INFORMATION IS POWER!!!!!!

Enough bad debt undermines the strength of your company and threatens the financial integrity of the company.

When dealing with customers in any business you must imagine that somewhere along the way this very customer will some day not pay their invoice to your company and you will ultimately have to pursue them in a court of law.

Being observant and inquisitive now can help you later on when you need to pursue a once good customer.

By the time your customer's bad debt is turned over to an attorney's office for litigation, it is many months after the transaction has taken place. Attorneys are then called upon, along with the credit department of your company, to reconstruct sales and deliveries that took place many months or even several years prior.

Things to think about:

1. Get full correct corporate name of your customer.
2. Get the officers' names(s), address(es) and social security number(s), as well as, corporate i.d. no.
3. Get the name of any affiliate corporations.
4. Get the exact address for any deliveries made.
5. All proof of deliveries must be signed by a party with authority.
6. Always keep copies of customer(s) checks in your file to ascertain where they do their banking.
7. Make sure original credit application is filled out completely and signed by party with authority.