How to end your year with as few debtors as possible (tips for 2026)

Debtor management has been in the spotlight in recent years and that will not decrease in the coming period. The business landscape is changing, uncertainties in the economy are increasing and payment behavior remains a risk for organizations. For example, the number of bankruptcies in the Netherlands in 2024 was as much as 30% higher than in 2023, and financial professionals expect this not to change overnight in 2026.

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At the same time, we see that despite these challenges, entrepreneurs often pay their invoices faster than before — around 90% pays within the agreed period.

However, a substantial part of the invoices remain paid late or even unpaid; this costs time, cash flow and, ultimately, often money.

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Especially if you want to end the year without dozens of outstanding invoices on your balance sheet, it is essential to treat debtor management not as an afterthought, but as a strategic process.

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1. Start early and stay consistent

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Waiting until the end of the year to eliminate backlogs is a common mistake that costs you just extra work and risks. As soon as an invoice becomes overdue, the chance of full collection decreases rapidly.

- Plan follow-up throughout the year, let reminders be sent automatically when a payment is delayed.

- Use a system that provides day-to-day insight into outstanding items so you can act immediately.

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2. Make sure your invoices are correct right away

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An error on an invoice, an incorrect PO number, missing bank details or an unclear description almost always leads to delays.

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This sounds simple, but the effect is huge:

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👉 A complete and correct invoice is processed faster by the customer.

👉 This prevents questions, disputes and waiting time.

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3. Communicate proactively and personally

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Structure in your succession helps enormously. According to best practices, early and friendly contact works better than just reminders after the deadline has expired.

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💡 Hint: Schedule reminders before the due date to help customers remember to pay. This can be done via email, SMS or telephone contact.

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At NIKKI, we consciously choose to have a personal conversation in case of payment problems. A human approach surprisingly often leads to a solution without escalation, something a cold, automated reminder cannot achieve.

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4. Make payment easy

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Customer behavior changes slowly, but one thing remains constant: people pay faster when it's easy.

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✔ Offer various payment methods

✔ Let customers pay in installments if it helps them

✔ Think of solutions that match the reality of your customers

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Flexibility does not have to come at the expense of cash flow; it can actually improve payment behavior.

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5. Use data to identify risks early

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The number of late payments can quickly put pressure on your cash flow: on average, some of the invoices are structurally late or not paid at all.

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📊 Regularly analyze your aging reports (how long outstanding items have been outstanding).

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This helps you prioritize who to follow up first and determine whether a customer is risking more than you're used to.

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6. Ensure a clear internal workflow

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Good debtor processes only work if everyone in your organization knows what is happening.

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➡ Let sales and customer service know your payment terms,

➡ Schedule fixed times for debtor reporting,

➡ Use tools that integrate with your administration.

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This ensures that there is no loss of information between teams and that you set the right expectations with customers.

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7. Consider instalments and incentives

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It has been proven that companies pay better when they see an advantage in paying earlier. Think about early payment discounts or payment plans that are feasible for customers.

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How to create:

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✔ extra cash flow before your year-end

✔ fewer outstanding debtors

✔ a better relationship with your customers

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Complete without stress

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The end of the year can be a difficult period for many organizations: cash flow needs to be managed, customers need to be reminded, and financial reports need to be tidy.

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A strategic and proactive debtor policy not only helps you close your numbers, but also makes your organization stronger and more resilient. Don't start an “end-of-year rally” full of stress and backlogs, but build your debtor process so that you can look ahead all year long.

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Do you want to know how to do this easily, humanely and effectively? We come by for an intake free of charge.