Sending invoices to your customers should be a simple process within . Just send it and it’s paid. Unfortunately, the billing process can be a bit strenuous at times. It’s important to hold on to those valued customers by providing excellent customer service and making sure invoices and payments are on time.
Follow these to help navigate and eliminate the challenges that come with each billing cycle.
1. Reach the Right Person
We all know employees do not stay at the same company or in the same role. This can be problematic when it’s time to send out an invoice, only to find out months later that individual is no longer with the company. It’s important to take the time to review the Customer Account and make sure you have the right contact or more than one contact.
2. Timing is everything
Define your requirements. Are these invoices monthly? Make sure to generate invoices early, giving the customer plenty of time to review and pay them. If possible, you may want to consider automating the processing by utilizing nightly jobs to create the invoices for you!
3. Value in Accuracy
Check for accuracy. Make sure the quantity and the products or services you are billing for are correct. Nobody wants to call the customer informing them of an error.
4. Show the Detail
It’s great to know what you’re paying for. Ever get an invoice with just the amount due, like a medical bill, that makes you ponder what you are paying for? Showing detail on the invoice so the customer knows what product or service they are paying for is so helpful.
5. Highlight Important Information
Call attention to due dates and amount due. Make it easy for your customers to know the amount to pay and when it’s due. Highlight or bold those fields to draw attention to them.
6. Promote Early Payment
You may want to consider offering discounts if paid early. Think about it, the quicker you have the money in your account, the better. Of course, on the flip side, if customers are behind on paying those invoices, you may want to consider assessing penalties as well. Whatever you decide, make sure it is clearly explained on the invoice.
7. Leverage the Invoice for Marketing
Add promotions, discounts for early payments, or services you provide that the customer might not know about. Make every touch point !
8. Provide Payment Options
Who doesn’t like options? Make sure you provide value to your customers by accepting multiple forms of payments such as credit cards, wire transfers, or PayPal.
9. Track It
Ever get a call from a customer wanting to know their account balance? Wonder how many invoices were paid this month vs. last month or even last year? Tracking information so you can quickly find it is crucial and can save some much time in the long run. Make sure you are utilizing reports, dashboards, or some quick visual cues to identify the health of an account.
10. Don’t Forget the Follow Up
Don’t forget to send that email letting your customer know you value their business. For larger invoices, a phone call is even better! Or to put that cherry on top, send a small gift at the end of the year to your most valued customers. A little bit goes a long way!
Written By Sheila Ochoa, Technical Sales,
