By their very nature, small businesses grapple with uncertainty regarding cashflows from their business. Cashflow problems cause 69% of business owners to lose sleep and is the major cause behind business failures globally. Unpaid invoices and debt is the chief cause of cashflow problems worldwide. Chasing down unpaid debt and slow paying customers is an unpleasant and time consuming job.
Studies show that debt and invoices in the MSME sector remain for an extended period beyond 90 days. Market dynamics and payment practices are a key reason behind this.
Taurus Collection helps small businesses tackle cash flow issues caused by unpaid invoices and debt by providing professional debt recovery services. Our team specializes in efficiently recovering outstanding payments while maintaining positive client relationships without legal complications. This allows small businesses to focus on growth instead of chasing overdue payments, ultimately improving their cash flow and financial stability.
An unpaid invoice is an outstanding invoice issued by a seller or a service provider to a customer but which hasn’t been settled in full as yet. Outstanding invoices are tracked by the Accounts receivable department of companies. Frequent follow-up includes frequent payment reminders, setting clear payment terms, and trying to get the unpaid invoices settled.
This is because of the following reasons:
Insufficient and unstable payments hamper cashflows and make the payment of bills and other expenses difficult.
Both time as well as resources have to be spent in pursuit of the unpaid invoices and debts. So, the focus is taken away from important goals like growth of the business.
Continuous follow up for the payment of unpaid invoices and debts can create a fissure in relationships with clients.
Unpaid invoices mean getting involved in legal suits and going through the hassle of fighting legal cases.
For SME and MSME businesses to maintain financial stability, maintaining a healthy cash flow is a must. If a company has many unpaid invoices and debt, this will result in serious financial challenges for the company. Some tried and tested methods to reduce the extent of unpaid invoices include the following:
Define payment terms, deadlines, late fees, and acceptable methods of payment in advance.
Ensure invoices are sent promptly to customers after they are generated when goods and services are generated.
Accounting packages have automated invoice reminder systems. Use these extensively to remind customers about outstanding invoices.
This includes discounts for customers who pay early.
A tiered incentive structure linked to early payments and the quantum of payments can also encourage early payments.
Just like early payment incentives, you must also implement late payment penalties to discourage late payments. These include late payment fees and penalty interest levies. All these incentives and penalties must be communicated to the customer in a transparent manner.
For outstanding invoices with an extended credit period, you can solve a cash crunch by using bill discounting companies where you sell outstanding invoices at a discount and receive immediate cash for meeting your cash outflows.
Allow customers access to different modes of payment including bank transfers, credit cards, and even digital wallets to reclaim the outstanding amounts.
Payment plans help customers who are struggling with large payments.
Ensure that all your customers are assessed for creditworthiness when you onboard them. This includes making credit checks, setting credit limits and monitoring credit behaviour by your agents or a professional debt recovery company. In case of customers with dubious past credit behaviour, it is better to ask for upfront advances and deposits from customers with a lower credit rating.
Cashflows can also be improved by asking suppliers for extended credit periods to play the float, and manage cashflows better. Explore bulk discounts to reduce outgoes and also discounts on consignment trading.
Initiate a structured debt and unpaid invoice recovery process. This includes frequent phone calls and emails to provide reminders of unpaid bills, engaging collection agencies and initiating legal processes to collect unpaid receivables.
Build an emergency cash reserve to help deal financial emergencies . Establishing business savings and a line of credit with the banks also helps.
Lastly consult a debt recovery agency like Taurus Collection to seek advise on best methods to manage debt and collect unpaid receivables fast.
A combination of all the above measures will greatly help to maintain financial stability fast.
In conclusion, small businesses can proactively manage cash flow issues caused by unpaid invoices and debt by implementing strategic financial practices. Clear payment terms, automated invoicing, and follow-ups can help reduce delays, while offering incentives for early payments encourages prompt transactions. Diversifying revenue streams and maintaining an emergency fund provide stability during financial shortfalls. Additionally, using invoice factoring, business lines of credit, or negotiating flexible supplier terms can ease cash flow strains. By staying vigilant and adapting to financial challenges, small businesses can maintain stability, foster growth, and ensure long-term success despite payment delays and outstanding debts.
Taurus Collection specializes in helping small businesses overcome cash flow challenges caused by unpaid invoices and outstanding debts. With professional debt recovery solutions, we ensure faster payments while maintaining client relationships. Our expert team handles collections efficiently, reducing financial stress so you can focus on growing your business.
Don’t let unpaid invoices hold you back—contact Taurus Collections India’s structured debt recovery services today and regain control of your cash flow!
Taurus Collection is a B2B & B2C collection agency that goes beyond the ordinary. With a commitment to excellence, we offer a ‘No Collection, No Fee’ service that is backed by our in-house advocates with an exceptionally high success rate.