At our place, we use CANI (Constant And Neverending Improvement). Its based on the 2 second lean approach by Paul Akers. In our factory there are a lot of moving parts and process that have grown over time. One of the "breakthroughs/fixes" I provided was to remove a process from my boss's desk and utilise part of the CRM software that was not being used to make the process easier for me and not involve him at all. Working out the process flow was not quite a quick job, but the effort provided a number of benefits, notably, he had more time in the week and no longer had to do a job he hated, and I was able to streamline a dull part of my job.

@Loretta Miranda Hi Ms M. Thanks for the reply. It's a lot harder (less smarter) to re-invent wheels, rather than taking a look at how something can be streamlined with the minimum of effort.

Hi Ms N, Thanks for the response. We operate a bricks and mortar manufacturing business. Our suppliers are typically on credit terms to pay us a the the end of the month on invoice + 30 days. (We have the same terms with our customers). We have put processes in place where customers are vetted before we allow them terms, and some sales are cash up front for all customers depending on the type of the product. This is for high risk/value items. As for chasing late payers, we have developed systems (pre-emptive emails, standard chase scripts) where this a fairly painless process. Since I've been at the company (nearly 10 years) we have maintained a near zero overdue % and no legal calls.

@Julie Niehoff Hi Ms N, Thanks for the reply. You've had to make me think a little... (a good thing) Point A: We have a number of long standing customers who we are on good terms with. So extending credit is something we are able to do. New customers and certain types of sales that include capital purchases for us are non-negotiable COD, regardless of who the customer is. We also have to take care of our cash flow machine, so our rules are part of our quote acceptance process. The up front nature of our messaging means there's no suprises for our customers when it comes to billing. Point B. I have heard of this and in a former life I used to manage the a debtors ledger where we factored the invoices. The book keeping entries were an education with the fee structures that were applied (% on cash advance, % on completion of transaction, monthly accounts fee), but the company I worked for had tight cashflows and factoring was a lifesaver. As far as chasing, customers for payment, we have systems in place where this is kept to a minimum. (pre-emptive emails, semi-automated follow ups). Being the size were and the nature of our business means we have direct access to the decision makers on the customer side. I also insist that I have the contact details of my counterpart admin/accounts person/team for our customers if there is one, so I can develop my own relationship with them. Also the uniqure nature of our product/services provide us with enough leverage. Meaning, most of our customers cannot go elsewere for their goods without sacrificing quality. Your last point: I may have, but am not sure how to deliver and what the interest would be. For now, am just happy to help out where I can. MT

Howdy, I’m Mark from Oz. Looking to skill up on Skool and share some admin knowledge bombs.