Grow Your Business With E-Invoicing and E-payments

Small business owners and entrepreneurs have so many different things to consider when they begin a new venture, from issues related to the products and services they offer to the way they are going to use marketing to spread the word about what they’re doing.

However, probably the most fundamental element that they need to think about is how they will get paid for what they do. After all, failing to receive payments that are owed can leave a business floundering before it has even really got started.

With that in mind, entrepreneurs need to consider what kind of approach they can take on payment to ensure that they avoid sticky situations going forward. Here we offer up our own thoughts on steps that could be useful, including how embracing invoicing software for small business could ultimately make a huge difference to your operations.

5 tips for billing cosomers that will get you paid faster

1. Set some boundaries

It is important in any business relationship to establish clear boundaries and ensure that you and your customers or clients understand how your arrangement is going to work. Ideally, you should create some clear terms and conditions from the outset – and this should include some transparency on the issue of payment.

Be open with how you expect payment to work, and that clarity should set you off on the right path. After all, it should help to hopefully reduce any miscommunication and mean that you get paid as and when you expect to be.

2. Embrace software

A range of tools are now available to help businesses with all kinds of issues, and the best invoicing software can come in really handy by offering you the chance to easily create and send invoices electronically.

Such systems will also help you keep track of what has been sent out and which payments are outstanding, meaning you never lose sight of what you’re owed or need to chase up.

Furthermore, some of the best invoicing software tools may even help you go a step further and produce so-called e-invoices which could be processed automatically or via electronic means by a customer. Again, such services make the invoicing process simple for both you and the customer, while it may increase the speed at which you are paid too.

3. Keep it clear

Regardless of the sector or industry that you are operating in, it is useful to ensure there is a level of clarity in the language you use. After all, using terminology and jargon which is easy to understand should mean communication issues never arise.

Therefore, avoid issuing invoices or requests for payment which include any complicated or unnecessary jargon. This includes keeping any descriptions of the work you’ve undertaken nice and simple, as well as ensuring deadlines for payment are – literally – spelled out clearly.

Overcomplicating matters may simply lead to late payments.

4. Be flexible

We live in modern times, and the way that people and businesses pay for goods and services has been completely transformed in recent years. PayPal, Apple Pay and so many more applications are used for payments, alongside more traditional methods such as bank transfer or credit and debit cards.

With that in mind, it may be worth offering a range of payment options to your customers and clients. Providing a number of options may mean they can quickly pay on the method of their choosing, while it also shows an element of flexibility and demonstrates that your business moves with the times.

5. Go auto

Another great feature of some of the best invoicing software around is that it can allow you to set up automatic billing.

This can be ideal if your business works a lot with clients or customers who pay the same amount regularly for the service you provide, as you simply enter their details and let the best invoicing software take care of the rest for you.

This means you can focus on developing your business safe in the knowledge that you do not have to spend hours at the end of the day writing up and sending invoices to your customers.

Find an easier way

It is a simple truth that those running businesses have so many different plates to spin, with billing being a key element that they cannot afford to ignore. However, as outlined above, a few simple steps can go a long way towards making the process of payment much easier in the long run.

Embracing the best invoicing software available and keeping things both clear and flexible can make a huge difference not only to the speed of your payments, but also to how your clients ultimately view your operation.

We hope the information above has given you some food for thought as you look to streamline your billing approach in the months ahead.