Meet Mike.

Mike was running a successful business with good cash flows and it was going all well until many of his customers defaulted payments in large numbers something he wasn&#39;t prepared for. Mike had to borrow funds to meet operational expenses which&nbsp;increased the cost of doing business thus putting his business at risk.

What could have caused the <a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/lp/accounts-receivable-software">accounts receivable</a> challenges for Mike?&nbsp;Let&#39;s do a case study.

&nbsp;

<h2>Weak Enforcement</h2>

&quot;Mike wasn&#39;t enforcing his customers to pay within the payments terms and was ok with delayed payment&quot;.

Most businesses offer&nbsp;services on a credit basis where an invoice is raised on a specific milestone and customers pay these invoices on agreed timelines. Businesses and customers will typically have mutually agreed to timelines to make the payment also called Net D.

For example, Net 30 indicates that the net invoice amount is expected to be paid in full within 30 days of the Invoice Issue date. Net 10, Net 15, Net 30, and Net 60 are some of the common payment terms in practice.

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">What You Can Do?</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">Review and agree on comfortable payment terms that meet customers&#39; payment cycle. Enforcing payment terms that don&#39;t meet customers&#39; business models will result in delays. Identify customer payment challenges and design strategies to enforce adherence to the payment terms.</div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Lack of Monitoring</h2>

&quot;Mike wasn&#39;t monitoring cash flows and related statistics, He wasn&#39;t noticing that his month-on-month Days&nbsp;Sales Outstanding (DSO)&nbsp;kept increasing.&quot;

Many businesses miss the insights from the account receivable data that provides early warning signals. Some of these insights can provide views on business-level cash flows while others can also be derived at the individual customer level.

Below are some of the metrics that need to be monitored, and measured to ensure corrective actions can be taken upfront.

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/blog/days-sales-outstanding" target="_blank">Days Sales Outstanding(DSO)</a></li>
</ul>

DSO is about how quickly money is collected after an invoice is issued. A healthy DSO does not exceed your terms by half for example if the payment term is Net 30, then a healthy DSO is 45 Days

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">How To Calculate DSO :</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">(average accounts receivable &divide; billed sales) x number of days</div>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Best Possible DSO</li>
</ul>

Best Possible DSO considers only current accounts receivable and not past data. It indicates what your on-time payment turnaround is going to be.

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">How To Calculate the Best Possible DSO :</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">(current accounts receivable &divide; billed sales) x number of days</div>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Average Days Delinquent</li>
</ul>

Average Days Delinquent (ADD) is a metric that lets companies know the average number of days those late payments take to get collected. The lower your ADD score, the better.

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">How To Calculate Average Days Delinquent :</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">DSO &ndash; Best Possible DSO</div>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Turnover Ratio</li>
</ul>

Your accounts receivables turnover ratio or Debtor turnover ratio shows how well you manage the credit you extend to your clients and how efficient you are at collecting payments. The higher the ratio the better.

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">How To Calculate Turnover Ratio :</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">Total sales for the period &divide; ((receivables at the beginning of the period + receivables at the end of the period) &divide; 2)</div>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Collection Effectiveness Index(CEI)</li>
</ul>

CEI helps to understand how strong your accounts receivable management is. The closer the CEI is to 100%, the better your processes.

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">How To Calculate Collection Effectiveness Index :</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">(beginning receivables + monthly credit sales &ndash; ending total receivables) &divide; (beginning receivables + monthly credit sales &ndash; ending current receivables) x 100</div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Ineffective Communication strategy</h2>

&quot;Mike was following up with the point of contact from customers on an ad-hoc basis and more of informal reminder, he was using offline follow-up techniques like emails&quot;

Following an ineffective communication strategy and doing informal communication will give the customers the view that the receiving organization is fine&nbsp;with delays.&nbsp;Moreover,&nbsp;most of the time the follow-up happens with the same person and doesn&#39;t follow the escalation route when the same doesn&#39;t give the expected outcome.

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">What You Can Do?</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">Adapt&nbsp;a suitable dunning process where communications progress from gentle reminders to effective&nbsp;letters and phone calls, emphasizing the need to make payments on time.</div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Poor and Decentralized AR Management</h2>

&quot;Mike had a team of 3 people working on the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.maxyfi.com/lp/accounts-receivable-software">accounts receivable process</a>&nbsp;and each of them was capturing AR information locally. There was&nbsp;no single place to audit the conversation, commitments, and next planned actions. The same became a&nbsp;people-centric process.&quot;

Businesses lose control of account receivables if they are not able to track them centrally or&nbsp;audit the communications happening with the customers. Typically businesses&nbsp;follow up via several mediums like emails, letters, calls, and SMS. The follow-up information is split across several devices and calls are not recorded/transcribed thus making it difficult to audit or use&nbsp;as evidence for any legal proceedings.

