A bad payer is a customer - either an individual or a business - who does not pay their invoices on time or who repeatedly misses payment deadlines. Bad payment behavior can be temporary or recurring and poses a significant risk to businesses that provide credit.
What makes a bad payer?
zDer findes ingen officiel juridisk definition af en dårlig betaler. Det er i praksis op til den enkelte virksomhed at vurdere, hvornår en kundes betalingsadfærd falder uden for det acceptable.
However, the following are typical indicators:
- Payment is only made after repeated reminders
- Customer consistently exceeds the payment deadline
- Lack of response to payment reminders
- Clear patterns in missing or delayed payments
A single delay of a few days is rarely a problem, but repetition and lack of communication should warrant attention.
Why is it important to identify bad payers?
Virksomheders likviditet er afhængig af rettidig betaling. Dårlige betalere kan:
- Have a negative impact on cash flow
- Create uncertainty in budgeting and inventory management
- Increase internal costs for reminder procedures
- Lead to potential losses and the need for external recovery
Therefore, bad payment should be identified and dealt with as early as possible - preferably using digital tools that can monitor and analyze customer behavior.
How should you handle a bad payer?
A clear internal payment policy makes it easier to respond systematically and professionally. Management can consist of, among other things:
- Friendly payment reminder
- Reminder process with notifications and fees (where permitted by law)
- Temporary credit suspension
- Adjustment of the customer's credit terms or payment terms
- Continuous monitoring of payment behavior
In B2B commerce, compensation fees may also be charged for late payment, according to current regulations.
Degrees of bad payment behavior
Not all bad payers are the same. Some customers always pay - but too late. Others pay only after massive follow-up. Effective risk management should distinguish between:
- Inattentive customers: Have the means, but react late
- Chronically late customers: Shows pattern of recurring late payments
- Insolvent or high-risk customers: Do not have the ability to pay or show multiple defaults
By understanding these differences, you can adapt your communication and credit policy to each customer type.
Prevent bad payment behavior with Qatchr
Qatchr makes it possible to spot trends and risk patterns before they develop into actual losses. The platform gives you access to:
- Credit data and payment history
- Indication of registration in debt registers
- Continuous monitoring of changes in the customer's financial situation
- Credit limit recommendations and payment terms
This makes it easier to offer flexibility to good customers - and protect against bad behavior.
