Setting up any sort of retainer or regular payments seems to be a great business model. Subscribers to software-as-a-service are auto-billed or auto-renewed regularly, funding any updates to the product and keeping cash flowing. The challenges arise with missed payments or non-paying customers.
If your business has sent bad debt accounts off to a collections agency, you likely have questions about recovering that debt. Typically, commercial collections agencies only charge a fee if they're able to collect. The agency should also be transparent about the collections process and the documentation along the way. But you may also be wondering how long they'll work on your behalf before you take the case to court.
Defining 'startup' isn't as simple as it would seem. To some, your business is no longer a startup when you begin turning a profit. To others, 'startup' is a state of mind, like always chasing or hustling to push out new ideas. If your company has been calling itself a 'startup', what have you determined pushes you past that startup idea?
Chasing down an unpaid invoice can take away time and resources that could be better served elsewhere in your business. It's important to understand when and how to follow-up on invoices. Obviously you don't want to appear too needy but you don't want your clients getting away with paying late or not at all, either. And when should you get help from a professional collections service?
If you're in sales, and we all are, you've heard the expression that it's cheaper to retain a customer than to get a new one. Sales and marketing is expensive and retention is easier because the relationship has already been established. Instead of losing customers, especially SaaS customers that have been working with you for months or years, let's try to understand why they're leaving.
If you've agreed to contract with another business, you are providing valuable products and services that benefit their company's success. Likewise, their payment to your business is cash flow that keeps your company running smoothly. When your business fulfills its obligation but your client doesn't pay, it could sour the relationship and put your cash flow at risk. There are steps that your business can take to ensure payment prior to taking legal action. Or you can work with an professional agency that takes these steps with you.
As we move into the new year and look back on 2020, we are able to get a clearer picture of what topics to cover in 2021. The mission of this blog is to inform our readers, whether they're our clients or not. It's important for us to help tech entrepreneurs, startup businesses, small businesses, freelancers, independent consultants, manufacturers and other business-to-business organizations build better relationships with their clients. We believe better relationships mean better cashflow.
The internet allows for businesses to sell the use of software (and hardware) and revenue is collected either yearly or monthly as a subscription service. The as-a-service or subscription business model is sustainable as long as payments are received. Because client retention is very important to this business model, debt collections must be handled with business relationships in mind.
As if the month of December isn't blurry enough, your accounting department is working on year-end activities. Whether your business is a single-person shop or an enterprise corporation, the end of the year may also be the end of your fiscal year. Common activities during this time will provide insights into your business' financial situation including:
It's time to take a closer look at some of these numbers to figure out exactly how well you're following up on those accounts receivable invoices.
As if it's not challenging enough to deal with late paying clients, the pandemic and the holiday season can add more stress. Your business may be working to resolve late payments to close out your year. Your clients may be struggling with cash flow shortages due to the pandemic. Is there a gentle-yet-firm way to ask that your invoices are paid on time?
