How Outsourced Credit Control Works - A Plain English Guide for SMEs
If you have been thinking about outsourcing your credit control but are not quite sure what it actually involves, this is for you.
Credit control is the process of making sure your invoices get paid on time, and following up professionally when they do not. Most small business owners do it themselves, in between everything else. This blog explains what it looks like when you hand that process to someone else.
No jargon. Just a straightforward walkthrough of what outsourced credit control with INcharge actually looks like, from the first conversation to the end of your first month.
What outsourced credit control is (and isn't)
When you outsource your credit control, a professional credit controller takes over the day to day job of making sure your invoices get paid. They work under your business name, communicate with your clients on your behalf, and keep track of everything that is owed to you and when.
That last part, keeping track of every invoice you have raised, what has been paid, and what is still outstanding, is sometimes called sales ledger management. It is the foundation of good credit control, and it is included as standard.
What it is not is debt collection. Debt collection can involve formal legal processes and enforcement action. Credit control happens before any of that. It is the calm, consistent process of chasing what you are owed professionally, before things reach the point of needing legal intervention. If a situation does require formal action, INcharge will refer you to a debt collection agency or commercial solicitor. That line does not get crossed.
The first conversation
Before anything starts, we have a discovery call. No scripts, no hard sell.
This covers your current situation: how many invoices you raise each month, your typical payment terms, which clients are causing problems, and what you have already tried. It is also a chance to ask whatever you need to ask about how the service works.
By the end of the call, you will know whether it is the right fit for your business and which pricing tier makes sense for your volume.
What it looks like week to week
Once you are onboarded, INcharge takes over the day to day job of making sure your invoices get paid. In practice, that means:
Keeping an up-to-date record of every invoice raised, what has been paid, and what is still outstanding.
Sending payment reminders and follow-up emails on a set schedule.
Making calls where appropriate.
Adjusting the approach based on the client and the situation.
Flagging anything that needs your input or awareness.
All communication with your clients goes out under your business name and from an accounts or credit control email address on your domain. From their perspective, they are hearing from your business. They are not hearing from a third party.
What your clients experience
Your clients will not know INcharge is involved unless you choose to tell them.
Emails go out using your branding and your accounts or credit control address. The tone is consistent and professional. Most clients simply experience a business that has become more organised about following up on invoices, which is exactly the impression you want to give.
What you experience after the first month
The most common thing clients notice after 30 days is clarity. Not a rough sense of what is outstanding, but a precise, up to date picture of exactly where things stand.
The second thing is time. Chasing invoices takes longer than it looks, particularly when you factor in the mental load of deciding when to follow up, how to word things, and whether chasing might affect a client relationship. That weight goes away. The invoices get chased, the process runs in the background, and you get on with the work you are actually there to do.
Pricing
INcharge pricing is published openly on the website. There are three tiers:
Bronze: £550 per month, for businesses raising up to 50 invoices a month.
Silver: £1,000 per month, for up to 100 invoices.
Gold: from £1,500 per month, for higher volumes or more complex situations.
There is a one off onboarding fee of £350 applicable to all levels.
No hidden charges. No long contracts with impossible exit clauses. The pricing is on the website because transparency is part of how INcharge works, and because most providers in this space do not publish theirs.
How to know if it is right for your business
Outsourced credit control tends to work well for businesses that raise invoices regularly, are spending time on chasing that they would rather spend elsewhere, and want a consistent process rather than an occasional scramble.
If you are not sure yet, the discovery call is the right place to start. It costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
What to do next
If any of this sounds like what your business needs, the next step is a free discovery call. A straightforward conversation about your situation and whether the service is the right fit.
Not quite ready to outsource but want to get your invoicing and chasing in better shape? The INcharge Foundations Kit gives you the tools and templates to manage it yourself, at £250.