---
title: "“Blocking” Retail Customers' Excuses for Non-Payment"
description: "Distributors can improve their accounts receivable recovery rate by identifying retail customers' excuses for non-payment and flexibly formulating countermeasures. The better the excuses retail customers fabricate, the longer they delay payment. Distributors must remain vigilant and prepare in advance to deal with various excuses before collecting payments. The first step in dealing with excuses is to learn to distinguish whether the other party's reason is a fact or an excuse."
author: "陈军"
publisher: "New Distribution"
email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com"
telephone: "+8615854817671"
published: "2014-12-15"
language: "en"
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original_source: "https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/COHf-t6-yWxhnUSznEws1g"
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# “Blocking” Retail Customers' Excuses for Non-Payment

> Distributors can improve their accounts receivable recovery rate by identifying retail customers' excuses for non-payment and flexibly formulating countermeasures. The better the excuses retail customers fabricate, the longer they delay payment. Distributors must remain vigilant and prepare in advance to deal with various excuses before collecting payments. The first step in dealing with excuses is to learn to distinguish whether the other party's reason is a fact or an excuse.

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Distributors can improve their accounts receivable recovery rate by identifying retail customers' excuses for non-payment and flexibly formulating countermeasures. The better the excuses retail customers fabricate, the longer they delay payment. Distributors must remain vigilant and prepare in advance to deal with various excuses before collecting payments. The first step in dealing with excuses is to learn to distinguish whether the other party's reason is a fact or an excuse.

**(1) Not convenient today**
Countermeasure: If the retail customer says, "Not convenient today," ask the retail customer, "When is it convenient?" The retail customer may answer, "In three days." The distributor should say in front of the retail customer, "Today is [month/day], three days later is [month/day], I will come to collect on that day." At the same time, write in the work record in front of the retail customer, "Agreed to collect for the second time on [month/day]," and be sure to come on time to collect.

**(2) Not yet approved**
Analysis: The larger the retail customer, the more likely this is an excuse.
Countermeasure: In advance, find out the retail customer's payment procedures, who handles it, who approves it, and who finally authorizes it. By asking the retail customer's employees, understand which step is stuck, whether it is an excuse or a fact. If it is an excuse, point it out face-to-face; otherwise, you may encounter the same excuse every time you collect in the future.

**(3) Dissatisfied with products and services**
Analysis: If the distributor's products really have problems, then the responsibility lies with the distributor, but this is not a reason for the retail customer not to pay; at most, it is a reason for returning goods. The fact is that if the product or service really has problems, the retail customer should have contacted the distributor long ago to express dissatisfaction.
Countermeasure: First, confirm whether your products and services really have problems. You can ask the retail customer what they are complaining about, when they started feeling dissatisfied with the product or service, and whether they have expressed dissatisfaction to your company. If they cannot remember clearly, ask further details. If the other party cannot answer any questions, you should argue on the merits and recover the debt.

**(4) The check has been sent**
Analysis: This is the most common excuse and also a common trick in settlement fraud.
Countermeasure: Find out the exact time the retail customer sent the check and whether it was sent to the correct address. Also, understand how the check was sent; it is best to ask them to provide a copy of the check sent, and verify whether the payee, account number, and address are correct. The distributor should contact the other party's bank (the check issuing bank) to verify whether it has been sent. If the issuing bank does not cooperate, be more careful (this may be a collusion between the retail customer and the bank). Contact your own bank to confirm whether the money has been received. If you still have not received the check 14 days after it was sent, request the other party to cancel the check and reissue another one.

