Your business is up and running on the Web. You receive your first batch of orders. The demand for your products or services is even better than you anticipated. You become overwhelmed handling invoices, bills, and payments. Perhaps you are new to the electronic way of doing things and miss the traditional way of billing your customers. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Studies show that at least 84% of businesses still prefer paper billing.
The Good News: Everything’s about to change! Many software vendors are automating features to make online invoicing a breeze. This means you can track everything faster, saving you time and money as well. On the bright side, you are helping the environment by choosing a paperless process. Now that you have the best invoicing solution just a mouse click away, all you need to know is how to make E-billing work for your business.
How to Maximize Online Invoicing for Your Business
1. Face Facts
Your customers will accept online billing that: provides security, gives all pertinent billing information, and is identifiable as coming from you. You can make electronic billing simple and easy to understand, whether they view their bills online or download it in PDF.
2. Make Rules
Electronic billing becomes a solution for your business when you establish rules and follow them! WHO will create the invoices? WHEN?…Daily?… Weekly?…At job end?
3. Sell the Idea
How do you convince your customers to use your electronic billing system? Try marketing the idea to them. Offer rewards, or discounts
to those customers choosing to pay their bills online. Change, for some, is difficult. Perhaps all they need is some motivation. What’s in it for them?
4. Be Flexible
Knowing your customers’ needs is key in the success of your electronic billing system. Don’t overlook how customers may want to receive an invoice. Do your E-billing system make it easy for your customers to pay you? Can they track their invoices online? Do they want to receive email alerts? Do they understand everything in their E-bills? Always put your customers’ needs first!
5. Learn!
What online invoicing system is best for you? Assess what you need in an E-billing application and then research your options. Do you need: your company logo, control of all invoicing details, graphic displays of products, conversion of estimates to invoices, an e-billing system that offers 24-7 customer service? The list is almost endless. Do your homework. Find your best fit. Pricing and quality varies. (Personally – we recommend Greenerbilling – “If the app’s a fit, you should commit ! “)
Electronic invoicing is here to stay. That’s a fact! The European Commission has recently begun a campaign of making small businesses jump onto the E-billing caravan. The reasons are pretty obvious: You get to save the environment and reduce the costs of doing business. E-billing can take time getting used to, but doing things faster is a great reward. It’s All About Customer Satisfaction!
Tags: billing, electronic billing, invoice, invoice management, invoice performance, invoicing, invoicing work, make electronic billing, maximize online invoicing, online billing, online invoicing
