Ryan Lazanis, CPA’s Post

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I give firm owners tactics & templates to work less + increase revenue at the same time

I had (almost) $0 accounts receivable in my accounting firm. How? I just made it mandatory upon signing that bank details were provided and we collected all payments upfront before any work started. No other payment options were given. It was purely stated it as a matter of fact. And with 99% of clients, there was no push back. Try it yourself and let me know how it goes.

Jon Jenkins

Pragmatic Accountant | Finance systems consultant & trainer. The Pragmatist author.

1mo

Same. Every client paid using GoCardless Direct Debit this was non-negotiable. It was part of the onboarding. We didn't start work until the DD was live. If we did one off jobs they were quoted in advance fixed fee and then that fee was also collected by DD. If a client cancelled the DD we got an email notification and could deal with it straight away. There was a cost to collecting cash via GC but that was much lower then the working capital cost, bad debts, credit control etc In a previous firm we closed down for 2 days a month to do the 'billing'. The amount of time that was written off as clients refused to pay for work they had no recollection of receiving because it was billed 6 months after the event from the partner. Crazy. (The invoices were hand typed just for a bonus).

Chris May

Fractional CFO and Outsourced Accounting Services for Growth Companies

1mo

💯 we do this through Ignition and have had very little pushback. In 3 years of mandating this process, we have had 2 or 3 instances of pushback and ultimately losing the opportunity bc they needed to control payments. We also bill upfront for each month, which gives us a negative cash conversion cycle. The first week of each month is like Christmas morning!

Luis Martínez

Product Designer with over 10 years of experience helping brands make design decisions that move the needle 🚀

1mo

As a web designer, I can definitely relate to this approach. In our process at Summer Days Studio, we require a 50% upfront payment before starting any project. Unless it is a retainer, then we charge upfront. This ensures commitment from both sides and helps manage cash flow effectively. It also covers us in case something unexpected comes up (domains, hosting, plugins, etc). It’s great to see similar strategies working well in different industries. Thanks for sharing this

Izzi Rosenberg ACA

Xero specialist accountant focusing on businesses in the Manchester area.

1mo

I find it unbelievable how when you look at some very successful firms of accountants accounts on Companies House, you see a huge debtor figure. Often far way higher than the cash at bank. Weren't accountants supposed to be risk adverse (and at the very least adverse to pointless risk).

Namrata Jain, EA, CA

Partner - Accounting & Tax Services | Helping Accounting/Tax Firms build offshore teams focused on solving their unique set of problems & pain points

1mo

Great strategy to eliminate accounts receivable headaches! Ryan Lazanis, CPA But you must have put a lot of work into reaching the point where you can ask for upfront payments too, isn't it? Otherwise, there's often resistance from clients.

I don’t E-File unless payment received

Ashley Cloutier

Bookkeeper & Business Owner

1mo

I agree. I do the same and I have not received any push back from clients. They understand the need for payment before service. It also allows client to know what they are spending up front. There of course are the cases that require additional funds do the extent of work, however with open communication, most clients do not have issues with that.

Samuel Moshe Nachfolger

US Tax Accountant & advisor > EA candidate (2/3), Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA) for W-7 ITIN applications --->Expats ✓ Foreign Investors ✓ International Entrepreneurs ✓Personalized strategy tailored to YOUR needs ✓

4w

A detriment can be that if you collect payment up front, then have an unforeseen delay on the estimated completion date, the client could be very upset. If nothing was taken up front, it's not such a big deal for them. It can also create an extra pressure because of this. How do you deal with this? Give yourself extra leeway when giving the estimated completion date?

Tracy Coenen, CPA, CFF, MAFF

Finding Money in Complex Fraud Investigations

1mo

Perfect. With very few exceptions, I require 100% of my fixed fees deposited before I start work.

Brad Wooten, CPA

Money is one of the top causes of stress. We will help you identify, reduce, and eliminate the causes of financial stress bringing you peace of mind.

4w

We collect 100% up front. Excellent decision

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