Debt Collection from Small Business in 6 Simple Steps

Posted by maxbpoblog Mar 02,2020

Few things are more frustrating than dealing with a customer who won’t pay for products or services that you provided. And while you might want to head over to their home or office using a sock full of pennies, then it’s best that you take a legal and calculated approach.

Recognizing Small Business Debt Collection

Sooner or later, every corporation will encounter a scenario where a client doesn’t pay on time, refuses to cover all together, or can not afford to pay the full sum for services rendered. While each of these situations is especially frustrating, it’s crucial that you respond appropriately. How you react won’t only affect your chances of collecting on the debt, but it’ll also reflect on your new image.

If you have been around for almost any amount of time, then you probably know that small business debt collection generally involves money owed from customers who fall into one of 3 categories:

Clients who’ll go to any lengths needed to prevent paying.

Clients who have lots of obligations due at once and pay them off sporadically.

Customers who usually pay on time, but can not because of financial issues.

Usually, you might want to make sure that your clients and clients fall into the previous two types. You are going to be able to manage and work with those that fall into the last two categories because they have a history of earning full or partial payments. As a business operator, however, you have to have the ability to devise a strategy and procedure for figuring out that clients and customers fall into the first class.

It is also very important to recognize that not all of the debts and overdue payments are the same. For instance, a $250 debt from a long-time client who hasn’t missed payment is not equivalent to some $15,000 debt by a new customer who has yet to cover you for any services rendered. You can’t take a narrow approach to debt collection. Everything occurs on a per-case foundation, and you need to be ready to adapt to the circumstances.

6  Tips for Getting Your Customers to Pay Up

It is irrelevant whether the customer is somebody you understand personally and have a fantastic connection with or a brand new customer that you are angry with — you have an obligation and a right to accumulate the money you are owed. The key is to be more strategic in how you approach these situations.

1. Stay Calm

When you’ve provided services for a client, and they don’t pay you on time, your natural tendency is to be infuriated (and you’ve got a right to be upset. Nonetheless, it’s imperative that you take a deep breath and remain calm. The angrier you get, the less probable that you’ll accumulate on the full debt. The client will feel your anger, will take it, and won’t feel like cooperating (at least not in a timely fashion.

Your mental condition has a powerful impact both on how you handle the debtor and how they react to you. Treat each call as if it was your very first call of an excellent day. Put a smile on your face. If you were upset on the other call, take a couple of minutes to calm yourself and begin afresh. The debtor will react to your tone. Your upbeat mood will be infectious, and you are very likely to get a more positive reaction from the debtor.

2. Know Your Rights

If you do not have any specialist training in accounts receivable or debt collection, then you’re probably blindly fumbling your way through the process of collecting payments. Not only are you going to understand the actions that can and can’t be taken, but you’ll also be confident in your interactions with clients.

For example, were you aware you may legally search for a person’s social security number if this person is evading your debt collection efforts? While there’s no free internet lookup assistance, you can go through the legal steps to find someone’s social security number so that you can move things together.

3. Document Everything

Few things are as important as instruction in a small business debt collection scenario. If the debt leads to a legal battle in court, your ability to point to direction will be beneficial.

Every time you speak with a customer on the telephone, record the telephone call and take notes. Certify and replicate every letter you send in the mail. Save email correspondence. Log visits you make into the client’s office or home. All of this information could prove helpful.

4. Avoid Harassing

There is nothing more convenient about approving a customer who owes you money. While persistence has a significant role in collecting on a debt, there is a fine line between checking and pestering.

Harassing seems like calling a client every single morning for 60 straight days and screaming at them. Persistence looks like calling every seven to ten times and giving the customer some choices by which they can begin paying the debt off.

5. Offer Settlement

Let’s say a client owes you $10,000 and will be 120 days past due. You have been attempting to collect on this debt for four months and feel pretty sure you’re never likely to see the cash. Before composing off the debt, it is almost always a fantastic idea to offer a settlement for less than you’re owed.

Even though the delinquent payment is trying to you, rest assured that it is causing more anxiety for the client. If you come to them and say you’re prepared to take $5,000, they might jump at the chance to get it off their books. And believing that you already counted it as a lost cause, that’s a $5,000 win for you. You will never know until you ask!

6. Hire a Collection Agency

In case you’ve got a great deal of outstanding debt owed to you, and you are spending much time attempting to accumulate on it, then it might be worth your time to employ a collection agency. Not only can this save you time and potentially allow for better outcomes, but it might keep you out of legal trouble.

The legislation mainly governs companies who are engaged in the business of collecting debts. On behalf of customers or that purchase debt at a discount price to collect on it. 

Registered debt collection agencies understand the intricacies of the FDCPA, and you can avoid putting yourself in a compromising position by working together. 

Debt collection is not fun. Sometimes you feel as though you are a pushover, and sometimes you feel as though you are too harsh. The goal needs to be to walk the line well enough that people take you seriously and pay up when they’re able. You’ll occasionally have to write off bad debt, but stick to the suggestions as mentioned earlier, and you’ll have some success.