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">What You Can Do?</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">Adopting a centralized accounts receivable&nbsp;system is key for any business to get a view of the overall status of account receivables plus monitor follow-up status. Centrally recording the follow-up helps audit as well as removes people&#39;s dependency and enables the user to understand the background of conversations to help lead better the next conversation.</div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Irregular Promise Tracking</h2>

&quot;Mike was not driving the customers to provide a Promise date for making payments and not tracking closely whether the customer had made the payments as per the promise&quot;

One of the common mistakes that a business makes&nbsp;is that they don&#39;t drive the conversation with customers to provide a promised date by which the payments will be made. More damage happens when there is no follow-up or tracking to check whether the customer kept the promise by making the payment.

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">What You Can Do?</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">Equip a &quot;Promise To Pay&quot; feature&nbsp;in the dunning&nbsp;process and the same has to be recorded formally via email/letter&nbsp;to customers. Send reminders before the promised date and perform a more rigorous strategy in case the customer&nbsp;doesn&#39;t&nbsp;keep the promise.</div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Lack of Payment Options and Incentives</h2>

&quot;Mike had provided bank deposits as the only means of payment and that became challenging, especially during lockdowns. He didn&#39;t offer any incentives or discounts as well for on-time payments&quot;

Customers have their own preferred payment channels, and enforcing limited payment options will have a negative impact on their payments. Also, customers typically tend to pay towards the end of payment terms as they can hold liquidity till that time and there is no benefit to making early payments.

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">What You Can Do?</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">Offer multiple payment options and you are more likely to get paid faster. Offering incentives also encourage customers to pay early like offering 2/10 Net 30 which states that a discount of 2% is applicable if paid within 10 days for 30 days payment term.</div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Time-consuming&nbsp;Interactions</h2>

&quot;Mike&#39;s customers have several Invoices/bills to be paid, and the same is shared via emails and letters. Customers typically respond to queries or requests via email most of the time and that can be quite time-consuming&quot;

Interactions in the accounts receivable process typically occur through emails and letters which are discrete by nature. Customers need to refer to multiple email threads or physical letters to get details of their overdue. This can be tedious as well and the same goes for&nbsp;responding to these emails as well.

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">What You Can Do?</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">Provide&nbsp;customers with one consolidated view of overall outstanding dues with various embedded options such as digital payment options, messaging options, promise request features, etc. Digital interactions via the Customer&nbsp;Portal can bring transparency as well as a seamless one-stop for all overdue queries and actions.</div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Accounts Receivable Disputes Negligence</h2>

&quot;Some of Mike&#39;s customers had raised disputes on incorrect Invoices and also on the quality of services rendered&nbsp;and he wasn&#39;t able to handle them properly.&quot;

Customers typically will hold the payments till the disputes are resolved or corrected. Disputes can also worsen the relationship with the customers, bringing in friction and making it much more difficult to collect payments leading to bad debts or credit risks.

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">What You Can Do?</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">Track disputes effectively and reviews the process to address billing/payment&nbsp;or service concerns thereby paving the way for better customer experience and faster payments.</div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Lack of Credit Scoring</h2>

&quot;Mike was providing services to customers irrespective of the repeated payment delays, with increased AR delinquency levels.&quot;

Customers belonging&nbsp;to various industry sectors have different levels of risks involved, for example,&nbsp;the Logistics and Hospitality sector impact due to the pandemic, etc. Lack of credit scoring at the customer level will increase exposure to bad debt and put businesses at a bigger risk.

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">What You Can Do?</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">An effective accounts receivable&nbsp;software should score the customers based on&nbsp;the sector,&nbsp;behavioral, environmental, and other relevant factors. A customer with a bad credit score or risk profile needs a review of the payment cum credit terms.</div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Accounting Challenges</h2>

&quot;Mike was not updating the payments received in the banking books against the accounts receivable&nbsp;process on a regular basis.&quot;

The lack of a real-time payment interface and reconciliation with the accounts receivable&nbsp;process will cause an incorrect dunning process, resulting in an unpleasant experience for customers.

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">What You Can Do?</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">Offer a digital payment and&nbsp;reconciliation process that updates the due amount in real-time at the customer cum invoice level. This reduces manual reconciliation errors and helps the accounts receivable automation&nbsp;process.</div>

&nbsp;

Tackling all these challenges can get overwhelming and tedious for anyone, that&#39;s why it&#39;s best to invest in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/lp/accounts-receivable-automation-software" target="_blank">accounts receivable automation</a> software&nbsp;for your business.

Start automating your accounts receivable process right away with our Accounts Receivable Automation Software - Maxyfi, and watch your business thrive!

For more tips on how to tackle the challenges in your accounts receivable process, follow our <a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/blog" target="_blank">Maxyfi blogs</a>.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tackling accounts receivable challenges in your business can get tedious and nerve-racking for anyone. Here are the solutions to avoid them in the future. 

Accounts Receivable Challenges Of Every Business

Tackling accounts receivable challenges in your business can get tedious and nerve-wrecking for anyone. Here's a case study on Mike's challenges with accounts receivable and solutions to avoid them in the future. 

Accounts Receivable Challenges Of Every Business!

