Preventing Bad Debts — Strategies for Small Businesses

When a debt is written off, businesses experience elevated financial risk to their cash flow, potentially leading to unpaid creditors and even bankruptcy. To maintain a consistent cash flow, it’s essential that small business owners avoid bad debt at all costs.

While debt recovery and collection of debt is a crucial part of managing small businesses, mitigating the likelihood of bad debt is equally important. Overdue accounts and unresponsive debtors can be difficult to manage, so many owners invest in a strong foundation of preventative measures to combat bad debt before it occurs.

Frontline Collections is one of the UK’s longest-running private debt collection specialists and an expert on preventing bad debt in small businesses. This blog aims to delve into the essential strategies owners can use based on our tenured experience. From negotiating the initial contract with your client to the final invoice, read through our practical guide below.

Conducting Credit Checks

Conducting comprehensive credit checks on potential clients and customers is an extremely effective way to prevent bad debt. A client with a rigorous credit history that includes timely payments, financial stability, and a stable income offers less financial risk than clients who don’t. Implement the following credit checks to reduce the likelihood of bad debt in your business.

• Request Client Credit References. Referencing a client’s credit history with suppliers, landlords, banks, and other creditors offers insight into a client’s payment habits and credibility. Having these references on hand is key throughout the course of your agreement so you can ensure your client is being honest with their claims.
• Use Credit Agencies. Several credit checking agencies, including Experian and Equifax, offer detailed reports which cover your potential client’s credit rating, financial background, and overall risk assessment.
• Establish Strict Credit Policies. It is important to establish a well-defined credit policy that outlines the minimum credit score required by clients for your products and services. A strict credit policy will deter uncreditworthy clients from contacting you and help avoid headaches down the line.

Create Rigorous & Well-Defined Contracts

Once your client’s credit history has been cleared, your next step is to create a clear and detailed contract outlining your agreement’s terms. Contracts are an essential set of documents that enforce the expectations and requirements of both parties. Include the following points when drafting a contract for your clients.

• Outline the Scope. A contract should clearly specify not only the service or product to be provided but also the scope of the contract. Always ensure that there is no ambiguity and that both parties are aware of their obligations.
• Payment Terms. In addition to scope, payment terms and conditions of your contract should include due dates, payment methods, late fees, and possible discounts for early settlements.
• Dispute Resolution Terms. Ensure that your contract establishes a dispute resolution clause which outlines how disagreements are handled. If possible, start with mediation or arbitration before resorting to costly legal action.

Establish Preferred Payment Terms

While payment terms are an essential part of a contract, they also need to be clearly communicated to your clients throughout. Clear communication prevents bad debts, whether you’re a private school with term fees or a residential home park with site fees to cover. Taking action and creating a channel for payment-term communications is necessary.

Ensure that your preferred payment terms are not only known but reinforced throughout the entire process to avoid disturbing your cash flow. Consider these tips when establishing credit terms.

1. Consistent Due Dates. Keep your due dates consistent, with regular invoices at the 30, 45, or 60-day mark so that your debtor is aware of their obligation throughout.
2. Offer Various Payment Methods. You can facilitate a smoother transaction process for your clients by offering multiple ways to make payments, including but not limited to credit cards, online payments, bank transfers, etc.
3. Implement Late Payment Fees. To deter your clients from missing payments, implement a late payment fee structure. Ensure that your clients are aware of the potential penalties which they will incur if invoices are not settled on time.

Implement Efficient Invoicing Procedures

Reduce the instances of late or missing payments your small business encounters with timely and efficient invoicing. Invoices alert your debtor to upcoming payments and help prevent bad debt from accumulating. To make your invoices more efficient, adopt the following guidelines.

• Quick and Accurate Invoices. As soon as you complete your service or product delivery, promptly issue an invoice to your client. Invoices should be responsive to your processes and accurately reflect the service or product rendered and its cost.
• Leverage Invoice Tools. Make your life easy by using invoice creation software and streamlining your processes. Automating invoice creation and sending can reduce errors and omissions in the long run.
• Set Payment Reminders. Establish a system for sending payment reminders and follow-ups to clients, starting several days before the invoice due date and continuing at regular intervals in case of late payments.

Partner with Professional Debt Collection Agencies

While prevention should always be your go-to strategy for avoiding bad debts, sometimes they are unavoidable. When your small business encounters bad debt, partnering with a professional debt collection agency like Frontline Collections offers unparalleled support. If you want to mitigate and recover from financial setbacks like bad debt, here are some advantages of partnering with agencies.

• Expert Consultation. Debt collection agencies can provide your business with valuable advice on recovering missing payments and preventing future cases of bad debt.
• Early Detection. Professional debt collectors have systems in place to detect potential non-payment issues, allowing them to address the problem promptly and prevent further escalation.
• Recovery Support. Debt recovery is Frontline Collection’s expertise. If bad debt does occur, be prepared by employing the use of a debt collection service to recover your outstanding funds and maximise the potential for successful debt recovery.

Preventing Bad Debts with Frontline Collections

Preventing bad debts will ensure that you maintain consistent cash flow, one of a small business’s most important aspects. By bolstering your credit checks, locking in a tight and clear contract with your creditors, and maintaining transparent communication with them throughout, you can protect your business from the financial risk associated with bad debt or missing payments.

If bad debts arise, then don’t tackle debt recovery alone. Partnering with an expert and professional debt collection agency like Frontline Collections offers your business the essential support it needs to recover funds. 

Enquire about our debt collection services or call us on 0333 043 4425 now for free advice and assistance (Outside the UK: +44 1695 411091). Let us help you recover more for less.