So, Memorial Day is right around the corner. With the good weather and heat, you may be more apt to get a head start on your summer vacation plans and leave certain things until later. While there are things you can wait on, you should not delay your invoicing or chasing down those who are not paying you. Stay on track, even if the good weather is tempting you to do otherwise…

Summer is a great excuse for many of us to procrastinate or put off many things saying “We can take care of that after Labor Day.” I hear it all the time. Not a good idea when it comes to your receivables and cash flow. As you have no doubt read here before and other places, the longer an invoice goes unpaid, the likelihood that you won’t get paid at all increases.

As we serve many seasonal businesses such as the lawn care and landscaping professions, we see this more often than we’d like. They however are busy during these months and are consumed with serving the customer. While that “may” be a valid excuse, just taking it easy until September is not an option when it comes to resolving debt issues with clients.

Yeah, you can put off cleaning that extra office or other non-critical tasks but those that directly affect your cash flow should not be under the category of things you’ll get to after your summer vacation. Have a system in place before you decide to jet off for the summer and make sure you follow through on that plan. Have a staff that follows through on your invoicing procedures on a regular basis and get in touch with a reputable collection agency for those accounts that go unpaid. Yeah, you can certainly call us.

I was recently asked to write a short article for the Worcester Business Journal on “Ten Things I Know About Collections.” There are a lot more than ten things I know about this industry but for those who are on the edge about what to do about late-paying and non-paying clients, these tips should help you in making adjustments to your internal accounts receivables system and help in making a decision about what to do next with those stubborn accounts that just won’t pay.

When you look at your procedures, ask yourself if you’re doing things right internally. Do you invoice on time and at regular intervals? Do you use a diplomatic but firm approach when contacting those customers that are not paying you? And, do you know the laws about calling consumers who don’t pay you?

When you’ve decided to seek a third party collection agency, what are you looking for? Many think that its costs half of the money you are owed to recovery bad debt but in many cases including here at American Profit Recovery, that’s not the case.

Many of these topics are covered in my article in the May 24 edition of the Worcester Business Journal so click on over: http://www.wbjournal.com/news46415.html

At a time in your life where your career is peaking and you are ready to spend a little money on travel, home improvements and retirement, take a moment to consider possible scenarios you may encounter as a member of ‘the sandwich generation’. Squeezed in the middle of your aging parents and your children, you may find yourself having to financially assist both parties, simultaneously. As the partner of a collection agency, I have seen people weather the financial storms generated by this tumultuous situation with some basic saving and preparation methods, which may work for you, too. Taking a little time to plan ahead can help you better enjoy today and give you peace of mind for tomorrow while you steer clear of major debt or bankruptcy.

The daily grind of going to work and taking care of your family is challenging. Then adding the pressure of possible scenarios involving college expenses, retirement and helping your elderly parents can make life seem impossible. However, if you take some time now to define your goals and work on a plan, you will avoid stress and financial distress in the future. My years at a collection agency have given me the opportunity to witness a few tactics employed by others that have helped them deal with ‘sandwich generation’ issues. Continue reading »

Meet our new customer service team. We’ve just added two new people to our team her in Marlborough; Lindsey Thayer and Samantha Dexter. They dove right in on their first day and not more than a couple weeks after that, they got their hands really dirty on our PLANET Day of Service event on Earth Day. They are already proving to us and our clients that this is a team that is tops in the collection agency field.

Putting someone into collections may not be easy decisions sometimes. When you do, you want to make sure that you and your customers are in good hands during a delicate situation. Having a team that has people on it that recognize this has been at the forefront of our mission from day one. We truly believe our customer service team sets us miles apart for others in the industry. They both bring their own set of strong skills to American Profit Recovery and we believe they will be well received by the clients who need advice on their accounts.

Welcome Lindsey and Samantha!

Samantha Dexter

Lindsey Thayer