Archive for the ‘The Cash Flow Group’ Category
Consumer Debt Collections
Commercial debt collections involves collection between a business (creditor), and a consumer (debtor. Debt collections like those are more governed than its counterparts.
To begin with, there are state laws controlling debt collection. For example, in Florida, collection agencies can operate without licenses in the state. This goes for collectors and debt buyers as well. A sole proprietor business can still collect a debt. Make sure that your business is not doing other business within the state.
What is the purpose of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act? Also, ensures the privacy of debtors is still protected. The FDCPA is now codified and amended to watch out for and prevent abusive practices. It is also designed to provide consumers with a venue to air their disputes. It has penalties enacted on distressing collectors. Finally, the FDCPA provides validation of accurate debt information.
FDCPA scrutinizes the collection activities of consumer debt collection agencies. It ensures that agencies don’t use abusive and deceptive tactics towards debtors.
One of the advantages to hiring a collection company is their knowledge of laws. These laws pertain to your case. Collecting debts on your own, while staying within the laws, can be a daunting task. This is especially true when dealing with consumer debt collection.
Commercial Debt Collections
Commercial debt collections is also called business-to-business debt collection. It involves debt payment from one business to another. This is assuming two things. That businesses are now sophisticated. They need to have discipline to comprehend their own rights and financial duties. Thus, commercial debt collection is much less controlled.
FDCPA does not apply to commercial debt recovery. This allows agencies to take a different approach to each claim.
The secret here boils down to the skills of the debt collector. Consumer debt collectors have different skills compared to commercial debt collectors. Not all who start from consumer debt collection are able to adapt to commercial debt collection. This is because commercial collection agencies are now specialized.
Part of a collectors job is to balance relationships. Recover money from the client’s debtor. But, do this while maintaining a good relationship between the client and customer. Yet, there are agencies that handle collections both from individuals and from businesses.
Which Is Easier To Collect?
There are pros and cons to collecting each type of debt. Consumer debt involves compacted laws and regulations. Commercial debt collection may need specialty skills or an effort to maintain a relationship with the client. Either way, debt collection is often complicated. Anyone attempting to collect debts can generally enjoy the help of an experienced collection firm.
The Cash Flow Group
Fort Lauderdale / Miami, FL
Toll Free: 800.226.2006
Monday, October 22nd, 2018 | Florida Debt Collection, The Cash Flow Group | Comments Off on Debt Collection in Florida Techniques
Debt Collection in Florida Techniques and Strategies
Are you uncertain whether your debtor will pay your unpaid debt? Or did you run out of ways to effect debt recovery? It’s a very cumbersome task to recover past due receivables. The Cash Flow Group utilizes a unique blend of techniques. We incorporate phone calls, strong written communication skills and litigation. Sometimes traditional collection methods fail. We and our debt collection attorneys will then deploy advanced collection techniques. Below are some of the methods we use to collect outstanding monies. These debt recovery techniques will help you recover your money immediately.
Making Phone Calls
Ask for payment in full. If the debtor refuses to pay the entire debt, determine what the problem is. The debtor’s priorities may be other creditors get paid or their cash flow may be poor. Make sure your outstanding receivables are his or her priority.
While making calls keep the following things in mind:
- Call the debtor at the right time of day
- Monitor their working routine.
- While on the call document the conversation. Don’t forget the important points verbalized by the debtor
- Don’t leave messages
- Communicate to the debtor company clearly and concisely
- Don’t be vague
Written Communication
Strong written communication when it pertains to debt collection is essential. Deploy invoices. Also deploy firm and professional demand letters when asking for immediate payment. The goal is to get the debtor’s attention and to avoid any misunderstandings. You want to get paid-in-full as quick as possible. Make it clear to the debtor company when the bill needs to get paid, and any charges applicable. In some cases make the consequences clear for not paying.
Litigation
In the case of non-payment, taking strong legal action against the debtor may be the best course of action. This is if all else fails. We recommend that you use litigation only if your unpaid bill is now uncontested. If the debtor company contests the bill, it can be a no-win situation. This process will involve the presentation of legal documents and court summonings. Even though legal action is now initiated, negotiation and resolution are still possible. This can be the best path towards debt recovery.
These are just a few techniques from The Cash Flow Group. Please contact us if you have any further questions or concerns. We are here for you!
Friday, October 19th, 2018 | The Cash Flow Group | Comments Off on Florida Debt Collections and Payment
Florida debt collections and payments – advice from The Cash Flow Group.
How to Avoid Preferential Debt Payments
Everyone has creditors they would rather pay back before others. This includes debts owed to family or friends. You should pay back these debts before bankruptcy. Then they are now considered preferential debt payments. This would allow the bankruptcy trustee to recover any payments made. Preferential payment helps to make payments distribute more even amongst all creditors.
How long must you wait in order to avoid a preferential debt payment?
This will vary depending on your relationship with the creditor. A preferential debt payment is a payment made within 90 days of filing for for bankruptcy.
Three important things to note:
1. Payment must exceed $600
2. You must be insolvent at the time of payment
3. The creditor must receive more than they otherwise would in a bankruptcy settlement
Close friends and family have even stricter terms. These payments made within 1 year before filling for bankruptcy are being considered a preferential debt payment. The same three requirements will still apply.
What happens when a preferential debt payment occurs?
What is a preferential debt payment occurs during the bankruptcy process? In that case, the trustee can recover (clawback) the full amount paid.
This is not illegal unless the payment was being made to defraud creditors or hide assets from the court.
In most cases, the payment is being clawed back from any of the involved parties. The payment will then become part of the bankruptcy settlement.
How to avoid preferential debt payments?
The easiest way is to simply avoid having payments fall within the designated periods. This means you may have to avoid filling for bankruptcy until these payments have cleared the preferential period. You should not do this with the intent of defrauding your other creditors or in an attempt to hide assets though, or else you may risk charges for your actions. One way to avoid this confusion is to stick to a regular schedule for payments, as to avoid the appearance that these payments were made purposefully to favor one party over another.
This article should not be taken as legal advice. Yet, the information provided should help you decide whether you have given or received a preferential payment. If you believe you may have an issue, we suggest you seek the advice of a lawyer.
Do you have questions about preferential payment? Feel free to contact us today! We look forward to hearing from you!
Friday, October 5th, 2018 | The Cash Flow Group | Comments Off on Commercial Collection Agencies Florida – 5 End of Year Tasks
Commercial Collection Agencies Florida – The Cash Flow Group is here to help.
5 End of Year Tasks for Your Business
Commercial Collection Agencies Florida
The end of the year always brings some predictable events. You know that magazines and websites will be releasing their lists of “best movies” or “most memorable events.” You know that car dealers and other large item retailers will be trying to sell off expensive merchandise. You know payroll departments will be preparing to fill out W-2 forms, and accountants will be getting ready for tax season. As a commercial collection agency there are certain tasks we’d love to see business owners add to their annual end of the year to-do lists.
Determine Which Invoices Need Attention
Once an account is 90 days overdue, there’s already a 26% chance that it will never get paid. At 7 months overdue, there’s only a 50% chance that you will get paid. Ideally, business owners would routinely check for late invoices and turn them over to a reputable collection agency while there was still a great chance of getting the invoice paid. But at the very least, reviewing past due invoices is something that should be done at the end of the year.
Update Terms and Conditions
The world has changed a lot in the last five years. If you haven’t updated your terms and conditions on credit applications recently it may be time to make a change.
Review Procedures
Are your internal collection policies and procedures working? Can you make changes to improve efficiency and effectiveness? Are you making phone calls when you should be writing emails to get answers in writing? Are you writing emails when you should be making phone calls? Is there anything you could automate, such as overdue notices, which would make life easier for your Accounts Receivable department? An annual review of your policies and procedures may help you identify both problem areas and strengths.
Update Payment Procedures
Strangely enough, many businesses, especially smaller ones, often make it difficult for clients to pay them. If you’ve resisted allowing online credit card transactions, or PayPal transactions because of fees, it’s time to rethink those ideas. Services such as PayPal and Square may make your business more time efficient. Don’t forget to update your check payment procedures as well. Services like Vericheck can help you avoid accepting bad payments.
Check on Your Providers
When you hire a lawyer or a credit collection agency you’re hiring a company that will represent you. The last thing you need is someone from outside your company creating legal or reputation hassles for you. The end of the year is a great time to check in with the reputation of any service provider that represents you. Check Better Business Bureau ratings, online reviews, and professional organization memberships.
The end of the year is a busy time and adding more “to dos” to your existing task list can be daunting. But, making sure that you’re on top of unpaid invoices and payment policies can be a great way to ensure that you start the next year off right. If you’re end of the year tasks reveal debts you need help collecting, make sure to let us know, The Cash Flow Group is here to help.
Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018 | The Cash Flow Group | Comments Off on Commercial Collection Agencies in Florida – Business Management
Commercial Collection Agencies in Florida – The Cash Flow Group Helps with Business Management
How Will I Manage My Debt Collection Business?
Commercial Collection Agencies in Florida
The answer to this question varies depending on your personality and business experience. Find good, honest people, and surround yourself with those people. You may have pay a little more for those types of people, but they will save you mounds of headaches in the long run.
Ask yourself how you would like to be managed, and then devise a way that would suffice your philosophies and beliefs.
The collection industry is often a fast paced, high stress environment. Make sure that you hire good help that know how to work with people, are not prone to offense, and are teachable. Likely you will be working in your business and with these people on a daily basis. They will learn to trust and respect you.
Help them succeed by providing them a comfortable work environment. Give them the right tools. You are helping your own business succeed by doing these things.
It is important that you are a part of your debt collection business. Most small business owners make the mistake of getting “stuck in the business”. They also don’t have time to “run the business”. Most small business owners get stuck in the day-to-day grind of the business. They can’t get themselves out of the day-to-day tasks long enough to run a successful business. Hire good help that you can trust. This way you can delegate some of the day-to-day responsibilities of the business. Now you have time to “run your business” and “expand your business”. Be cautious though, you don’t want to give all responsibility away. You need to still be involving yourself in your business. At least enough to know what is going on and provide accountability to others.
Regardless of how you decide to manage your business, the “golden rule” applies more so now that you are a manager.
The Cash Flow Group can help with advice and answer any questions you might have about your debt collection business! Contact us today!
Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018 | The Cash Flow Group | Comments Off on Debt Collection in Florida – Payment Processing 101
Debt Collection in Florida – The Cash Flow Group:
Payment Processing 101
debt collection in florida
If you run a busy business, then you know all too well that the way payments are processed has greatly changed over the years. While some people still pay with cash or check many customers choose alternative methods. There are many different ways to make a payment these days and offering them to your customers is a great way to increase sales. Today we are going to learn about several of these payment types and how they can boost your business and make life easier.
Pay by Text
A fairly new payment process that is taking the commerce world by storm is pay by text. The process of payment by text is very simply. The two-step process begins when the customer sends you their mobile phone number. Then you place that number in the payment system and a text message is generated and sent back to the customer. The customer will then have the option to pay for the good or service with just one click. This process is very fast and it speeds up the checkout process.
Below is a list of businesses that could benefit from this payment method.
- Retail locations: No matter what type of retail location you own, you could greatly benefit from pay by text. Those long lines in your shop during the holidays season can be quickly processed using this mobile payment method.
- Food establishments: Whether you own a high-end restaurant or a trendy food truck, processing payments quickly is always in your best interests. So why not offer your customers an option to pay by text? It will speed things along and there will be no need for them to wait around for a check.
High Risk Payment Processing
This is another area of payment that deals with those establishments that are considered a high-risk. If your company has been labeled high-risk, chances are you will have a hard time finding a company to process your payments. When this happens, you will need to seek out a payment company that specializes in these services, that will be willing to work with you. But you might be asking yourself how did you became a high-risk merchant in the first place?
Below is a list of reasons why you might be deemed high-risk.
- You have poor credit: If you are just starting your business and your credit score is poor you might be placed in the high-risk category.
- A history of chargebacks: If your business has had a lot of chargebacks in the past you might be dropped by your payment processing company. Trying to find a new one might be difficult if you were label a high-risk.
- An industry with a high fraud rate: If you are doing business in an industry that is known to be plagued with fraud you are high-risk. Some financial services companies such as check cashing companies fall into this category. Also, many online-only merchants will fall into the category of high-risk companies due to the fraud levels associated with online transactions.
Utility Payment Processing
Another huge industry is the utility industry. People of all walks of life pay their utilities each and every month. But keeping track of those payments can be difficult to handle alone. If you are a utility company that is looking for the best way to process payments, chances are in-house is not the best option. Hiring someone else to handle your payments for you can lift the burden off you. This will allow you to focus on other aspects of your company.
Below are several utility companies that can benefit from this service.
- Electric companies
- Gas companies
- Sanitation companies
- Water companies
Working with A Payment Processor You Can Trust
When you are looking for a payment processing company for your business, finding one you can trust is very important.
For any questions you have, The Cash Flow Group is here to help! Contact us today!
Thursday, September 27th, 2018 | The Cash Flow Group | Comments Off on Debt Collection Tips and Strategies
Strategies For Improving Collection Rates – PROVEN!
Debt collection tips from The Cash Flow Group:
Taking a few safeguards can improve your success when collecting on your receivables. I have found that basic strategies are usually the most effective. Increase the effectiveness of your collection process by:
1. Have a Written Credit Policy
Follow this policy on a consistent basis.
2. Know Your Customer
Is your customer an individual, a sole proprietor, a partnership, or a corporation? Businesses often use fictitious names and acronyms for their businesses. It is important to establish who has responsibility for the obligation.
3. Plan for Collection Problems Before They Happen.
Your credit agreement or application should provide for provisions for attorney’s fees. Interest at a high rate and late charges for a delinquent account is also provided. To recover attorney’s fees, courts need a written agreement. This needs to signed by an authorized representative.
4. Use Personal Guarantees
Use these guarantees especially when you are dealing with new companies. These companies may not have a credit history. They will try to escape personal liability be creating a corporate account.
5. Have a Detailed Credit Application
All the above, and more, should be now contained in a comprehensive credit application.
6. Obtain a Security Agreement
This agreement creates a lien on the equipment or merchandise. This is to protect you in the event of a default or bankruptcy filing.
7. Keep all Correspondence Between You and Your Customer
Letters or emails received from your customers may admit the liability in question. Use follow up phone conversations with a letter or email confirming the conversation. You may receive a letter or email from your customer that you do not agree with. Respond to these by the reasons for the dispute. Once an account is in dispute and the customer has defaulted you must act quick. The age of the account will be one of the main factors that will impact your ability to be able to collect. Statistics show that 90 days after the account is past due, you have less than a 75% chance of collecting it. The percentage shrinks every passing month. After 12 months, there is only a 25% possibility of collection.
Get a hold of us at the Cash Flow Group with any questions or concerns. We are here to help!
Tuesday, September 25th, 2018 | The Cash Flow Group | Comments Off on Florida Commercial Collection Agency
Steps to Making Powerful Commercial Collection Calls:
Florida Commercial Collection Agency – If you don’t have a predetermined strategy in place, you’re probably spinning your wheels – being ineffective and costing your company money.
- Know your customer and their business. Are they impacted by seasonal cash flow etc.?
- Deciding what strategies you will use to stay on track.
- Set goals for yourself. For example – reduce DSO by 12% to improve cash flow.
- Deciding and outlining which strategies you will use to achieve its goals.
- Create effective call scripts so the conversation flows well and you can effectively manage objections and/or stall tactics.
- Measure your results to see what works and what does not. Establish key performance indicators (KPI) to help benchmark future results/ activities.
- Make detailed notes of your conversations with your customers. Before hanging up the phone – provide the customer of a recap of your understanding of the conversation. Better to catch misunderstandings now.
- Try to establish quickly if the customer is slow paying because of a dispute or cash flow issues. You can increase customer satisfaction by simply listening. If there is a legitimate dispute – deal with it. If it is a cash flow problem – see if you can work with the customer.
