How do businesses actually collect their accounts receivables? It’s a tricky and often unpleasant process. But, one that’s absolutely necessary because it’s not only money owed, it’s time and effort already spent. More particularly, you can’t just avoid or ignore unpaid invoices. After all, your company depends on the money, regardless if you take up the task yourself or hire someone. Unfortunately, it’s a bigger challenge during such uncertain economic times. Biggest Obstacles in Getting People to Pay Up The most common difficulties in collecting accounts receivables can be enough to convince you to give up. People stonewall. They sometimes partially pay. Other outright elude. There are even individuals who’ll send in checks they know won’t clear the bank. All of these behaviors are sadly normal. But, making it all the more difficult is the current economic uncertainty. Your business’s accounts receivable are an important part of calculating your profitability, and provide the clearest indicator of the business’s income. They are considered an asset, as they represent money coming into the company. —Business News Daily The pandemic response resulted in both short- and long-term shutdowns. That put undue strain on many businesses. So, it’s understandable some would fall behind financially. Although, after a little while, you expect something out of them, even if it’s only an explanation as to why they can’t pay and a sincere apology. (Regrettably, the latter might just well be all that you’ll get.) Ways to Collect Business Account Receivables First of all, it’s critical that you have good accounts receivable practices. Being proactive definitely benefits your business. But, when invoices continually go unpaid, there are actions you can take. Here are three effective strategies to collect your business’ accounts receivables: Act quickly when a payment is late. Do not make the mistake of letting receivables age. The longer an invoice goes unpaid, the less likely it is to ever be paid. Sure, it’s uncomfortable to pursue payment, but it’s necessary. Be kind but persistent and also be consistent as to your collection demeanor and actions. Reach out with friendly but stern reminders and follow-up regularly. Offer recipients a decent discount. Of course, you naturally want every penny that’s owed to your business. But, if offering a discount means collecting the majority of what’s due, then it’s more than worthwhile. But, do not make the mistake of discounting further because it will only weaken your position. (Plus, there’s a cut-off point where it’s financially unfeasible.) Provide an easy repayment plan. You can also provide recipients with a repayment schedule. Breaking up the total amount into a few or several installments might just do the trick. You can even charge a fee for late or missed payments. You can also suspend any new business during the repayment timeline. Consistent communication. Most important, communicate to your customer, that they must communicate promptly and consistently and follow through with their commitments. What other methods would you suggest to collect account receivables? Please take a moment to share your thoughts and experiences. Your unique perspective could very well help a fellow entrepreneur out! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

The Great Resignation continues to unfold. At least, that’s what’s it’s been dubbed in the press to describe the phenomenon of a mass departure, largely regarded as due to the global pandemic shutdowns which caused a huge number of workers to rethink their career paths. So, an unprecedented amount of employees are leaving their current (or previous) positions, seeking out other opportunities. Couple this with the impending New Year and it makes for a particularly precarious employment environment. That means it’s quite possible, you’ll find yourself facing the same situation. Fortunately, there are preventative steps you can take to keep your best employee on board. Biggest Mistakes to Avoid Obviously, this will stir a number of negative feelings. You’ll likely feel angry, betrayed, baffled, and perhaps sad. These negative emotions cause people to act out in rash, impulsive ways. So, be sure to keep your emotions in check, which is to say in perspective, proportionate to the reality of the situation. If necessary, take a few minutes to step away from everything and allow yourself time to relax and clear your mind. When your right-hand person or a rising rock star in your business tells you they’re about to leave, it can be an emotional experience, says Rich Reinecke, co-managing partner of business consulting firm Fahrenheit Advisors. ‘It can be very emotional, initially. Sometimes you’re angry. Sometimes you’re scared,’ he says. But what you do next can have serious repercussions for your business. —Fast Company.com If you don’t act in a rational manner, proportionate to the circumstances, you will come unglued and that’s not helpful to anyone. Instead, keep your composure and act in your own best interest so you don’t hurt your chances of keeping your best employee from leaving. After all, he or she made this decision based on a number of factors and there’s probably a good reason why he or she came to this conclusion. 3 Effective Employee Retention Strategies If your best employee tells you that he or she is leaving next year, you obviously don’t have much time to change his or her mind. However, that doesn’t mean their exit is inevitable. You might be able to get him or her to stay. Here are a few effective employee retention strategies you can use: Have a meaningful conversation. Although money usually plays a significant role, more compensation isn’t always the driving force. There are instances when employees make completely lateral moves from one company to another and pay isn’t a factor. Of course, you’ll probably assume he or she will be paid more, but don’t convince yourself that’s the only reason. Take some time to have a one-on-one conversation and listen carefully to what he or she has to say. You might just find out there are other reasons for their decision to go and you can address those issues one by one. Show your sincere appreciation. Perhaps your right hand is choosing to leave because they feel they have hit a ceiling and are stuck. This is a very common rationalization people use in order to convince themselves to leave their current positions. After you’ve spoken with him or her, be sure to take immediate action to show your appreciation. This can include but isn’t limited to: giving them more say about what’s going on, promoting the individual, or offering a few more persuasive perks. Increase his or her financial incentive. obviously, money talks. And, if the main reason he or she is considering leaving, simply offer to match their new compensation package. If this strategy isn’t feasible right now, you can always do things like extra paid time off, or incremental, scheduled pay raises, or even offering more benefits. What other methods would you suggest using to keep a key employee from leaving? Please share your thoughts and experiences so others can benefit from your unique perspective! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.