You know, how it isn&#39;t easy to get your dunning emails across to customers and get them to pay faster. It takes a lot of effort and patience to follow up with your customers regularly. But with these seven ways, you can improve your emails without pressuring your customers while following up with them to pay the receivables. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h2>Here&#39;s How to Improve Your Dunning Emails For A Efficient Accounts Receivable Process &nbsp;</h2>

&nbsp;

<h3>1. Personalization&nbsp; &nbsp;</h3>

A little bit of personalization can go a long way!&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Adding the customer&#39;s name and maybe a few questions related to their previous interactions or from customer data can show a noticeable difference in the click-through rate compared to regular, boring emails. It can set apart your dunning emails and make your emails seem more trustworthy and reliable. &nbsp;

Dunning emails are sent to customers to remind them of unpaid invoices or late payments. Personalizing these emails can dramatically boost your recovery rate and enhance your <a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/lp/accounts-receivable-software" target="_blank">accounts receivable</a> process. Here are a few ideas for personalizing your dunning emails: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Address the customer by name: Using the customer&#39;s name makes the email feel more personalized and less like a generic form letter. In the greeting and throughout the email, use the customer&#39;s name. &nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Relate to the individual invoice or payment that is past due: Instead of issuing a broad reminder, refer to the specific invoice or payment that is past due. This demonstrates to the customer that you are paying attention to their account and emphasizes the significance of the payment. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Explain why the payment is necessary: Provide a concise explanation to the customer as to why the payment is necessary. You may describe how it affects your ability to deliver services or your cash flow. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Provide help: If the customer is experiencing trouble making the payment, assist. This might take the shape of a payment plan, a discount for early payment, or a date extension. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Adopt a nice tone: Dunning emails may come out as harsh or intimidating, which reduces the likelihood of customers responding. Instead, use a polite tone and underline your desire to collaborate with the customer to solve the issue. &nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Personalizing dunning emails can make customers feel more appreciated and ready to participate in the payment process. You may enhance your dunning email recovery rate and strengthen your customer connections by using these strategies. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h3>2. Give them the FOMO &nbsp;</h3>

Fear of loss or missing out can make your customers pay as quickly as possible in order not to lose the company&#39;s services/products. This method can be used while following up with your customers. Persuade them of the value of your services and the benefits that they would lose if they don&#39;t pay on time. &nbsp;

You can try the following tactics to increase the dunning email recovery rate by creating fear in your customers: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Limited-time offer: Consider giving a limited-time discount or promotion to entice customers to pay their unexpected balance before the offer expires. This increases the chance of a response by creating a sense of urgency. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Benefits should be highlighted: Address the advantages of paying the outstanding debt, such as avoiding late penalties, maintaining a good credit score, or retaining access to a useful service or product.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Social proof: Indicate to customers that others have already taken advantage of the offer and reaped the benefits of settling their outstanding balance. You might provide testimonials or data on the offer&#39;s success. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Personalize the message: Make the message more relevant and engaging by using the customer&#39;s name and referencing particular data about their account. This might make the customer feel more obligated to answer. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Create a sense of community: Build a feeling of community by emphasizing the group of customers who have previously settled their outstanding debt and are reaping the advantages. This can foster a sense of belonging and encourage the consumer to act. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Use urgency in the subject line: Employ a title tag that conveys a feeling of urgency, such as &quot;Last opportunity to prevent late fines&quot; or &quot;Don&#39;t miss out on this limited-time offer.&quot; &nbsp;</li>
</ul>

You can enhance the effectiveness of your dunning emails and persuade more customers to settle their outstanding debts by implementing these tricks or by implementing accounts receivable software with the above-mentioned features. Nonetheless, avoid overusing these strategies or creating a false feeling of urgency, since this might harm your connection with your customers. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h3>3. Being Concise &amp; Clear &nbsp;</h3>

Make sure the emails are short, crisp, and to the point. It should be able to convey all the details required with the brand&#39;s tone. Create a strong brand identity and a sense of trustworthiness in the emails while persuading your customers. It helps them believe that they can rely on you and feel confident to engage with you more. &nbsp;

Being brief and clear when dunning emails can dramatically enhance the recovery rate. Here are some pointers to get you started: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Employ a succinct and clear subject line: The subject line should clearly explain the objective of the email and capture the recipient&#39;s attention. Use generic subject lines such as &quot;Payment Reminder&quot; or &quot;Invoice Due&quot; to avoid being noticed in a packed inbox. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Make the email short and to the point: A long and wordy email might be confusing and difficult to understand. Maintain a succinct and to-the-point message. Provide an overview of the problem and what steps the receiver should follow. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Employ bullet points and formatting: Bullet points and formatting can help to make an email simpler to read and understand. Include the outstanding balance, due date, and any other vital information in bullet points. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Provide specific instructions: Make it clear what action the receiver must take. Give payment instructions, including the amount due, due date, and payment options available. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Consider using jargon: Avoid using industry-specific jargon or acronyms that the receiver might not understand. To guarantee that the recipient receives the message, use clear and easy-to-understand language. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Provide an explicit call to action: Conclude with a strong call to action, such as &quot;Please make a payment before the due date to prevent any late penalties or collection procedures&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

