How long does it take your customers, clients or patients to pay you for the products or services you have provided?

Have you developed a consistent collection management program?

Your answer to the above questions is a leading indicator as to how well you collection management is. Sending an invoice doesn't always result in payment. Successful collection management s a matter of making your payment terms crystal clear and separating collection management from new business functions, in other words - keep your emotions out of collection management!. You can't be hesitant or soft in collection management.

Collection management is a sticky subject because it can require getting tough with the very same customers that pay your salary. Many small businesses handle the collection management process in-house, either by having their sales staff with the task of collecting their accounts (talk about playing on both sides of the fence) or by using billing staff that have never had formal collection management training.

Frequently, a business will consider turning over a past-due receivable to a commercial collection agency after it has been outstanding for 90 days. At their core, collection agencies try to get the money owed by using a combination of letters and telephone calls. The are just professional and full time collection management firms.

Monitoring slow-paying accounts and adopting timely and systematic billing practices are just two ways you can help reduce your receivables using collection management.