As much as you would like to please your customers, it’s imperative that you get the necessary funds to run your business. Delaying payments can hinder not only customer support but your overall business as well. Bear in mind that contacting and communicating with your clients will be a delicate process and you should approach it with great care. Otherwise, you might lose a customer and incur even greater profit loss.
Remind Your Clients About Their Debt
Be persistent in reminding your clients about their ongoing debt and how they can settle it as soon as possible. However, try to avoid spamming them, as it can worsen the relationship. Instead, make sure to put together a debt collection letter in which you will explain in detail what the next step is going to be. If it’s needed, hire an attorney to help you and make sure you don’t breach any legal agreements. Doing so may get you fined and lose you even more money.
Give Your Customers a Call
Sometimes, an e-mail gets caught in the spam filter or a letter gets lost. When that happens, don’t hesitate to call your customers and tell them about the situation. Remember, unless you are polite and try to politely convince your debtor that it’s time to pay back, you might not get any money back. Even though it seems like you are legally in the right to ask for the debt to be settled, not everyone will share that opinion. That is why you must approach the topic carefully.
Renegotiate a Debt
When push comes to shove, your customers might be unable to settle a debt, in which case you can offer to negotiate a debt and ensure that you find a viable solution. Try to find a common ground which will benefit your customer and ensure that your business receives the money it’s owed. No matter how big the sum is, you should always sign a contract with an attorney present, otherwise, you are running the chance of getting scammed.
Offer Motivation
Even though it sounds counterproductive, offering an incentive might be a good way to encourage your debtors to pay up and to avoid any further issues. Be wary that you might lose some money in the process, but in the long run, it will be worth it as you will get back the necessary funds to keep your business alive.
Hire a Third Party to Help You out
When you have exhausted all your options and it seems like your debtors are not about to settle their debts, be sure to look into how a debt recovery agency can help you. They should be able to get the money you are owed back without hurting your relationship with your customers. Also, try to explain, in detail, how the situation came about, and how it can be avoided in the future.
Owing money can be stressful on its own, and unless it can be dealt with quickly, your debtors will be dragging it on forever. Try to avoid blaming and accusing your customers, as it will lead to conflict and lessen the chances of the debt being settled. Instead, be sure to calmly and politely explain what the next step is and how you can help each other resolve the debt as soon as possible. Debt collection is a necessity, which is why it’s vital that you maintain good relations with your customers to make sure they will pay on time.