You can raise the chance of a favorable response, boost the recovery, and enhance your <a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/lp/accounts-receivable-software" target="_blank">accounts receivable process</a> rate by being concise and clear in your dunning emails. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h3>4. Dispatch Multiple Emails &nbsp;</h3>

You cannot expect to receive your collectibles by sending just one email (unless you are lucky). Hence, you need to send multiple emails at regular intervals, say one or two weeks, while building up the urgency and creating a sense of loss aversion with each follow-up email. &nbsp;

For businesses, dunning emails are a crucial part of the accounts receivable process, and sending several emails may be a successful approach for increasing recovery rates. Here are some pointers for sending out repeated dunning emails: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Send numerous dunning emails in a row: Sending many dunning emails in a row will help you stay top-of-mind with your customers and remind them of their overdue amount. You may arrange a series of emails to be sent at particular intervals (e.g., one email every three days), and each email can have a distinct tone and message. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Alter the message: Sending the same message in each dunning email can rapidly become redundant and may discourage your customers from taking action. Instead, to appeal to your customers, alter the message and employ different perspectives. For example, in the first email, emphasize the dangers of nonpayment, while in the second email, emphasize the benefits of timely payment. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Add a clear call to action: Include a clear call to action in each dunning email, such as &quot;Please settle your amount now&quot; or &quot;Click here to make a payment.&quot; Make it as simple as possible for your customers to take action, and be sure to give clear payment instructions. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Personalize the emails: Making your dunning emails more personal can help them be more successful. In the email, include your customer&#39;s name, alluding to their outstanding debt, and personalize the message depending on their payment history with your organization. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Be persistent but not aggressive: It&#39;s critical to be persistent but not forceful with your dunning emails. Avoid using unpleasant language or issuing threats, since this may turn off your customers and harm your connection with them. Instead, be tough but courteous, emphasizing the significance of settling their outstanding debt.</li>
</ul>

By following these guidelines, you may send out repeated dunning emails that will improve your recovery rate and encourage your customers to settle their outstanding debt. You can also acquire these by implementing automated accounts receivable software in your collection process. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h3>5. Enabling Replies &nbsp;</h3>

It&#39;s best to enable replies to your emails if you can because when the customers have any doubts or queries, they can always easily reply to your email asking the same. Otherwise, they&#39;d leave it at that and forget it, or might have trouble reaching you through any other means, hence delaying the payments as well. &nbsp;

Dunning emails are a necessary element of a company&#39;s accounts receivable process. These emails are sent to customers who have outstanding payments and require that customers make the payment. Allowing answers to your dunning emails can assist enhance recovery rates by giving customers a direct avenue to interact with you and fix any difficulties they may be experiencing. Here are some suggestions for improving the dunning email recovery rate by enabling replies: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Customize the email: Address the customer by name, and personalize the email&#39;s content as much as possible. This helps to establish a connection with the customer and increases the likelihood of their responding. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Make it simple to respond: Add a call-to-action button in the email that customers may use to respond directly to the email. This might be as basic as a &quot;Respond&quot; button or as elaborate as &quot;I have a query regarding my invoice.&quot; &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Use a recognizable sender name: Employ a known sender name, such as your company name or the name of a certain department, to assist customers in identifying the email and feeling comfortable replying. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Reply as soon as possible: Respond rapidly to customer responses to show that you are dedicated to addressing their issues. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Provide specific instructions: Provide detailed information on how to make a payment or handle any concerns with a missed payment. This can assist customers in understanding what they need to do to address the problem. &nbsp;</li>
</ul>

You can enable answers to your dunning emails and boost the recovery rate of overdue payments by applying these guidelines to your accounts receivable process to boost your collection and enhance your cash flow. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h3>6. Using A Different Sender Address &nbsp;</h3>

People often ignore promotional emails and most of the emails can end up in spam. Therefore, it helps to switch up the sender addresses once in a while to yield better results. Personalizing them by sending emails from an important person like a CEO or CFO or Manager can create a sense of reliability and credence. &nbsp;

Although using a new sender address can be a useful method for increasing the rate of dunning email recovery. Here are some measures to follow to put this plan into action: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Change your email address: Make a new email account that is distinct from the one you use for work. This email address should be relevant to your company or brand and easy for your customers to remember. For instance, if your company&#39;s name is XYZ Corporation, you can use an email address like <a href="mailto:payments@xyzcorp.com" target="_blank">payments@xyzcorp.com</a>. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Specify why you&#39;ve changed your email address: Make careful to clarify why you&#39;re using a different email address in your dunning emails. This can help you create trust with your customers while also decreasing the likelihood of your emails being labeled as spam. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Customize your emails: In your dunning emails, use your customers&#39; names and tailor your content to their scenarios. This can assist to customize your emails and boost the probability that your customers will react. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Test and monitor outcomes: Once you&#39;ve put this plan in place, make sure to test and track the results. To see if this method worked, compare the recovery rate of your dunning emails before and after using a new sender address. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Follow up: After sending your dunning emails, don&#39;t forget to follow up with your customers. This can help increase the odds of them making a payment and decrease the likelihood of them being late in the future. &nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Overall, using a new sender address might be a good way to increase the recovery rate of your dunning emails. You can improve the effectiveness of your dunning process and your total cash flow by customizing your emails, creating trust with your customers, and measuring your outcomes. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h3>7. Automation &nbsp;</h3>

