The Great Chase Avoidance
There are two kinds of people in business:
those who chase debts… and those who’d rather do literally anything else.
We’ve all seen it. The overdue invoice is sitting there, glaring from the screen, but instead of picking up the phone, something miraculous happens — suddenly, there’s an urgent need to:
- Reorganise the stationery cupboard (by colour, obviously)
- Check toner levels… again
- “Just quickly” clean out the email inbox
- Or my personal favourite: write “chase invoice tomorrow” on the to-do list — every day for a month.
The truth is, chasing money feels uncomfortable for most people. It’s not what they signed up for when they started a business. It feels awkward, a bit confrontational — and let’s face it, nobody wants to be that person on the phone asking for payment.
But that’s where professional credit management comes in.
It’s not about shouting — it’s about skill
Good credit management isn’t about aggressive emails or phone calls that sound like threats. It’s about persistence, empathy, and timing. It’s knowing how to strike the right tone with each customer — firm enough to get results, but friendly enough to keep the relationship intact.
Over the years, I’ve met all kinds of credit controllers.
There’s the Rottweiler — tough, relentless, and never lets go.
Then there’s the Puppy — warm, friendly, and somehow gets paid because everyone likes them.
And then there’s me… somewhere in between, depending on how bad my commute was that morning.
The point is, effective credit management is a professional skill. It’s not something most people enjoy, but it’s absolutely essential to keeping cash flow healthy and businesses running smoothly.
If you’d rather count paperclips — don’t
If you’re part of the 99% who’d rather do literally anything than chase a late payment, don’t feel bad. You’re not alone. But also — don’t ignore it. Because the longer an invoice sits unpaid, the harder it becomes to collect.
So do yourself (and your cash flow) a favour:
get a professional to handle it. Someone who knows how to chase — and actually enjoys it.
That’s what we do every day at the Credit Protection Association. We take the awkwardness, the stress, and the delay out of getting paid — so you can focus on what you do best: running your business.
Watch the video
Watch the latest episode of “The Secret Diary of a Credit Controller” —
The Great Chase Avoidance
Because getting paid shouldn’t be optional.
Want to find out how CPA can help you? Just call Peter Uwins, CPA’s National Sales Manager, on 020 8846 0000 (business hours) or email nsm@cpa.co.uk today.
When you see your money come in, you will be so glad you used CPA.
The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections.