How much money are you losing by giving interest free loans to your customers – $150,000 to $900,000 per year? This is a valid target for cost reduction and profit improvement.
Take a quick look at the accounts receivable line on your balance sheet. What is that amount? Now look at the line item(s) on your financial reports that capture your interest payments. Do the math to calculate what your borrowing costs are to carry the amount you are loaning to your customers.
Two companies I worked with, for example, were able to take steps to recapture $150,000 and $900,000 per year respectively by being more aggressive with accounts receivable, more selective with credit limits and by monitoring and managing cash as a “business” within the business.