It is common for businesses, big and small, to face the challenge of delayed payments from customers. Any delay in payment increases the working capital cycle for entrepreneurs, and they have to fill this gap through borrowing, which raises their operating costs. If this is the case, then it is time to do something about that.
Otherwise, you risk disrupting your cash flows, which weakens your ability to pay vendors and employees on time. It can create a vicious cycle of delayed payments. Here are five strategies to come out of this:
Establish Clear Payment Terms
You must establish clear payment terms for your business. If you have well-defined payment terms, your customers will know what to expect regarding invoicing. If your payment terms are not concrete, then you may end up with a strained relationship with the client.
Some of the things that you should include in your payment terms are the services your agency is providing, as well as the cost of those services. You must also detail the payment logistics and the penalty for late payment. Penalties for non-payment should also be included to make your stand clear. They act as a deterrent for payment delays.
Streamline the Process
An important step to streamline the payment system is a crafted invoice that handles the heavy lifting for you. Think about it as being a way for you to reinforce all of the important aspects of your contract. Break down all the things that your client is being charged for and make sure that you add some billable hours as well.
If you can do this, you will soon find it is easier than ever for you to get the desired results. Things you can do here include a due date and a late payment penalty automatically. Payanywhere's payment app is a great investment if you want to step things up for your business, be it a retail store or any other enterprise.
Offer Automatic Payments
Most of your clients won’t miss their bills on purpose. They will be thinking about so many other things. Sometimes it’s just hard to remember all of the things that you have to do. To help yourself, you can set up autopay for your clients to make things easier. You can also log everything you need without having to have those super awkward money conversations
So there is a lot you can do to make things easier when it is time to get your customers to pay. If you want to try and step things up a bit, make sure that you invest in good accounting software. With this, you will soon find that it is easier for you to get the result you want out of your customers while also making your life easier in terms of payment timelines.
Also Read: Seven ways to save and grow your money