For the business to continue growing, there must be the best debt collection agency to be involved in collecting the debts. However, before thinking of looking for these agencies, when your business is small, you can try raising the debts by yourself since your business might not afford to pay the agency for collecting your debts.
When you engage yourself with collecting the debts from your customers, there are essential things you should be aware of. When you learn these tips, you will understand and know better how to handle all your customers who owe you. With that, you will finally collect your debts quickly, and your cash flow will be rolling every time. Here are the tips to follow, so you become an efficient debt collector for your business.
1. The Invoice Should Have Late Fees Charges
Charging the invoice with late fees payment is a scare to your customers so they can prevent bad debts. You should always advise the customers that they will be charged with a recovery fee when they delay making their payments. At first, the rule will prevent your customers from making late payments, and your customers will have an idea of you firming the credit practices into place.
2. Take Immediate Action.
The day your payment becomes due, that is when your debt collection needs to start. You should have a company assistant who needs to email and calls your customers as you ask them about last day payments for the credit terms so you can know the reason the account has not been paid. You should not wait until when you start collection effort since when the account is unpaid for longer, then it’s likely that you will not be successful for collecting the debts. The recovery rates can as well decrease when you wait longer for agency access.
3. Stay Friendly But Firm
When concerned about debt collection, the more you remain with your customers as friends, the more debts you can collect. However, if you be grumpy to your customers and be apart, the likelihood of obtaining the obligations in time will be low. You should be on the debtor’s side and know the ways you can use to collect your debts from them but don’t work against them. You can opt to be friendly and assertive at the same time.
4. Remain Persistent
As the best debt collector, always have a tip for debt collection. You should always be persistent to your customers since when you give them a single email or phone call, they won’t pay you immediately. You should remember the ACCC guidelines onto how many contacts you are allowed to make to your debtors. Always ensure you follow up most of the time until you have got your payments. Be in terms with the system which can send electronic messages and emails as well as phone calls regularly to your debtors. The use of software can help you be persistent and collect your debts effectively.
5. Always Get Prepared
Knowledge is indeed power forever, and this means that, before making any call, make sure you know all the reasons that make the payment delay. You can think of all the convenient excuses which your debtor have to offer you and always look for the answers you will give to your debtors before calling them. You have to plan everything that you will say to your debtors so that you won’t forget any important thing you should inform your debtor.
6. Consider Making Phone Calls
You can send the emails, short messages, and letters to your debtors since they are modes of collecting your debt. Always remember the phone is the best channel for sending information concerning debt collections. When you submit the invoice through the email, and the customer ignores you, look for another alternative, and don’t repeat sending through emails again. Use the phone with your assistant that can make the calls to the debtors regularly so you can collect your payments.
7. Listen
After asking about payments from the debtor, remain silent and listen to what your debtor has for you. Have them explain their situation, and if you understand why they haven’t paid, then you will know how to handle them until they make the payments.
When you want to have smooth debt collections, then the above points can be the best, and you will be sure to get your payments finally.