Wendy van Akker-Vlasveld – HBK
“I used to handle accounts receivable myself. After the invoices were sent, I took care of reminders and phone calls when payments were overdue. That was very time-consuming work. Time that I would rather spend working for clients than chasing them for payments!’
“A business associate of ours told us about Debitan. He used the system himself and had positive experiences with the software and the company. Serge came to our office to give a demonstration and explanation. His story and the capabilities of the software aligned perfectly with what we were looking for. The decision was not difficult. We thought, let’s just give it a try and see how it goes. But the ship is still sailing smoothly.”
Keeping the customer in mind
“Debitan takes care of the calling and emailing process after invoicing. That’s very helpful. The reminder process can often feel a bit uncomfortable and time-consuming. Additionally, we also see that external pressure can be effective. When an outside party sends a message about an outstanding invoice, customers often pay more quickly. However, the intention is not solely to apply pressure. It is especially important that the entire process feels good for our customers. This is the challenge for the accounts receivable managers at Debitan. They have to assess the customer relationship to some extent. But they do it very well.”
Time savings and efficiency
“The main advantage of working with Debitan is the time savings. And the fact that I quickly have an overview of the status. Which invoices are on hold, how long invoices have been outstanding, etc. I have weekly contact with Laura. My colleague ensures that all invoices and payments are updated in Exact Online, and then I ask Laura to synchronize the data in the accounts receivable management software so that Debitan can continue their tasks. Additionally, I check the bank accounts daily for payments and immediately update this in the Debitan portal.”
Reasonableness and friendliness
“When customers don’t pay, it can be due to slow payment habits, disagreement with the invoice, or financial difficulties. If we notice that customers are not paying, we often contact them ourselves. We value the customer relationship greatly. That’s why we always choose appropriate communication based on reasonableness and friendliness. We are always open to payment arrangements if necessary. Fortunately, the payment reminders from Debitan are often enough to prompt customers to make payment. There have only been three instances where we had to hand over an invoice to collections because there was no progress. And when there are payment arrangements, Laura keeps track of whether they are being followed. That saves me time!”
Wendy’s tip
“It’s important to assess how much time you spend on accounts receivable management. How much time do you spend on sending reminders, making follow-up calls, and checking everything? Then you can weigh what you prefer to do: working for clients or chasing them for payments. And it’s also very nice to outsource something like this to a company that is good at it. Many people find it uncomfortable to chase payments themselves. When someone else contacts your customers to pay your invoices, there is a sense of distance. That is quite pleasant. You can continue working for those clients without any negative feelings.”
About HBK
BK fiscalisten_accountants_expat consultants helps entrepreneurs get the most out of their business. They stand out from their colleagues by looking beyond just tax burdens and seizing opportunities that others don’t even see. The customer is always at the center. The focus is not on how the customer did as an entrepreneur but on how it should be done. HBK relieves its customers so that they can focus on running their business. Meanwhile, the twenty-five consultants limit remittances to tax authorities and stand on the sidelines as advisors and supporters.
www.hbk.nl