms and conditions the customer must acknowledge before requesting the service. No matter how you look at it though, if you are performing a service before getting paid then you are at risk and would have to resort to pursuing someone for breach of contract if they refused to pay.
I hope this helps.
Anna