Who is your perfect customer?

A guest post from Rita Adams at A.R.M Credit Control:

Today’s challenging economic climate means that competition is fierce and many businesses are having to work much harder to get new clients on board. It can be tempting to make a sale at any cost but how can we ensure our clients will actually be good for business?

The “perfect customer” is not necessarily the one placing the biggest order!

Regardless of the market in which you operate, your dream customer:

• is financially stable
• accepts your payment terms
• pays on time

and, therefore, represents a low risk to you. We can all reduce the worry of quoting for new business and avoid cash flow problems by asking the following key questions:

• Am I agreeing significantly longer payment terms with my clients than I am with my suppliers?  If so, who has the most reasonable terms and whose do I need to change?
• Is the service or product customized for the client or significant in size?  Could it be appropriate to request a down-payment or payment against proforma invoice?
• Am I happy to take a risk with this client or should I check them out before agreeing the sale?

And remember… a sale is not a sale until the invoice is paid!

For a free no-commitment phone call please ring Rita Adams, A.R.M. Credit Control, on 01628-487 849, or visit www.armcreditcontrol.co.uk  for more articles and tips