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Is Payment Flexibility Hurting Your Business In Ways You Didn’t Know?

Dec 27, 2024 - forbes.com
The article discusses the challenges and potential drawbacks of offering flexible payment terms in B2B transactions, particularly for SaaS businesses. While flexible payment options can help close deals faster and are appreciated by clients, they can also strain cash flow, increase the risk of churn and defaults, add operational complexity, and pressure profit margins. These issues arise from delayed payments, the need for manual management of accounts, and a lack of visibility into payment reliability, which can lead to financial instability and inefficiencies.

To address these challenges, the article suggests solutions such as AI-powered payment automation, B2B buy now, pay later (BNPL) partnerships, and effective accounts receivable strategies. Each solution has its benefits and drawbacks, and businesses must decide whether to build these systems in-house or partner with external providers. Building in-house offers control but requires expertise and resources, while partnering can streamline processes but may introduce additional costs and dependencies. Ultimately, businesses need to evaluate their unique goals and resources to choose the best approach for managing payment flexibility.

Key takeaways:

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  • Offering flexible payment terms can strain cash flow and increase financial risk if not managed properly.
  • AI-powered payment automation and B2B BNPL partnerships can help mitigate the challenges of payment flexibility.
  • An effective accounts receivable strategy involves classifying clients and tailoring payment terms to maintain financial stability.
  • Deciding between building in-house systems or partnering with providers depends on a business's goals and resources.
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