If you would like a free sample letter to use, please email me at michelle@michelledunn.com with B & T past due letter in subject line.

Once they have received package, email or call them. Ask them what they are doing with invoices. Ask them questions such as:

Do they have to be approved by someone else? If they have to be approved, who has to approve them and when will they give them to that person? Get that person’s direct number if possible. Find out if that person signs checks. Are there any discrepancies with invoices? When will check be cut? When can you call back for check number?

Once all past due balances are cleared up, you need to think about future invoices. Do you want to extend credit again or do you want to have pre-payment or payment at time of order. Whatever you decide put it in writing. If you can both sign agreement, that is even better. Remember, having a credit policy in place tells people you mean business.

Once you’ve located candidates, start asking questions. What can they do for you? What will they need to have access to in order to make changes? Describe some of your problems and ask what they’d do to repair them.

Once your consultant is in place, ensure that they have access to everything they need. Speak with your line managers and other involved personnel about what consultant is going to be doing, and what he’s going to need from them in order to do it. Set some project management software in place, and ensure that your consultant feels free to ask you for whatever assistance he or she needs.

You should budget for more than just a consultant when you’re working on your operations management. You will certainly need to make some capital and equipment investments as well; a consultant is more likely to add tools than to remove them. Whether it’s new software, GPS location equipment, or a revamping of assembly line, you’ll need to purchase new items to take advantage of efficiencies your consultant discovers. This seems like an elementary concept; but often companies pour money into a great consultant, only to run out of cash when it comes time to implement solutions consultant has found. And by time cash is there to implement, information provided by consultant is outdated!