How does Satago's Credit Control feature improve payment collection?

Satago's Credit Control feature is designed to streamline and automate the often time-consuming process of chasing invoices, significantly enhancing the efficiency of payment collection. Businesses that adopt this tool can reportedly reduce their average debtor days by as much as 72%, while also saving considerable administrative time that would otherwise be spent on manual follow-ups.

This is how Satago gets invoices paid faster.

The system achieves these improvements by automating the dispatch of bespoke reminder emails. These emails can be customised with tailored messaging and are sent according to pre-defined, flexible schedules and client groupings, allowing for targeted communication strategies. Additionally, the feature enables the inclusion of information about custom late fees in payment reminders, in compliance with relevant government directives. It can also automate the sending of periodic monthly statements to customers and thank-you emails upon receipt of payment, further professionalising the collections process.

Further customisation options enhance its utility, including editable email templates, a comprehensive conversation history for each client (providing a full audit trail of communications), the ability to pause reminders for specific invoices or customers as needed, and email domain verification to ensure the authenticity and deliverability of communications. While automation is a central component of the Credit Control feature, the system is carefully designed to balance operational efficiency with the maintenance of professional and healthy customer relationships. The capacity to create bespoke emails, define custom sending schedules, and segment clients into different groups allows businesses to tailor their communication approach to suit various customer types and situations.

This ensures that automated chasing efforts are not perceived as impersonal or overly aggressive, fostering consistent communication flows with customers that encourage healthier business relationships. This nuanced approach facilitates effective debt recovery while simultaneously working to preserve valuable customer goodwill. The array of features offered by Satago's Credit Control effectively systematises established credit control best practices. Many SMEs may struggle to consistently implement such practices manually due to resource constraints or a lack of specialised expertise. Elements like pre-built communication schedules and templates, combined with comprehensive automation of reminders, statements, and follow-up messages, help to professionalise the entire collections process from start to finish.

This systematisation naturally leads to more consistent and predictable payment patterns from customers and a tangible reduction in the number of days sales are outstanding. An important, though perhaps less prominent, aspect of the Credit Control feature is the maintenance of a detailed customer communication audit trail, also referred to as conversation history. This functionality provides a clear, chronological record of all interactions and communications regarding outstanding payments for each customer. Such an audit trail can prove invaluable in preventing or quickly resolving any disputes that may arise concerning whether reminders were sent or payments were acknowledged. By providing this evidentiary record, the feature further streamlines the collection process and helps to protect the business's financial interests.