A client is someone who pays
I met up with a business owner the other day who had an outstanding debt that he was considering loading with us for debt collection. He called me in to discuss the issue because his main concern was losing his client through the process. Turns out his client had been promising him payment for 6 […]
My best mate
“Would you loan one of your best mates a substantial amount of money if he asked?”… This is a question I often ask business owners when they call me in to help them deal with a bad debtor. Most of them reply “hell no, if they want a loan they can go to the bank”. […]
Bad client… Bad debt.
I thought it might be interesting to look at the Oxford Dictionaries definitions of the word “bad”. Of poor quality or low standard not such as to be hoped for or desired; unpleasant or unwelcome lacking or failing to conform to moral virtue Sound like this may describe some of your current clients that always […]
Wisdom
I deal with numerous companies that have very few accounts, most of them being way more than 300k. Most of the time I hear the same comment from all of them “we’re fine, we have great clients and have had a good relationship with them for many years. They always pay their account” Well until […]
The Camel’s back syndrome
Most businesses don’t fail because of one bad debt. Sustained failure happens as the consequence of small, daily acts of neglect that add up over time to lead to a blow up or a breakdown. When a business has a breakdown with its debtors it generally means they run out of cash, and debtors turn […]
The responsibility meter
Being good at what you do doesn’t necessarily make you a great business owner. In fact most business owners open a business and learn while they earn, hoping that the mistakes they learn from doesnt end up sinking the ship. I won’t claim to be an expert at operating a business, but I as an Area […]
It’s better to die standing than live your life on its knees
It’s a new year, full of opportunity and a chance to start fresh with new ideas and new habits. The usual New Years resolutions are forgotten by the second week of January, so it’s time you made a decision to get tough and stick to your resolve. I’m talking about something that effects everything […]
TRUST ME…
Life is about family, relationships and love… but most of us dream about success and money. Although money doesn’t always equate to happiness, it certainly does give you and your family options. In my role as Area Manager for EC Credit Control Ltd I find that most successful businesses in the Hawkes Bay, Gisborne and […]
Gone with the wind
No… Not the epic 1939 film with Clark Gable, I am referring to your cash flow when you have a run in with an expert bad debtor. I think in the old days they referred to them as con-artists, but modern day bad debtors don’t always start out trying to con you out of your […]
Close the gate… the horse has bolted!
I would be a millionaire if I made 50 cents every time a prospective client said “we’re ok for now, if we have any trouble we will call you.” That’s like driving around in your car without insurance because you haven’t had an accident yet, and then calling an insurance broker when you do and […]