Automating your emails can help speed up the process and let you focus on other important details. With pre-defined templates that you can customize to your needs, you can dispatch effective follow-up emails and build efficiency in payment recovery. &nbsp;

Implementing automated accounts receivable (AR) software may significantly enhance your dunning email recovery rate, which is the percentage of customers that react and pay after receiving payment reminder emails. Here are some methods you may do to boost the recovery rate of dunning emails utilizing AR software: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Customize your emails: Tailor the payment reminder emails with the customer&#39;s name, invoice number, and unpaid balance using the AR software. This helps to catch their attention and increases the likelihood that they will read the email. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Schedule reminders: Arrange for automated payment reminders to be sent out at regular intervals using the AR software. This guarantees that customers receive timely reminders, improving the likelihood that they will pay on time. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Provide payment plans: Implement the Automated Accounts Receivable software to provide payment plans to customers who are having difficulty paying their outstanding invoices. Based on the customer&#39;s payment history and credit score, this can be done automatically. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Monitor email open and reaction rates: Using Accounts Receivable Software, monitor the open and response rates of payment reminder emails. This will let you evaluate the efficiency of the emails and make any required changes. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Adopt multiple channels: Utilize the Accounts Receivable Software to send payment reminders via email, text message, and phone calls. This makes sure customers receive payment reminders and enhances the likelihood of their responding. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Evaluate data: Use the Automated Accounts Receivable Software to examine the information gathered from the payment reminders, such as response rates and payment timings. This can assist you in identifying trends and making data-driven decisions to increase the rate of recovery. &nbsp;</li>
</ul>

You can enhance the dunning email recovery rate and lower the number of outstanding payments by implementing automated <a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/lp/accounts-receivable-software" target="_blank">Accounts Receivable Software</a> and following these procedures. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h2>Final Thoughts about Improving your Dunning Email Recovery Rate via Automation &nbsp;</h2>

Maxyfi has a wide array of pre-defined templates that you can choose and customize from. To automate now with Maxyfi, get started here. &nbsp;

For more tips and updates to manage your accounts receivables automation better, follow our <a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/blog" target="_blank">Maxyfi blog</a>.&nbsp;

It takes a lot of patience to follow up with your customers regularly. But with these 7 ways, you can now improve your emails to get your accounts receivable faster.

 7 Ways To Improve Your Dunning Email Recovery Rate Now

7 Ways To Improve Your Dunning Email Recovery Rate Now!

Isn&#39;t it disappointing to see that despite everything you have done for your clients, they are still slow or refuse to pay you? It is also tiring to chase them around and remind them of their due payments. &nbsp;

We don&#39;t know for sure, but on the other side, the clients might be facing difficulties due to the complicated payment systems. Hence, it is important to know how to deal with these situations so that you don&#39;t incur losses. &nbsp;

Let me share 3 helpful ways that you can implement to deal with slow or non-paying clients. &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>
	Analyzing Customer Behavior Data &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Maintaining a healthy customer relationship &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Switching to easy payment systems &nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

So, first up &mdash; &nbsp;

<h2>1. Customer Behavior Data &nbsp;</h2>

With the right Accounts Receivable Management, you can track customer behavior using metrics such as - &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>
	<a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/blog/days-sales-outstanding" target="_blank">Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) Trends</a> &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Average Days Delinquent (ADD) Reports &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Aging Summary &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Customer Retention Rate &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Customer Churn Rate &nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

Using these and other metrics that your accounts receivable solution provides, it becomes easier to track and understand your clients. This will help to meet your customer&#39;s needs, retain them for a longer period as well as identify solutions to make payments easier. &nbsp;

Dealing with slow or non-paying clients in an <a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/lp/accounts-receivable-management-software" target="_blank">accounts receivable management system</a> can be difficult, but several tactics can be used to regulate customer behavior and improve payment rates. Consider the following steps: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>
	Establish explicit payment terms and rules: Before a customer makes a purchase or receives services, it is critical to properly clarify payment terms and policies. This includes specifying the payment due date, late payment penalties, and non-payment repercussions. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Regularly monitor accounts receivable: Maintain track of unpaid invoices and aging reports to identify late or non-paying customers. Frequent monitoring can help in the early detection of possible problems and allow for proactive action. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Client follow-up: It is critical to follow up with consumers who are delayed or non-paying to remind them of their outstanding amount and demand payment. This can be accomplished by phone calls, emails, or letters. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Provide payment plans: Providing payment plans or payment options might help customers with difficulty paying their invoices. This can also assist in maintaining an excellent customer relationship and attract future business. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Enforce consequences for non-payment: If a customer continues to be unresponsive or fails to pay their due debt, it may be essential to impose penalties, such as halting services or initiating legal action. &nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

