Not sure if it can work for you?  Sounds too good to be true?

Just try some of these Top Tips and when you see the improvement in your cash flow, just think how much your business could benefit from all the rest of the knowledge and experience that come from having Freelance Credit Control from Janet Barton.

Don't wait till the money is overdue!  it may sound strange, but you can ring up before the money is due.  About a week before is best, say you are ringing to check they've recieved the invoice and when can you expect payment.  This will remind the customer that you have an invoice, and give you time to sort out any queries in time to get paid on time.

Never feel awkward about ringing round for money.  Most businesses don't pay UNTIL you have phoned.  A growing number now don't even process your invoices until you phone.  So don't look on ringing round as an unpleasant chore - look on it as you fulfilling your part of the customer's payment process.

Take payment by standing order where possible.  If you supply services or goods on a regular, repeat basis-  Set up the standing orders at the selling stage and you'll never have to wonder when they are going to pay.  It also takes a customer a lot more effort to cancel a standing order than it does to not pay an invoice.

Send out invoices as soon as the goods or services are supplied.  The sooner a customer receives your invoice, the sooner he can pay you.  Invoice weekly ideally, but never longer than monthly.

Get to the bottom of queries on invoices.  If payments are delayed because a customer doesn't agree with what you are charging, then issue a credit note or sort out what his complaint is.  If queries keep coming up then find out the cause and fix it, then you'll have less queries and the money can come in quicker with less effort.

Give the customer everything they want.  If they need a signed delivery note, confirmation of anything, ofifcial purchase order number or invoices to go to a particular address, then do it.  Treat an expected payment the same as an expected order and put the same effort in to make sure that the customer is happy.

Remember that a sale isn't a sale until the money is in the bank.  If you were waiting for an order to come in, you'd keep contacting the customer to try and get it moving.  Yet once an order is placed, too many businesses are too focussed on getting the next order and forget about getting the money in for the sale just make.  Businesses with good cash flow give credit control the same attention and status as sales.  Without money coming in there is no sale!

Make sure the customer has agreed what he's being charged for.    Once a quote has been agreed, get any changes to the job or price agreed in writing before going ahead. Don't just stick any extras on to the invoice or  the customer may not pay any extra.  He will dispute the invoice and not pay it.

Sounds interesting and useful?  There's an awful lot more! 

 Get in touch for a no-obligation, no cost, informal chat.

Janet Barton 01254 777394