Author Dee Bowden’s “Collect the Cash: The Sale is not Complete Until the Money is in the Bank!” focuses on the reality that the sale is not complete until the money is collected.
“Collections are uncomfortable for everyone involved on both ends of the unfinished transaction — the flustered customer dodging the persistent calls of companies with outstanding invoices for goods or services rendered, as well as corporate employees tasked with the job of acquiring the money businesses are owed,” said Bowden.
In “Collect the Cash: The Sale is not Complete Until the Money is in the Bank,” financial expert and author Dee Bowden teaches that the business of collections doesn’t have to be miserable —but it must be done. In “Collect the Cash,” Bowden shares her personal blueprint that has propelled her into success with more than 10 years in the Business to Business (B2B) collections industry, boasting $13 million (and counting) of outstanding debt recovered for corporations and government agencies. Combining personal anecdotes with proven methods of tangible solutions, “Collect the Cash” is a practical guide that teaches businesses at every level to collect their money with ease. Bowden said, “The sale is not complete until the money is in the bank, and for businesses to survive, this means making sure every invoice is paid in full.”
Dee Bowden founded BCS Solutions, a revenue recovery company, from a personal desire to see small businesses learn to solve cash flow problems. Dee is on a mission to serve them and grow their financial bottom line by sharing her five-step system. Dee has more than 10 years of financial recovery experience in which she collected over $10 million for several companies and government agencies. In the early 2000s, while working for a small IT firm outside of Boston as a part-time collections specialist, she was assigned $8 million owed in outstanding invoices, where the sales staff sold the services, but no one followed up to collect the payments. She was successfully able to recover $6 million in 60 days working part-time. Shortly after that, the company abruptly dissolved, which prompted her to identify possible disconnects in these four areas: Sales, Contracts, Accounts Payable, and Accounts Receivables. Dee believes that these areas were operating independently (standalone) instead of being properly integrated within a complete, robust sales cycle.
“I chose to believe that my journey as a contract administrator and deciding to share my story about Collect the Cash would connect with business owners, said Bowden.
“I once lost a job because I was told I didn’t know how to collect money or closeout government contracts. I’ve gone on to be recognized by the United States Coast Guard Headquarters for recovering $7.5 million in one year. Not too bad for someone who was once told I would never understand how to collect money.”
“We collect outstanding invoices that are 30/60/90 Days past due and improve companies cash flow,” said Bowden, whose company BCS Solutions was featured in a Forbes Magazine article about cash collections.
“BCS Solutions teaches that B2B collections are resolved by solving problems, extending customer service, and the secret sauce is expressing gratitude.”
Bowden offered advice for anyone seeking success today. “My best advice for someone seeking success is to make a decision and then get these four people in your life: a) coach b) mentor c) cheerleader and d) friend.”
She said it is vital to exercise self-care regularly and realize that the journey to success is a marathon and not a sprint.
“It requires dedication and an ‘I will not give up’ spirit to see your dreams become a reality in your life. She emphasized that it is essential to celebrate the small wins along the way. “The small wins provide momentum when you feel like it’s too hard and you want to give up and quit,” Bowden said.
Bowden illustrated some ideas and offered some tools to use to help achieve success.
“Success means writing out your goals on a vision board and cutting out the pictures, so you have a visual representation of what you are working toward and having the guts and determination to go after your dreams and staying focused on seeing it become a reality,” she explained. “Make sure you have one good friend that will join you on the journey. Learn to celebrate and encourage yourself every step of the way.”
Dee Bowden’s book “Collect The Cash The Sale is Not Complete Until The Money is in the Bank” will be released in April 2021. Find it at www.collectthecash.biz/book. Visit www.collectthecash.biz to learn about consulting/training and outsourcing services for companies and government agencies.