Overall, good accounts receivable typically calculated clear communication, regular monitoring, proactive follow-up, and the willingness to impose penalties as needed. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h2>2. Customer Relationships &nbsp;</h2>

Sustaining customer relationships is critical, even if customers are slow or non-paying in the <a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/lp/accounts-receivable-software" target="_blank">accounts receivable process</a>. Here are some possible solutions: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>
	Clear communication: Make sure your customers understand your payment process and timelines. Follow up with them frequently to ensure they realize the significance of paying on time. Make it clear what the repercussions are for late or nonpayment. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Be professional: It is crucial to stay professional and friendly while dealing with slow or non-paying customers. Avoid being hostile or harsh, since this may destroy the relationship and make collecting the unpaid amount more difficult. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Be adaptable: Customers may experience financial challenges that stop them from making timely payments at times. Be willing to talk about payment plans or other alternatives to assist them to achieve their responsibilities. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Offer incentives: Consider providing discounts or other incentives to customers who pay on time or ahead of schedule. This may persuade customers to prioritize their payments, so improving your cash flow. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Make use of technology: Use automatic reminders and notifications to keep customers up to know on forthcoming payments and due dates. This can assist eliminate late payments and the requirement for manual follow-up. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Get professional assistance: If a customer is regularly delayed or non-paying, a collection agency or legal advice may be required. Even so, it is critical to explore all other possibilities before taking this step, as it may damage the customer&#39;s relationship.&nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

Maintaining excellent customer connections is critical to long-term business success. By using these tactics, you can assist to reduce the effect of slow or non-paying clients on your accounts receivable process while maintaining your relationship with the customer. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h2>3. Easy Payment Options&nbsp; &nbsp;</h2>

Switching to easy payment options can help both of you - the customers can send their due payments without any inconvenient obstacles and you will not incur any loss for the account. &nbsp;

Therefore, it is necessary to include payment systems that are not complicated for your customers to figure out. You can provide options such as &mdash; &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>
	Credit Card &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Automated Payments &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Net banking &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	EFT payments &nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

Dealing with slow or non-paying customers can be annoying and time-consuming for any business. Here are some strategies for managing accounts receivable and encouraging customers to make payments on time: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>
	Establish explicit payment terms: Ensure that your payment conditions are clear and that they are listed on your invoices. This includes the payment deadline, any late penalties or interest, and the payment methods you accept. Before beginning any job, convey these conditions to your customers. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Follow up as soon as a payment is past due: As soon as a payment is past due, contact your customer to remind them of the payment due date. Depending on what works best for your company, you can accomplish this by email or phone. Ask when you may expect payment and be polite but strong in your communication. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Provide simple payment alternatives: Offering simple payment options helps encourage customers to make payments on time. Provide a variety of payment options, such as credit card, debit card, PayPal, or ACH transfers. Consider providing discounts to customers who pay in advance or implementing automated payment alternatives. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Consider charging late fees: If a customer routinely pays late, consider charging a late penalty. This might encourage consumers to pay on time by covering any extra fees or time spent following up on late payments. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Be persistent: Continue to contact customers until payment is made. Establish and stick to a schedule for follow-up communication. Consider if you want to continue doing business with a customer that is routinely tardy to pay. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Use Collection Agency: If a client continues to refuse to pay, consider utilizing a collections agency to retrieve the amount. This should only be used as a last option, but it can be useful in collecting overdue bills. &nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

Finally, being organized, clear in communication, and persistent in follow-up is the key to managing accounts receivable. You may encourage customers to make payments on time and reduce the number of slow or non-paying customers in your accounts receivable process by offering simple payment options and setting clear standards. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h2>Conclusion: &nbsp;</h2>

<a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/lp/accounts-receivable-automation-software" target="_blank">Accounts Receivable Automation software</a>, like Maxyfi, has embedded payment systems. The portal is embedded with payment options; hence it makes it easy for the customers as the transactions can be done in an organized process in one place without having the customer switch between different systems. &nbsp;

With these three tips in mind, do make sure to follow up with your customers regularly, check their needs, and don&#39;t experience unrecoverable debts. &nbsp;

Or you could try Maxyfi&#39;s automated Accounts Receivable Management software that will take care of your clients, send timely reminders, and aid them through its simple payment systems so that your business won&#39;t suffer delayed payments or bad debts. &nbsp;

For more such tips that can help your business grow financially better, follow our <a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/blog" target="_blank">Maxyfi blog</a>!&nbsp;

Isn't it disappointing to see your clients refuse to pay you? Here are 3 helpful ways that you can implement to deal with slow or non-paying clients now.

3 Ways To Deal With Slow Or Non-Paying Clients

Isn't it disappointing to see that despite everything you have done for your clients, they are still slow or refuse to pay you? Let me share 3 helpful ways that you can implement to deal with slow or non-paying clients.

How To Deal With Slow Or Non-Paying Clients?

