Every recruiter knows the feeling. After days, weeks or sometimes months of doing all the hard graft sourcing, interviewing, negotiating and managing expectations, you’ve finally made the placement.
The candidate starts, the client is happy, and your invoice goes out.
However, it’s not time to celebrate with the champagne until that invoice gets paid.
That’s where strong credit control comes in. It isn’t just about chasing overdue invoices; it’s about putting processes in place that prevent potential delays before they happen.
Here are five simple ways that a recruitment business can improve cash flow and get paid faster.
ASK ABOUT THE CLIENT’S INVOICE PROCESS
Your recruiter is usually the first and strongest point of contact with the client, so they’re perfectly placed to gather key payment information.
As part of closing the placement, they should ask questions such as:
- Who processes invoices?
- Is a purchase order (PO) required?
- Are invoices submitted via an online portal?
- Is there a specific format that needs to be followed?
A two-minute conversation at the end of the recruitment process can save weeks of unnecessary payment delays later.
INTRODUCE YOUR CREDIT CONTROL TEAM EARLY
Don’t wait until an invoice becomes overdue before making contact.
Once the first invoice has been raised, your finance or credit control team should introduce themselves to the client’s Accounts Payable contact. This creates an early relationship, confirms that the invoice has been received correctly and helps identify any issues before they become problems.
It’s also a great opportunity to understand payment runs, approval processes and any internal quirks that could affect payment times.
VERIFY EVERY INVOICE WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK
A simple follow-up email within seven days can make a huge difference.
Ask the client to confirm:
- They’ve received the invoice.
- The invoice details are correct.
- It’s scheduled for payment within the agreed terms.
Even a brief acknowledgement provides reassurance that the invoice is progressing through their system. If there’s no response, it’s much easier to follow up early than discover weeks later that the invoice was never received.
SEND REGULAR STATEMENTS
Statements are one of the simplest but most overlooked credit control tools.
Sending clients a regular statement of account allows them to compare outstanding invoices against their own records. If anything is missing or incorrect, it can usually be identified and resolved long before payment becomes overdue.
Most accounting systems generate statements automatically, making this a quick win that helps keep both parties aligned.
CHECK BEFORE THE PAYMENT RUN
If a client has confirmed they’ll be paying your invoice, don’t assume everything is in hand.
A quick call or email just before their scheduled payment run can confirm that the invoice has actually been included in the payment run. Mistakes can happen, approvals can be missed, and invoices occasionally fall through the cracks.
A friendly reminder at the right time can often be the difference between getting paid this week or waiting until the next payment cycle.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Good credit control isn’t about constantly chasing clients for past-due invoices; it’s about creating clear communication from the moment the placement is made.
Every business has its own payment processes. Purchase orders, online portals, invoice formatting and approval workflows can all slow things down if they’re not managed proactively.
For recruitment businesses, cash flow is everything. The quicker your invoices are paid, the sooner you can reinvest in your team, your growth and your next placement.
At MAYACHI, we work with recruitment businesses to put effective processes in place, making sure cash flow and credit control align. After all, making the placement is only half the job. Getting paid is what makes it count.