From Skipton Business Finance's own research, we've compiled the top 10 excuses given for non payment of outstanding invoices and our method for dealing with each (in no particular order!):
1. “We have not got the invoice, please could you send a copy.”
Skipton Business Finance will contact you directly for a copy invoice and will then scan and e-mail your customer with a copy along with a request for payment.
2. “The cheque was sent on XXXXX and must have been lost in the post.”
Skipton Business Finance can request a payment by BACS direct into your account if necessary direct from your customer, this excuse is easy to resolve.
3. “The person who writes the cheques is unavailable.”
The name of the person is obtained and all future calls are made directly to the person who can sign the cheques.
4. “The client owes us money so we will not be paying.”
This is called a contra-trading position and your credit controller will be aware if this is a feature on your account or simply an excuse for not paying promptly.
5. “Accounts department is not taking calls at the moment and nobody else is able to deal with your request.”
A name and a time to call back would be taken and a follow up call would be made, we are polite but persistent.
6. “We have already paid.”
The online system is real time and is fully up to date with all payments received. This excuse would only be valid if payment has been made by the customer very recently. So, the account would be checked again in 24 hours and if no payment is received, a follow up phone call would be made.
7. “We have never received the goods/service.”
Skipton Business Finance staff would contact you for a copy of the delivery note that would be scanned and e-mailed to your customer and payment would then be politely requested.
8. “We are doing year end at the moment and are unable to deal with your request.”
Skipton Business Finance would be able to check the company’s year end date to establish if this were a valid excuse.
9. “You have just missed the payment run for this month.”
Skipton Business Finance would be aware of the payment run dates on large companies who operate in this way. SBF would ensure that your invoice is on the correct payment run to receive payment in a timely manner.
10. “We are awaiting a credit note.”
We would ask your customer for the amount and the reason a credit note is needed. SBF staff would then contact you to either raise a credit note or to contact your customer to resolve the dispute.