Optimize the Collections Process in 5 Easy Steps

12/01/2022

Chasing late payments isn’t just annoying; it can be time-consuming and impact your revenue.

Our latest trade payment data found that the average DBT (days beyond terms) across most industries in the US was 11.04 and the rate of on-time payments was 74.67% in Q3 2022. However, our data revealed that six industries - utilities, real estate, healthcare, hospitality, public administration and mining & oil - had a rougher time of things with higher DBT scores.

While both indicators behave relatively independently, the percentage paid late is often a warning sign of challenges to come. Unfortunately, a high percentage of late payments can be more problematic for small and medium-sized businesses that are providing services/goods to businesses. When it comes to paying suppliers and vendors, larger businesses will often prioritize paying bigger and more established suppliers first and then eventually get to paying their smaller suppliers. That leaves small businesses in the lurch waiting for longer periods of time for their payments, which could put them into serious financial trouble if it happens frequently.

Economic recession

Given the current economic climate and all signs pointing to a recession in 2023, businesses will need to be as proactive and strategic as possible when it comes to managing their finances and cash flow. One way to do this is to automate the payment collection process. If you’ve never done this before, don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. We’ll share specific ways you can automate your collection process and why it will be so beneficial for your business.

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1: Optimize your delivery invoice mix

Have you been using paper invoices and sending them as PDF attachments to your customers via email? You’re not alone. But that’s not the optimal delivery method for your invoices. If it goes to someone who is out of the office for an extended period of time, it could end up getting lost and then your payment is more likely to be late. Not good, right? 

A better option is to use an online invoice delivery solution that has click-to-pay functionality built into it. That way, your customers can pay you directly online. That means your time won’t have to do as much manual work to settle collections.

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2: Offer customers a self-service portal

Direct debit

Most things are online these days. We’re used to using self-service portals to pay our bills and set up direct debits. It takes the fuss out of having to send payments manually each month. It also helps us stay on top of payment due dates so we don’t miss payments and damage our credit score. 

Well, the same applies for businesses. By offering your customers a self-service portal, you’re helping them manage their finances better and making sure you get paid on time. Plus, your customers can use the portal to view their bills, due dates and see their track record of payments. It’s a win-win.

Chapter 1

3: Use a ledger management tool to get the full picture of your customers’ payments

One key reason why you might be paying invoices late is that your own customers aren’t paying their invoices on time. It’s a cyclical effect. If they pay their invoices late, that affects your own cash flow and your ability to pay your suppliers/vendors on time.

So, what’s the answer then? Technology. More specifically, you should use a ledger management tool to get the full picture of your company’s financial health. And make sure that this tool integrates with an international database of risk management. That is double the power and insights for your business.

By doing so, you’ll be able to see exactly which customers are in collections and can put a plan in place to get those payments sooner than later.

How will using a ledger management tool help you?

  • You’ll get the full picture of your customers’ payment patterns. That means you can spot gaps, create processes to get paid sooner and even make decisions to stop working with habitually late payers.

  • You can set more realistic payment terms to cut down on the amount and frequency of late payments.

  • Get a clear sense of where your debt is and where you can make changes.

  • Set up alerts to monitor when your cash flow falls below a certain threshold. That will help keep your cash flow healthy.

Ledger management tool
Chapter 1

4: Adjust the payment terms

Payment terms play a major role in your cash flow management. Some businesses manage this by requiring payment in full before completing any work. But that’s quite rare these days. Most businesses will send an invoice upon completion of work and then allow another 30 days, 60 days or 90 days before demanding payment.

So, how do you decide which payment terms are right for your business? This should come down to two factors - how much credit you’re willing to extend and how long you can afford to wait for payment. Now, if you’ve already been working with a customer and they have shown a pattern of making late payments on a frequent basis, this could signal that it’s time to adjust their payment terms. 

This is where our Trade Payment Data Program is tremendously valuable because it’s based on the real-life payment experiences of businesses worldwide. So, if you’re in talks with a potential customer, you’ll definitely want to look at this data to understand their payment behaviors and determine what level of risk the customer could pose for your business. For example, you can see how many invoices have been paid, how many are outstanding, the average invoice value and how many days beyond terms (DBT) invoices were paid. Beyond that, you can also benchmark your customers against other companies in the same region and industry. This data is your best ally. If a customer is notorious for paying invoices late, then you can use the data to decide whether to renew a contract with an existing customer or shorten the payment terms.

Of course, the payment terms you set up at the start of your working relationship with customers may not make sense as the relationship grows and matures. So, you might need to adjust your original payment terms. That’s perfectly alright. Just ask yourself (and your finance manager) a few key questions before you make any changes, such as:

  • Would a change in payment terms affect a large portion of our existing customers?

  • Are certain payment terms standardized in our industry? Is a change really the right move?

  • Since larger businesses often have their own default terms and conditions, is there any flexibility to change this? If they won’t change the terms, are we willing to lose the business? 

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5: Charge late fees

It’s perfectly legal to charge late payment fees. But you can only do so if it’s specifically outlined in the customer contract. So, make sure to include this in your customer contracts as a safety precaution. There are also state-specific laws and regulations about the amount you can charge for late payment fees. So, consult a lawyer and check the legal requirements before you set this out in your customer contracts. The last things you want on top of late payments are regulatory violations and fines.

Charging a late fee is also a great way to get customers to take you seriously as a business. It shows that you aren’t willing to let customers get away with not paying for services rendered or products delivered. Plus, it shows that you take your financial obligations seriously and make purposeful decisions on which customers to bring on (or dismiss).

Late fees

Unfortunately, chasing late payments is time-consuming and can be a costly expense with hiring lawyers and debt collection agencies. This is where we can help with our commercial debt collection and recovery services. Because we already have relationships with commercial debt collection agencies around the world, we can offer special discounts so you can get your payment sooner than later. All you have to do is search the CreditSafe system for the company that owes you money, enter the invoice details and choose the debt collection partner you’d like to use. 

steve carpenter

About the Author

Lina Chindamo, Director, Enterprise Accounts, Creditsafe Canada

Lina Chindamo is a Certified Credit Professional with over 25 years of experience in credit risk management. She has held senior leadership positions at companies like Sony Electronics, Maple Leaf Foods, and Mondelez Canada. Her extensive experience and current role, where she collaborates with c-suite partners and credit teams across various industries, make her a respected figure in the credit industry.

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