Businesses and organizations are pushing through the effects of the pandemic on the economy, their industry or their customer response. At the time of writing this, there is no such thing as "after COVID-19" however experts are learning more each day. While everyone is searching for the next normal, it's important to consider how the virus has affected your client relationships and customer service.
If you regularly bill clients, you have likely had the experience of chasing down money. It's frustrating, uncomfortable and a little intimidating. Now add in a global pandemic, climbing unemployment statistics and the amount of small businesses closing shop and suddenly, asking for what's owed to you can be downright worrisome. Let's take a step back and consider a new way of dealing with outstanding or overdue invoices, shall we?
Retaining clients and customers is important for any business at any time. During times of uncertainty, it can be especially challenging. Clients may be unwilling or unable to commit due to financial concerns. You can still make efforts to keep these customers by changing how you work with them.
This week, LinkedIn published a piece from their Workforce Confidence Index sharing that freelancers "reported lower confidence in their financial stability than the unemployed." As if we're not all inundated with enough bad news, there's no need to state the obvious. Most of us are shaken and concerned right now as nearly any business is affected by the pandemic. Even more interesting were the comments on the article from freelancers and entrepreneurs sharing their view of this crisis as an opportunity.
When the Cheesecake Factory and other retailers have announced that they will not pay rent, it can give pause to small and growing businesses who need their invoices paid. During such an unprecedented time, most everyone is feeling the panic and stress about potential loss of cash flow. It doesn't seem like a good time to ask for payment from clients or customers who may be facing their own crises.
For freelancers, startups and small business owners, the COVID-19 pandemic likely has impacted daily life and your business. Startup funding is drying up, employees are being furloughed or in general, we're all living in a state of uncertainty. You may be wondering if there's anything that you can do that could save your business during a crisis.
Our advice - Don't Panic! You may be better off than you thought.
Whether you're a freelancer, small business owner or employee, working from home can be quite an adjustment. It's easy to get distracted by laundry or other household to-do's and you're probably reading this because you know that already. With a couple of tweaks to your routine, you may find that you're more productive working from home than the office.
When a client hasn't paid their invoice on time, business owners feel the pinch in their cash flow. Even if sales are being won and the work is being done, without timely payments from their customers, vendors, accounts payable and employees go unpaid. It takes time and resources to chase down payments, affecting efficiency and productivity as well. Instead of wondering if your clients are going to pay their invoices, take control of the situation proactively and in a non-threatening manner.
Suing a client isn't top of anyone's list of things to do but if a client is refusing to pay, it may be the logical path to getting what's owed to you. Before you take your client to court, you'll need to make sure that you're prepared, have a good case and that it's worth the cost of your time and money.
If yours is a B2B business, it means that you're relying heavily on your valuable business partners. Much like any relationship, you're only going to feel as comfortable as the level of trust you have with these business partners. Getting to know them better also means that you understand their goals, their pain points and what keeps them up at night. Knowing your clients will also give you a heads up if they're facing difficulties that may affect your relationship.