**(5) External funds have not arrived**
Retail customers often use the excuse that external funds have not arrived to delay payment. There are mainly the following situations:
1. Recently tight on cash
Analysis: Everything has omens. When the retail customer says this, the distributor should reflect on whether their credit tracking and evaluation of the retail customer is in place.
Countermeasure: Ask other distributors and the retail customer's employees about the exact reason for their recent cash crunch. For retail customers with good credit who are only temporarily short of liquidity, you may appropriately grant an extension and try to help them with advice, moving the retail customer with sincere service; for retail customers with poor credit who deliberately use the cash crunch as an excuse not to pay, and those whose operations are indeed facing a crisis, step up collection efforts, understand their fixed assets (whether they can offset debts with goods), and understand their shareholders' situation (whether they can be pursued). Regardless, the distributor should tell the retail customer that granting credit sales is a trust in their repayment ability and also a promise of repayment. "Cash crunch" is only an objective condition of the retail customer, not a reason to refuse payment.
Such retail customers may not have sufficient funds to pay off all their debts, but they can definitely repay part of the debt. The salesperson can formulate a repayment plan, agree with the other party on when the balance can be paid off, and when each installment will be repaid, thereby gradually reducing the risk of accounts receivable.

2. There will be income in a month, and I can repay then
Analysis: If you believe this statement, you give them another month to fabricate new excuses. Ask the other party to explain why they still cannot pay the bill.
Countermeasure: Do not believe this excuse; intensify collection efforts.

3. We pay within 90 days
Analysis: This excuse often occurs with large retail customers with high creditworthiness but their own payment cycles (such as hypermarkets).
Countermeasure: The way to deal with this is to build good relationships with key personnel as much as possible, squeeze into the "first bus" in their payment plan, and fully understand the documents they need for payment (invoices, delivery proofs, etc.), and prepare in advance.

**(6) Incomplete documents**
Retail customers often use incomplete documents as an excuse. There are mainly the following situations:
1. Computer malfunction, unable to print checks
Analysis: This type of problem is common in large retail customers, such as hotels, chain supermarkets, etc. If the retailer's computer has problems and cannot print checks, not only can they not pay accounts payable, but their procurement is also affected. This is a big problem. If it is true, the finance department should know about it and should notify repair personnel to fix it as soon as possible.
Countermeasure: Ask the other party's finance department whether this is true. If you confirm that the retail customer's computer really has problems, try to fax the invoice for the payable in advance so that when you call again a few days later, the faxed invoice can be placed in front of the finance department personnel.
Agree with the other party on which day to come to collect again, and what vouchers are needed for collection, to avoid encountering another excuse next time.

2. Did not receive the statement
Analysis: This is definitely an excuse. Debtors cannot forget that they owe money; they only "forget to repay."
Countermeasure: Reconcile accounts in a timely manner, deliver the bill personally to the retail customer. If faxing, write clearly on the fax "total pages" and other words to avoid their other excuse "received, but only one page." After sending the fax, call to confirm that the other party has received it all.

3. Can only pay based on the original invoice
Analysis: If you know the other party's payment procedures in advance, it is clear whether this reason is an excuse.
Countermeasure:
1. Do not ask "Why can you only pay based on the original invoice?" Otherwise, you will get a bunch of reasons.
2. Play hard to get: Express "It is very difficult for us to provide the original, almost impossible." The other party will seize the opportunity to make a big deal: "We must pay based on the original invoice; it is the financial system. As long as you provide the original, we can pay immediately..." Seize their loophole and immediately confirm: "I will go back and try to provide the original. If the original is provided, you must guarantee immediate payment."
3. Ask what other procedures are needed to avoid encountering another excuse.
4. Send another original of the invoice to the other party. You also need to explain that once they receive the original, they should pay immediately, and agree whether to send someone to pick up the check or the other party sends it.
5. When the retail customer disputes the invoice, correct the invoice immediately, attach an apology letter to the retail customer, and also give the other party an additional 30 days for payment. However, if you only hear this complaint when calling to collect, the retail customer is likely using the invoice to delay. This is because if the retail customer really wants to pay on time, the complaint would be reasonable, and they would likely proactively call to say they received the invoice and remind you of the error in the invoice.

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