Here&#39;s a question for you &ndash;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Do you regularly track your progress when trying to achieve a specific goal? &nbsp;

Now, you may have a question for us, what is the importance of tracking the progress regularly? &nbsp;

Well folks, &ldquo;By tracking progress, we get the most accurate picture of our goals when we&rsquo;re measuring them with the appropriate units.&rdquo; &nbsp;

Similarly, in the world of <a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/lp/accounts-receivable-software" target="_blank">Accounts Receivable</a>, you need to track key metrics to ensure sufficient cash flow and keep the business&#39;s financial health in check. &nbsp;

If you didn&#39;t track your follow-up actions or any key performance metrics in your accounts receivable process, it would be difficult to audit an accurate report. &nbsp;

Isn&rsquo;t it Right? &nbsp;

Sometimes, you can&#39;t sue the customer for keeping payment dues, just because you didn&#39;t track the evidence of the escalation. If you do so, well get ready to lose a valuable asset(customer) of your business. &nbsp;

As your business goals change over time, so will the most relevant financial KPIs (key performance indicators) for your company. To focus on the metrics that matter, pay attention to those that bring performance into focus. Confused about which metrics to track? &nbsp;

That&#39;s why I&#39;m here to show you the top 5 accounts receivable metrics you should track for your business. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h2>Days Sales Outstanding [DSO] &nbsp;</h2>

Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) is a widely used statistic in accounts receivable management. It is an essential indication of how well a company collects money from its customers. DSO is computed by dividing total receivables by average daily sales. &nbsp;

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">The formula for calculating DSO is:&nbsp; </div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">DSO = (Accounts Receivable / Total Credit Sales) x Number of Days in the Period&nbsp;</div>

&nbsp;

Accounts receivable refers to the entire amount of money owing to an organization by customers, while total credit sales relate to the total amount of credit sales completed within a certain time. The term is generally either a month or a quarter in length. &nbsp;

DSO is an essential indicator since it informs organizations about how long it takes to collect payments from customers on average. A high DSO indicates that a company is taking a long time to collect payments, which can harm cash flow and working capital. A low DSO, on the other hand, suggests that a company is receiving payments fast, which is a good indicator of cash flow and financial stability. &nbsp;

To improve DSO, businesses can take several steps, such as: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>
	Streamline invoicing and payment processes: You can improve your invoicing and payment processes to make it easier for customers to pay their invoices on time. Offering online payment options or sending payment reminders are examples of this. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Set explicit payment terms with customers: You can set clear payment terms with your customers, such as requesting payment within 30 days after invoicing. This can assist guarantee that customers pay on time and lower the risk of late payments. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Accounts receivable should be closely monitored: You should closely monitor your accounts receivable to discover any late payments and take measures to recover them as soon as possible. &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	Discounts for early payment: You can give discounts to your customers who pay their invoices on time, encouraging prompt payment and lowering DSO. &nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

Overall, DSO is an important indicator in the <a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/lp/accounts-receivable-management-software" target="_blank">accounts receivable management system</a> that may assist organizations in understanding how effectively they collect payments from customers. You may enhance their cash flow and financial stability by adopting initiatives to improve DSO. &nbsp;

Understanding the average collection time for accounts receivables is essential in tracking the financial progress. Almost every financial reporting system monitors this metric as part of the baseline performance metrics. By looking at when DSO rises or falls, you can also learn how market forces affect payment times. &nbsp;

APQC conducted a bench-marking survey and found that top-performing companies have a DSO of less than 30 days, whereas low-performing companies have a DSO of 48 days or more. &nbsp;

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">How To Calculate DSO? &nbsp;</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">(Average Accounts Receivable &divide; Billed Sales) x Number Of Days &nbsp;</div>

&nbsp;

<h3>Best Possible DSO &nbsp;</h3>

The Best Possible DSO only considers accounts receivables that are current, not those from the past. The results indicate how long it will take to receive your payments on time. &nbsp;

DSO should tend toward a target DSO (where one has been set) or the BP-DSO value (unless seasonal volatility can get in the way). It is not realistic to set a target DSO equal to the BP-DSO unless the company has a very small number of bad-paying customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">How To Calculate The Best Possible DSO? &nbsp;</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">(Current Accounts Receivable &divide; Billed Sales) x Number Of Days &nbsp;</div>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h2>Collection Effectiveness Index [CEI] &nbsp;</h2>

The Collection Effectiveness Index measures how well you can collect your due payments from customers within a given timeframe, usually monthly, though you can track it over any timeframe. &nbsp;

In general, a flawless collection effort would result in a percentage of 100%. However, 80% or better would be a good percentage. As opposed to Days Sales Outstanding [DSO], the Collection Effectiveness Index focuses on the number of invoices outstanding and measures your company&#39;s ability to collect total payments due. &nbsp;

In some cases, Accounts Receivable metrics can be compared with competitors so you can see how fast your company collects payments compared to the industry&#39;s average. The collection Effectiveness Index isn&#39;t used for bench-marking against peers, but rather as an internal measure of accounts receivable teams&#39; performance. &nbsp;

