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Credit Customers: Why People Don’t Pay Their Bills

Small business customer credit allows you to increase sales and grow your business. However, business owners must be smart about extending credit. Not all customers deserve to receive the same credit terms. Credit agreements must be in writing. Your customer credit contracts are invaluable.

To put it simply, there are three  this condition that create delinquency.

People do not pay their bills due to poor credit practices on their part, poor credit practices on the creditors part, and catastrophic life events.

Customers who do not pay due to their own poor credit practices are the kinds of customer who do not care about the credit rating. They may be irresponsible, overwhelmed or simply believe they do not have to pay. These customers are typically the ones who are referred for collection. Depending on the specific reasons, they may agree to pay the debt in installments while others may have to referred for legal action.

Other customers do not pay due to creditor actions. Yes, I said that. People may not be paying based on something you did or do not do. If you do not send bills promptly or if your bills are difficult to understand, you may be giving a customer an excuse not to pay you. I recently received a medical bill from a pediatric practice. Since my kids are grown, I knew it was a mistake. I called the office and learned that the bill was valid, but that the practice billed everything under an affiliated pediatric group. How confusing!

Other times, small business customer credit goes awry when the creditor does tell the customer upfront what services will cost, and what will and will not be included. For example, a contractor should communicate the applicable hourly rate and minimum charge before going to do the job. A simple email confirming the details of price and service can serve as a simple contract.

Take time to put together a customer contract. Bill promptly. Make sure customers know how and when you want to be paid. Do not be afraid to pick up the phone to speak to customers as soon as they become delinquent.

Customers who do not pay based on catastrophic life events are often the most difficult for recovery. Today, the most common catastrophic life event is either the loss of a job, or an accident or illness that produces a large medical bill. Your best bet in this situation is to do your best to be patient and work to with customers to pay in installments. We set up payment plans all the time with who are out of work. Usually, we begin with small payments and reassess every few months, with the understanding that payments will increase if employment is secured. Some people may become too overwhelmed and declare bankruptcy which could mean you have to walk away. With patience and compassion, however, you will find that even when times are the toughest, many customers want to do the right thing.

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