Reflect Before You Have To Collect!
During this unprecedented pandemic, clients may increasingly be unable or unwilling to pay for the services they have received. For the last 40 years, Tabs3 Software has worked to streamline the processes of billing and getting paid.
A change in the payment behavior of your clients can be part of the pandemic’s collateral damage, and it could have a ripple effect on your business’s cash flow. To minimize such risk, a comprehensive review of policy, procedures, reporting, insight, technology, and people is recommended.
Review your policies, procedures, and reporting
Many firms do not have a consistent policy that guides their collections process. It’s important to invest time and resources into establishing a policy that guides email content and communication around payment requests in order to avoid damaging client relationships.
The best time to review your collections process is before you take on a new client. Provide your client with a letter of engagement that outlines the fee structure, responsibilities and obligations of the firm and the client. In addition, you may want to consider including retainer agreements to ensure payment for future services.
Provide clear, accurate, and timely statements
Clients are more likely to pay quickly when the service is recent and fresh in their mind. As time passes, invoices become more difficult to collect.
A key step to optimizing your collections process is to bill via email. Not only can you then invoice customers the moment after services are rendered, but you won’t have to wait a few days for bills to make their way to customers.
Be certain to provide enough details in the invoice while keeping legal jargon to a minimum. Recording billable hours and fees correctly also makes it easier for your bookkeeper to do their job. Every feature in Tabs3 Billing is designed to facilitate accurate entry of time and money.
Good software helps you accurately track receivables, including the invoices you’ve sent, what’s been paid, and what invoices are outstanding.
In some instances, customers may dispute an invoice and refuse to pay if they’re dissatisfied with the services they received. The ability to Write Down or Write Off all or a portion of a client’s accounts receivable balance is another way Tabs3 can simplify the work administrators do every day.
Make payments as easy as possible
Don’t force your customers to pay in any specific way. The more options you give them, the more likely they will pay you on time.
Tabs3 Billing allows you to enter a payment link when you email statements, so clients can pay securely as soon as the email is in their inbox. Even better, payments are applied directly to client accounts so you don’t have to enter a thing.
Use this as a chance to connect
Every interaction you have with your client leaves an impression. This is especially true when it comes to collections. Whether it’s over the phone or through email, it can be a challenge to address a difficult topic. But put yourself in their shoes and think about how you would want to be addressed in the situation. In addition, use this opportunity to let them know you appreciate their business.
There are many reasons clients may not pay their bills on time. Whether it is due to forgetfulness, negligence, or unclear or incorrect bills, their delays can create unwanted challenges that can put your business at risk.
See how Tabs3 can make billing and getting paid easier for everyone in your firm. Schedule a Free Walkthrough Demo of Tabs3 Now.
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