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">How To Calculate Collection Effectiveness Index? &nbsp;</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">(Beginning Receivables + Monthly Credit Sales &ndash; Ending Total Receivables) &divide; (Beginning Receivables + Monthly Credit Sales &ndash; Ending Current Receivables) x 100 &nbsp;</div>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h2>Average Days Delinquent [ADD] &nbsp;</h2>

Overdue payments are measured by the Average Days Delinquent metric. By encouraging clients to pay quickly, you need to lower this number as much as possible. If the number is high, it may indicate problems with the accounts receivable, or within the company itself. &nbsp;

A long-overdue payment could also mean that you are targeting the wrong customers, or you might not have enough resources. &nbsp;

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">How To Calculate Average Days Delinquent? &nbsp;</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">DSO - Best Possible DSO = Average Days Delinquent &nbsp;</div>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h2>Accounts Receivable Turnover Ratio &nbsp;</h2>

The turnover ratio is a financial indicator that indicates how well a company manages its receivables. It is also known as the accounts receivable turnover ratio and is calculated by dividing total credit sales by average accounts receivable over a certain period. The ratio gives important information about a company&#39;s cash flow and stability, as well as its capacity to recover existing debts. &nbsp;

In an accounts receivable process, the turnover ratio is a measure of how many times your company&#39;s receivables are collected and replaced in a certain period, generally a year. This ratio is calculated by dividing total credit sales by the period&#39;s average accounts receivable balance. The resultant value indicates how successfully you manage your company&rsquo;s accounts receivable and how soon those receivables are converted into cash. &nbsp;

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">To calculate the turnover ratio, you can use the following formula: &nbsp;</div>

<div style="background:#eeeeee; border:1px solid #cccccc; padding:5px 10px">Accounts Receivable Turnover Ratio = Credit Sales / Average Accounts Receivable &nbsp;</div>

&nbsp;

Credit sales are the total amount of credit sales made throughout the period. The average accounts receivable amount is calculated by adding up the starting and ending balances of the period and dividing them by two. This aids in smoothing out seasonal swings in the accounts receivable balance. &nbsp;

For example, if a company had $1,000,000 in credit sales and a $250,000 average accounts receivable balance over time, its turnover ratio would be: &nbsp;

Turnover of Accounts Receivable = $1,000,000 / $250,000 = 4 &nbsp;

This indicates that over the period, the company collected its whole accounts receivable balance four times. &nbsp;

A high turnover ratio is often regarded as a favorable indicator, indicating that a firm is collecting receivables promptly and effectively. This can help to enhance cash flow and lower the risk of bad debts. A low turnover ratio, on the other hand, indicates that a firm is having difficulty collecting receivables, which can lead to cash flow issues and an increased risk of bad debts. &nbsp;

In conclusion, the turnover ratio in your accounts receivable process is an essential metric that indicates how well your organization manages its receivables. You can enhance your overall financial health by monitoring this ratio and identifying opportunities for improvement in your accounts receivable management systems. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

<h2>The Key To Track These KPIs &nbsp;</h2>

Tracking all these KPIs can get overwhelming and tedious for you, right? What if there was an easy way out? &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>
	A KEY to track your accounts receivable metrics easily! &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	A KEY to keeping your business&#39;s financial performance in check! &nbsp;
	</li>
	<li>
	A KEY to helping you achieve your business&#39;s cash flow goals! &nbsp;
	</li>
</ul>

Bringing you the KEY - <a href="https://id.maxyfi.com/auth/realms/maxyfi/protocol/openid-connect/auth?client_id=mx-bs-fe&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.maxyfi.com%2F%3F_gl%3D1*18d5fti*_ga*MTcxOTM2Mzg2LjE2NzMwNjMyNzI.*_ga_ZSR29M9FZD*MTY3NzIxMzU0Ni43OS4xLjE2NzcyMTM1OTMuMC4wLjA.&amp;state=ff458791-b875-416d-b85f-ed865af0bd91&amp;response_mode=fragment&amp;response_type=code&amp;scope=openid&amp;nonce=920d7ad4-5d3b-4a95-894e-312563888493" target="_blank">Maxyfi</a>! &nbsp;

An <a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/lp/accounts-receivable-automation-software" target="_blank">Accounts Receivable Automation Software</a>, to empower your business&#39; finances with a real-time dashboard and detailed insights to track and measure accounts receivable metrics easily. Apart from this, you can also avail yourself of other features such as workflows, customizable templates, etc. &nbsp;

To know more about what Maxyfi has in store for you, keep visiting our <a href="https://www.maxyfi.com/blog" target="_blank">Maxyfi blogs</a>! &nbsp;

We could surprise you one day :)&nbsp;

Here are 5 accounts receivable metrics to track the business' financial health. Track them at regular intervals and safeguard your business from debts.

Maxyfi | 5 Accounts Receivable KPIs You Should Track Now!

Have you ever wondered what key metrics you should track for your business, especially when it comes to Accounts receivable? Well, no more wondering. Because we have here  top 5 KPIs that you should be tracking to improve your business' financial health and keep a check on the cash flow!

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