Collect unpaid invoices and maintain a good customer relationship, is it possible?
Tackling unpaid invoices is crucial to keep your business financially healthy. But on the other hand, it is of course also about your much-needed customers. It’s a delicate balance to be found. With a proactive and diplomatic approach, you do not put your customer relationship under pressure.
No healthy cash flow without incoming payments. It is therefore important that the number of days that you need to get your invoices paid is as short as possible. Forty percent of all invoices sent by Belgian companies remain open after due date. About ten percent is not even paid at all. Therefore, invoice correctly, send them out quickly and keep the payment terms of outgoing invoices shorter than the incoming invoices. Is a payment not made on time? Collect your unpaid invoices and maintain your customer relationship with these four simple tips.
Stay consistent
A good customer relationship is a balance. You deliver goods and services as agreed and your customer pays you for them. You may insist on that. Make clear agreements with your customer in advance, draw up invoice conditions and follow a step-by-step plan if payment is not made. Above all, be consistent and carefully implement what you have agreed upon. Keep it professional, but not distant. Communicate constructively.
Empathize
Is it still going wrong? Then try to find out what exactly is going on. Knowing what is causing the problem may help you find a workaround that will benefit both you and your customer. Consider, for example, an advance or a payment plan. Put those new agreements on paper. Meeting your customer is perfectly fine and commercially sensible, but draw a clear line. You’d rather lose a customer who doesn’t pay at all.
Give priority to an amicable solution
Send a first understanding reminder or contact your customer by phone. After all, it may be an administrative sloppiness. This way, you can deal with your payment arrears quickly and effectively, to the satisfaction of all parties involved.
Choose the administrative procedure for the recovery of undisputed B2B debts
I fan amicable approach does not yield any results, the administrative procedure for B2B debts is a cheaper and faster alternative than an often long and expensive classic recovery procedure via summons. Also for small invoices, we at Go Solid have the expertise to follow-up your files cost-efficiently with respect for your customer relationship.
Go Solid is the fast and easy solution for undisputed B2B invoices free of charge. We ensure that your customer remains a customer and that your invoice is paid. We will get to started for you in just three simple steps, so that you can focus on your core business.