Choosing a Statement Processing Firm

You have heard this phrase over and over:services it is easy to wonder where their true
Industry's Best Practices. However, what is "bestcompetency lies. If your focus is on getting out
advised" by business experts is often very hardthose bills accurately and on time and getting
implement in the day-to-day. Nowhere is thispayment back in the same fashion, find a firm
more evident than in the timely and consistentwho is laser-focused on consistent statement
management of accounts receivable. If you areprocessing and delivery. Look for companies that
struggling to keep up with billing and accountscan demonstrate experience in your field.
receivable as a whole, outsourcing your statementSize Matters
processing may be a wise option to consider.If you are a small practice or even a
How Can They Help?"solopreneur," a large billing firm working with
Outsourced billing companies help alleviate theFortune 500 companies is probably not a good fit
burden of collection woes, menial data entry andfor you. It may serve you well to look for an
tedious statement processing. The top companiesoutsourcing firm that is either geared towards
offer options within each of these realms. Firmsfirms your size or versatile solutions.
can take full control of the process from initialReferences, References
data entry and coding to sending out individual bills,Ask around. Consult your profession's regional,
collecting payments, and even making surelocal and national associations. Ask other
updates are regularly performed.. Not all officescolleagues. Whom do they use and why? Make
need full accounts receivable managementsure you ask them what particular services they
services. Some just need their current systemare using and what success they are seeing. If
streamlined and a reputable company can do thatyou regularly collect from other paying entities
as well, recommending only what you need. But(insurance companies, for example),| ask them
how do you find the best company?about which firms they prefer to work with..
Who Are These People?They will be able to identify billing services that
The Web is a wonderful thing. You can researchrepresent the companies they work for well. You
topics and people like never before. Research thedon't need an irreputable company ruining your
firms you are considering. Who owns them? Howreputation.
long have they owned the company? What's theirFor many companies, outsourced billing is the
track record like? You need a statementonlyway to go. Streamlining data entry, statement
processing company that offers a revenue cycleprocessing, and collections follow-up is sometimes
solution to benefit your bottom line - not snarlsomething that cannot be done by a business
you up worse!owner trying to work in his business. Often we
Do They Serve Your Sector?just need someone to alleviate us from the
This may seem obvious, but pick a firm thatmenial tasks so we can focus on our core
specializes in your industry's billing needs. A lawyercompetency. Having a company dedicated to
does not need the same online billing service as aensure efficient bill processing is absolutely an
medical practice. Also, many firms offer so manyinvestment to consider.