Page 140 - Accounting Best Practices
P. 140

c07.qxd  7/31/03  1:47 PM  Page 129
                                Implementation Issues for Collections Best Practices
                                Exhibit 7.1 Summary of Collections Best Practices            129
                                                Best Practice               Cost      Install Time
                                Collection Management
                                  7–1  Clearly define account ownership
                                  7–2  Utilize collection call stratification
                                  7–3  Grant percentage discounts for early
                                      payment
                                  7–4  Conduct immediate review of unapplied
                                      cash
                                  7–5 Outsource collections
                                  7–6  Simplify pricing structure
                                  7–7  Write off small balances with no approval
                                Collection Systems
                                  7–8  Compile customer assets database
                                  7–9  Maintain access to customer orders
                                      database
                                 7–10  Arrange for automatic bankruptcy
                                      notification
                                 7–11  Set up automatic fax of overdue invoices
                                 7–12  Issue dunning letters automatically
                                 7–13  Use a collection call database
                                 7–14  Implement customer order exception
                                      tracking system
                                 7–15  Install payment deduction investigation
                                      system
                                 7–16  Link to comprehensive collections
                                      software package
                                 7–17  Institute lockbox collections

                                Credit Issues
                                 7–18  Preapprove customer credit
                                 7–19  Create standardized credit level
                                      determination system
                                Invoice Issues
                                 7–20  Add receipt signature to invoice
                                 7–21  E-mail invoices in Acrobat format
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