What Is Credit Control: Everything You Need to Know

Introduction

Many businesses excel at driving sales but struggle to collect payments. This disconnect between generating revenue and managing cash flow can pose a significant risk to businesses of any size. When companies focus too heavily on sales without giving equal attention to credit control, they may face cash flow challenges that could hinder growth or threaten their survival. That’s where credit control comes in.

Credit control is the practice of managing and overseeing a company’s receivables to ensure that customers pay on time. It involves setting credit terms, monitoring outstanding payments, and implementing strategies to collect overdue invoices.

In this blog, we’ll explore the importance of credit control and how it works. Let’s dive in.

What Is Credit Control?

Credit control is the strategic practice that businesses implement to ensure that they receive payments from customers on time, resulting in limited exposure to bad debts. This helps businesses sell goods on credit while protecting their business from delinquent customers.

Though the process may sound simply like chasing customers to pay on time, there are broader aspects associated with credit control. It involves setting rules for payment, checking if customers are likely to pay on time, and following up on overdue invoices. 

With efficient credit control, companies can maintain a steady cash flow, which is crucial for covering operational expenses and investing in growth opportunities. Let’s see how.

How Does Credit Control Work?

Every business wants to sell to customers who are willing to make the payment on time, but ensuring this is not always straightforward. Credit control helps businesses manage this challenge effectively. 

At its core, credit control involves creating a procedure to handle payments, manage customer credit, and maintain a steady cash flow. It starts with evaluating the customer’s creditworthiness, establishing appropriate credit terms, and then collecting the payment according to the agreed-upon terms. 

Let’s understand this with a credit control example.

Suppose a business sells its goods to a customer on credit with a 30-day payment term. Before extending credit, the business checks the customer’s credit history to ensure they are likely to pay on time. Once credit is granted, the business sets clear payment terms, including the due date and any applicable late fees.

As the payment due date approaches, the business monitors the account. If the payment is not received on time, the business can send a reminder. If the payment is still late, the business will contact the customer to discuss the problem and, if necessary, offer a payment plan.

With this approach, the business ensures three things: first, it maintains a steady cash flow by actively managing and collecting payments on time. Second, it minimizes the risk of bad debts by evaluating creditworthiness and following up on overdue payments. Third, it builds stronger customer relationships by clearly communicating payment terms.

Steps of Credit Control Process 

Credit control is a crucial process for managing a company’s credit risk. Here’s a typical sequence of steps involved in the credit control process:

1. Conduct credit assessment: The first step is to evaluate whether the customer is creditworthy or not. This can be done by reviewing the customer’s credit history, financial statements, and payment behavior. 
2. Establish credit terms and limits: The next step is to set clear credit terms and limits. Define and communicate credit terms with the customer, including payment deadlines, credit limits, and interest rates for late payments, to avoid any misunderstandings. 
3. Issue invoices: The third step is to send out invoices promptly and make sure they are clear and detailed. Include all important information like the amount due, the due date, and how to make the payment.
4. Track and follow-up: Regularly track outstanding invoices and monitor accounts receivable to identify overdue payments and assess the overall credit risk. Keep an eye on unpaid invoices, send reminders and statements, and make collection calls if necessary.
5. Review credit policies: Periodically review the effectiveness of credit control policies and procedures. Make adjustments based on performance data, changes in market conditions, or shifts in customer behavior to maintain effective credit management.

Types of Credit Control 

There are typically three types of credit control options, among which companies can choose an approach that best suits their risk tolerance and business model. These are as follows:

1. Restrictive credit control

   It is a low-risk credit policy that limits businesses from extending credits to only customers with a strong credit history. In short, it is a cautious approach that aims to minimize risk by setting stringent credit terms.

2. Moderate Credit Control

   A moderate credit control policy strikes a balance between managing credit risk and supporting business growth. Here, companies extend credit to customers with average credit histories as well. 

3. Liberal Credit Control

   A liberal policy focuses on maximizing sales and customer satisfaction. In this type, the business extends credit to most of the customers, making it a high-risk strategy for the organization.

Each of these approaches has its advantages and trade-offs, and businesses must tailor their credit policies to align with their specific goals and risk appetite. However, at times, despite carefully crafted strategies, businesses may still face challenges such as delayed payments, disputes, and unanticipated bad debts. One effective tool that can be helpful in such cases is a credit control letter. Let’s see what it is and how to write one. 

What Is a Credit Control Letter?

A credit control letter is a formal document used by businesses to manage and communicate about credit-related issues with customers. These letters are essential tools in the credit control process, helping businesses enforce payment terms, address overdue accounts, and resolve disputes. 

How to write a credit control letter

Writing a credit control letter is a straightforward process, yet it requires attention to detail and a clear, professional approach. Through the letter, you can remind customers of outstanding invoices and address any issues related to credit and collections. The letter must contain the following elements:

1. Your company’s details like name, address, phone number, and email address. 
2. Date when the letter is sent as it helps track the timeline of communication.
3. Customer’s details, including recipient’s name, company name (if applicable), address, and any relevant contact information.
4. Provide specific details about the overdue invoice, including the invoice number, date, amount due, and original due date.
5. Attach any relevant documents, such as a copy of the invoice, to support your request, if needed. 

Example of credit control letter

Whether you are following up on a missed payment or requesting immediate action, a well-crafted letter helps maintain professional relationships while encouraging prompt payment. Below is a sample credit control letter that demonstrates how to clearly and professionally request payment while outlining essential details.

Conclusion

Managing credit effectively is crucial for the stability and growth of any business. It is a key driver in maintaining healthy cash flow, building strong customer relationships, and making informed financial decisions. At the same time, companies must remember that a critical aspect of credit control management is the ability to adapt and evolve in response to changing market conditions and customer behaviors. Thus, reviewing their credit control practices regularly is a must. 

Furthermore, leveraging technology can significantly improve credit control efforts. For example, using order-to-cash software can automate invoicing, track payment statuses, and generate reminders, reducing manual effort and minimizing errors. Specifically, with credit management software, companies can reduce their bad debts by 20% and manage credit operations seamlessly. 

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