Tony running through a clock

Canada’s
Small Business
Collection Agency.

MetCredit. We get it.®

Entrepreneurs like you who run small-to-medium sized businesses keep Canada’s economy vibrant.

After all, collectively you employ almost 8.3 million people, and are responsible for 38.4% of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP). Maintaining your cash flow is critical, and a relatively small number of nonpaying accounts can sink you. We get it.™

Our debt collection specialists recover money you’ve already earned, so you can focus on what you do best—building your business and earning new money.

Billy walking up stacks of coins

Things That Worry Business Owners

Economic turmoil is causing nightmarish scenarios to run through the heads of nearly every Canadian business owner. You’re worried about cash flow, staffing, overhead, accounts receivable, lease obligations, market volatility, team morale, profits and losses while still optimistically looking for the silver lining in an almost impossible situation. How can you make sure your business not only survives but thrives?

Qunicy questioning a piggy bank

Accounts Receivable: the Epicentre of Your Business

If you’re honest, you’ll admit you haven’t focused enough on credit and risk management. Are your billing and Accounts Receivable processes up to par with those of industry leaders? You’re not a bank, and flawed business processes leave your company vulnerable to write-offs. The good news: no matter where you are right now, you can take action today to recover money owed to you and minimize future payment delays.

Billy sitting in a chair typing on a laptop Stack of coins

Collect Overdue Receivables the Easy Way

Here’s how it works:

  1. Sign Contract (one time only)
  2. Submit Overdue Account(s) Online 24/7
  3. We Go to Work and You Get Paid

It’s that simple. If we don’t collect, you don’t pay. MetCredit covers all costs upfront.

Larry with a headset and shield

Retain Customers &
Protect Your Reputation

Many small business owners hesitate to make collection calls for fear of driving customers away. But customers who don’t pay are bad for your business, and weak collection practices encourage more of the same behaviour.

MetCredit’s experienced collection agents are trained at Solution-Oriented Recovery™ to help customers pay quickly while preserving your brand reputation and rehabilitating customer relationships. While recovering accounts today, we train your customers to give your bills high payment priority in the future.

While you take care of overdue accounts by , use these proven tips to keep your cash flow pumping:

Small Business Accounts Receivable Checklist

1. Start With Rock-Solid Documentation.

It’s amazing how many small business deals are done on a handshake or with precious little documentation. Taking the time to prepare comprehensive business contracts will save you a fortune down the road. Use a tool like Docusign to make contract approvals accessible and immediate, with no room for excuses. Whether in managing disputes or in the hands of your collection agency, a contract cements the debt. Whenever the scope creeps or deliverables expand, document all changes in detail in a contract amendment or Change Order—and get it approved before incurring additional costs. Remember, any customers who object to your contract are likely the same ones who will fail to pay later.

Tony holding groceries

2. Make Your Credit Application Mandatory.

As you acquire new customers or provide payment terms to existing ones, have a policy that all must complete a credit application. It’s something you are absolutely entitled to do when providing financing. A credit application gathers a lot of information that can be helpful down the road—including banking details. Before granting credit, contact references and ask specific questions about how quickly the prospective customer pays, historically and recently. If any flags pop up, either give the deal a pass or require the customer to sign a secured credit agreement.

3. Enforce Your Late Payment Process.

When things go wrong, small businesses routinely fail. If your customer declares bankruptcy, your chances of getting paid, even as a secured creditor, are slim to none. It’s essential to have a documented collection policy to avoid a cash flow crisis. Your plan might include a reminder call or email the day an invoice is past due, a second reminder call four days later, followed by a written warning that the account is about to be turned over to your collection agency (not your lawyer, which is far too slow and costly, especially in a recession). Give a deadline, and then follow through.

Sally in boxing gear

4. Don’t Accept Stall Tactics.

Be confident, respectful and authoritative—and have all supporting information in hand when making collection calls. If the debtor says the cheque is in the mail, get the cheque number. If your invoice was lost, e-mail or fax it over immediately, and confirm receipt. Never end a collection call without a specific and dated commitment.

5. Move swiftly.

Once you have decided to take collection action, it’s vital to your credibility that you send the file to your collection agency early on the date you promised. At MetCredit, we make it easy to submit files online. We then take action on your behalf and advise the debtor of the consequences of non-payment, such as notifying credit reporting agencies of the unpaid debt (at MetCredit, we report to an unmatched roster of national, regional and industry-specific credit bureaus. Our collection agents leverage Solution-Oriented Recovery™ to assist customers in paying the account quickly.

Store in a phone

6. Get Back to Earning New Money.

Once you have turned a small business account over to your collection agency, step aside entirely and let the collection industry’s top professionals do their work. Now that you’re out of the equation, you can focus your energy on generating future revenue and growing your business.

During an economic downturn, even very good customers can have trouble staying afloat, and hopefully most of yours will survive, recover and prosper.

If you handle the debt collection process respectfully and with integrity, good customers will return when things turn around. They will respect you for your ability to effectively manage your debt collection process. And they will probably become a better customer for it.

Calculator in hand

Still not sure?

Delaying could cost you more than you realize. It’s a statistical fact: the longer you wait to collect overdue accounts receivable, the less you are likely to recover.

See how much money owed to you is worth now, and what happens if you wait longer.

Business owners know they’ll encounter hard to collect accounts receivable during their company’s journey. It’s ok to lean into MetCredit’s expertise. Be proactive and talk to us now, so you know exactly how to handle that scenario.

Know us. For when you need us.
Team inside a blue circle
What our customers say

“As a Mom-and-Pop business, neither of us is strong at collecting on bills, so receivables were always our biggest pain point. Our talent is in fostering relationships, not making collection calls. We hesitated to bring in a collection agency, and now wonder why we waited so long. MetCredit works as an independent third party, so at the end of the day everyone can hold their head high. And we get paid on time much more often now, without ever making those dreaded calls ourselves!”

 

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Pro Debt Collection Tips to Get Paid Now & Eliminate Bad Debt Forever
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