Should you stop work when a client has not paid?

The Problem: Why It Matters

In the world of B2B transactions, many businesses face the dilemma of whether to continue working with clients who have outstanding invoices. The fear of escalating tensions often results in companies prolonging work, leading to increased financial exposure. By the time a decision is made to halt services, the unpaid balance can accumulate to two months or more, significantly impacting cash flow and financial stability. This predicament underscores the need for informed decision-making based on reliable data, rather than reactive measures driven by frustration.

How Most Providers Handle It Today

Traditional accounts receivable solutions often provide limited visibility into client interactions and payment behaviors, forcing finance teams to rely on fragmented information. Most platforms fail to integrate the entire invoice-to-cash cycle seamlessly, leaving businesses with isolated tools that only address parts of the process. Consequently, decisions to stop work often stem from frustration rather than a comprehensive understanding of the client’s payment patterns and financial engagement. This scattershot approach leaves businesses vulnerable to prolonged exposure and strained client relationships.

ARPilot's Approach: A Different Solution

ARPilot revolutionizes the decision-making process by providing finance teams with a complete view of client payment history and invoice status. Our AI-driven platform captures every aspect of the invoice-to-cash cycle, from multi-channel outreach and payment plans to dispute management and cash application. Each customer interaction is queued for human approval, ensuring no communication is sent without oversight. With ARPilot, finance teams can track whether messages are opened and payments are progressing, empowering them to make informed decisions about halting work.

Key Benefits and Measurable Outcomes

ARPilot offers several key benefits that set it apart from traditional solutions:

• Risk Management: By providing a clear view of the full balance and payment history, ARPilot helps finance teams cap their exposure before it doubles, reducing financial risk and maintaining healthy cash flow.
• Informed Decisions: Decisions to pause work are based on a thorough record of client interactions and payments, rather than frustration and guesswork.
• Transparency: With every communication and payment history already documented, finance teams can confidently justify their decisions to clients, maintaining professional relationships even in challenging situations.
• Efficiency: Automatic matching of bank-feed payments to open invoices ensures consistent coverage and reduces manual workload, allowing finance teams to focus on strategic tasks.

FAQ Section

1. What should I consider before stopping work due to unpaid invoices? Before halting work, consider the client's payment history, current balance, and communication record. ARPilot provides a comprehensive view of these factors, helping you make a data-driven decision.

2. How does ARPilot ensure accuracy in cash application? ARPilot uses a published rubric that scores amount, date proximity, payer-name similarity, and reference together. Payments with a confidence score of 0.95 or higher are applied automatically, while others are queued for human review.

3. Can ARPilot integrate with my existing accounting system? Yes, ARPilot integrates with QuickBooks Online bidirectionally and connects to other systems via REST API, CSV import, or a custom adapter under an Enterprise agreement.

4. How does ARPilot handle customer disputes? ARPilot’s dispute intake feature pauses collections on affected invoices, ensuring that any issues are resolved before proceeding with further actions.

5. What are the pricing options for ARPilot? ARPilot offers a free tier for up to 10 invoices a month, with the Starter plan at $99 per month and the Professional plan at $299 per month, which includes API access. Enterprise pricing is negotiated with an SLA, and annual billing offers approximately two months free.