A Guide To Accounts Receivable Collection
by Peter Emerson
Every company follows its own credit policy set by management. For some the credit period offered to the customer is a week while for other organizations it could be as long as a month. Problems start when payments are not forthcoming within the time agreed upon. This is when a company has to initiate the accounts receivable collection.
Quite simply, it is the act of gathering payments for past due invoices, which is necessary in keeping a business running smoothly. Since a company expects payments from its customers, similarly it has to make payments to other companies or individuals such as creditors (for goods and/or services) or everyday expenses including interest, rent, and salaries.
Accounts receivable collection is as necessary to a company's smooth operation as sales and marketing are for its survival and growth. By and large, the process of accounts receivable collection has to include the following. The collection process should initiate immediately as the credit term ends. If the credit terms include last interest fees the exact amount of interest should be collected. Suitable practices should be employed for collection, which includes communicating with the concerned person regularly until dues are settled. However, discretion should be applied in all communications so as not to diminish a company's image or its relationship with customer.
The actual process of communicating with the person who owes money includes, but might not be limited to, telephone contacts, emailings, post mailings, and so on. The accounts receivable expert should always be cordial when talking with a customer.
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