- Be decisive. If you are getting many promises but no meaningful action (money) then consider bringing in a professional collection agency or lawyer. If you don’t follow through – your customer will take advantage of you.
- Consistency is key. Consistent follow up – consistency doing what you say you’re going to do. Customers will soon learn that your invoices get paid before others.
Please call our collection agency at (800) 226-2006 today with any questions or concerns. The Cash Flow Group is here to help!
Monday, September 17th, 2018 | The Cash Flow Group | Comments Off on Commercial Debt Collection in Florida
Protect Yourself from Fraudulent Checks
Commercial Debt Collection in Florida – During the holidays and the huge sales thereafter is a hot time for bad checks. It’s certainly not limited to holiday time, but it seems that criminals take a liking to the holiday season in ways that wreck it for the rest of us.
No business is immune. Large, small or mid-sized, every company must take precautions.
A few tips from Costco Service Provider Harland Clarke can help you and your employees spot fraud before the damage is done. Here’s what to look for when examining a paper check:
- Missing routing or bank numbers
- Low check number as it may indicate a newly opened account
- Missing address
- Handwritten address
- Missing bank name
- “Void” printed anywhere on check
- Glued, taped or stapled check
- Obvious erasures or white out portions
- Missing signature
- Unusually large purchase from unknown customer
Security features, like a watermark are a good sign that the check is legit. You may want to make a quick call to the bank before you finish the transaction.
As a business owner, you have the right to protect yourself. If the check just doesn’t feel or look right, request another form of payment.
Collecting Uncollectible Debts and Tax Write-offs
Florida Debt Collectors, The Cash Flow Group is here to answer your questions! One question that business owners often have to wrestle with at tax time is whether or not to write off a debt as “uncollectible.”
If your business uses a cash basis accounting system, this isn’t an issue for you. In a cash basis accounting system, you don’t count money that you’re owed until it’s paid to you. You can still write off any expenses related to an unpaid invoice, but you do not owe taxes on any unpaid income. If you are a large company this also is unlikely to be an issue for you. Large companies tend to use a reserve form of accounting and have a “bad debt reserve” to which they apply bad debts.
However, if you are neither a very large or very small company, you most likely file your taxes on an accrual basis. In accrual basis accounting, the unpaid invoice shows up as income on which you owe taxes. However, if you never collect that money, you can write off the amount as a bad debt expense.
Tax Planning
It is usually best to take your write off as soon as possible so that you get the tax deduction now, instead of later. The only time taking the deduction later would be better is if you are expecting to be in a higher tax bracket later on. This is primarily a concern for sole proprietors and S corporations, whose annual income fluctuates more widely. However, even if you expect to change tax brackets, you can not randomly decide when to write off debts. There are no hard and fast tax rules about when you can consider a debt “uncollectible,” but the IRS does like to see consistency in your tax filing methods.
Generally, it’s hard to justify classifying a debt as “uncollectible” if the debt has been owed for less than 90 days. But, some warning signs that a debt may be uncollectible, even if it’s been less than 90 days, include a company declaring bankruptcy, a company refusing to answer communication, a company stating that they will not pay you, or a company simply disappearing. Once you have turned a debt over to a collection agency, you are also justified in writing it off on your taxes. However, if the collection agency is able to collect, you will owe taxes on the amount collected.
We recommend that you not wait until tax season to think about how you will collect on unpaid invoices. We advise clients to consider professional help with unpaid invoices that are 90 days or more overdue, or when they start to notice any of the warning signs that a business may not be willing or able to pay its bills.
Debt Collecting
Writing off bad debt is helpful to your bottom line, but what’s more helpful is actually collecting on that debt. For example, imagine that your company is in the 33% tax bracket and a company owes you $10,000. If you write that off as bad debt, you’ll save $3,300 in taxes. However, if you hire a reputable collection agency that charges 20% of the amount collected, you could get $8,000. Earning $8,000 is clearly better than saving $3,300.
At The Cash Flow Group, our goal is to make sure you are paid the money you are owed, so that you write off as few uncollectible debts as possible. Please reach out and let us know how we can help.
