There was a time when bill collectors could hound a person at all hours of the day or night and could get away with saying the most outlandish things. Those days are long gone. Today bill collectors must be ethical and there are rules about when a bill collector can place a call, how many calls can be placed and how often, and the type of language that can be used (no threats). Still, as a business owner you need to collect bills that are due to you and there are several things you can do to get customers to pay you.
Instructions
1. Give your customers an incentive to pay your bill in full and on time. Offer a two to five percent discount for paying your bill in full within 30 days. Watch for tell-tale signs that a customer is having money problems. If bills are not being paid on time, consider withholding future shipments until past bills are cleared up.
2. Send the customer a letter telling them that they owe you money, how much money they owe you and provide them with details on how they can make payments.
3. Call the customer and find out why they are not paying their bill. Most customers have reasons for being delinquent on a bill, and rather than simply playing the heavy and demanding immediate payment it might be better to work with your client and find a way to solve the problem.
4. Suggest payments if the customer is not able to pay the entire bill at one time.
5. Threaten legal action. A letter written on an attorney's letterhead can motivate many clients to find a way to pay their bills.
