What does a cashflow consultant do? Specialist support for debtor and creditor management

A cashflow consultant helps businesses improve working capital by reducing overdue invoices, strengthening credit management and improving debtor performance. At itsettled, we combine outsourced credit control, receivables management and practical finance expertise to help businesses unlock cash, reduce Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and build stronger credit control processes in as little as 90 days.

Healthy cashflow is essential for every growing business, yet many organisations continue to struggle despite having strong sales and healthy order books. The problem is often not revenue, it is the time taken to convert invoices into cash.

Late payments, rising debtor days and inconsistent credit control place increasing pressure on finance teams, restrict working capital and often force businesses to rely on additional borrowing or invoice finance.

This is where an experienced cashflow consultant can make a significant difference.

Contents

• What does a cashflow consultant do?
• Why are debtor and creditor management so important?
• How does itsettled improve business cashflow?
• Why do businesses choose itsettled?
• How has itsettled helped businesses improve cashflow?
• When should you consider working with a cashflow consultant?
• What next?
• FAQs

What does a cashflow consultant do?

A cashflow consultant helps businesses identify why cash is becoming trapped and develops practical solutions to improve working capital.

While every business faces different challenges, consultants typically focus on strengthening the processes that influence how quickly money moves through the organisation.
This often includes:

• Reviewing debtor performance and aged debt.
• Improving credit management procedures.
• Reducing Days Sales Outstanding (DSO).
• Resolving invoice disputes.
• Supporting collections activity.
• Developing credit policies and collections procedures.
• Improving reporting and cashflow forecasting.
• Helping businesses become funding ready.

Rather than simply increasing sales, a cashflow consultant focuses on ensuring businesses receive payment promptly and consistently.

Why are debtor and creditor management so important?

Effective debtor management has a direct impact on business performance.

When overdue invoices increase, working capital decreases. Finance teams spend more time resolving issues, suppliers wait longer to be paid and forecasting becomes increasingly difficult.

Poor debtor management can lead to:

Late payment remains one of the biggest threats to healthy business cashflow. According to ICAEW’s latest Business Confidence Monitor, concerns about late payments are now at their highest level in five years, highlighting the growing pressure on finance teams to improve collections, reduce debtor days and strengthen working capital management.

How does itsettled improve business cashflow?

itsettled combines specialist credit management expertise with practical, hands-on delivery. Unlike traditional debt collection agencies, we work as an extension of your finance team, identifying the root causes of poor cashflow before implementing sustainable improvements.

Our three-month intervention typically includes:

• A full review of your sales ledger.
• Intensive collections activity to unlock overdue cash.
• Resolution of customer disputes.
• Development of Credit Policies and Collections Procedures.
• Support with recruitment where additional resource is needed.
• Guidance for businesses preparing for or working alongside invoice finance providers.

Our objective is not simply to recover overdue invoices. We strengthen your finance function, so improvements continue long after our engagement ends.

Why do businesses choose itsettled?

Experience matters when tackling complex cashflow challenges.

itsettled is backed by Credebt, one of the UK’s leading receivables management specialists. Since 2009, our team has:

• Recovered more than £1bn for UK businesses.
• Achieved successful outcomes in more than 90% of engagements, with funders repaid in full or recoveries exceeding expectations.
• Built a team where every consultant has at least 20 years’ experience in credit management or invoice finance.

Our expertise extends beyond collections. We work closely with finance directors, lenders and invoice finance providers to improve working capital while protecting customer relationships and strengthening internal processes.

Rather than providing temporary support, we leave businesses with stronger systems, clearer policies and greater confidence in their future cashflow.

How has itsettled helped businesses improve cashflow?

An £18 million turnover plumbing supplies business in Manchester approached itsettled after being referred by a potential invoice finance provider. The company urgently needed additional working capital to support growth but had failed two funding assessments over a six-month period because of the condition of its sales ledger.

The challenges were significant. The business had a £4 million sales ledger, with more than £2 million in overdue debt and £1.2 million over 90 days old. Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) had risen to more than 100 days, while over 15,000 invoices remained outstanding. Years of unresolved customer queries, combined with an under-resourced and under-supported credit control team, meant collections had slowed dramatically and confidence from the prospective funder had declined.

Working as an extension of the client’s finance function, itsettled implemented an intensive three-month recovery programme designed to improve collections, strengthen internal processes and prepare the business for funding.

Our support included:

• Managing collections across 350 customer accounts, while coaching and overseeing the client’s internal team on its largest accounts.
• Developing and implementing a formal Credit Policy and Collections Procedures to improve consistency and prevent future issues.
• Conducting weekly on-site reviews to monitor progress and keep the project on track.
• Leading a structured programme to resolve long-standing customer queries.
• Advising on the finance team structure, including identifying key credit control roles and supporting the recruitment process.

Rather than simply reducing aged debt, we focused on creating a stronger credit management function that would continue delivering results long after our engagement had ended.

Results achieved within 90 days

• Reduced Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) from more than 100 days to just 64 days.
• Reduced debt over 90 days old from £1.2 million to just £10,000.
• Reduced total overdue debt from more than £2 million to just £17,000.
• Successfully transferred responsibility for collections back to a strengthened in-house team.
• Helped the business secure the invoice finance facility it needed to support future growth.

The outcome was transformational. By restoring control of the sales ledger and embedding stronger credit management processes, the business not only improved its cashflow but also secured the funding required to continue growing. The result was a successful outcome for the client, its investors and its funding partner – a genuine win for everyone involved.

When should you consider working with a cashflow consultant?

Many businesses wait until cashflow problems become critical before seeking external support. In reality, the earlier issues are addressed, the easier they are to resolve.

You should consider specialist support if:

• More than 10% of your sales ledger is over 100 days old.
• Your DSO has increased significantly above agreed payment terms.
• Customer payment disputes are delaying collections.
• Your finance team lacks sufficient credit control resource.
• You rely heavily on invoice finance to maintain working capital.
• You want to strengthen credit management without increasing headcount.

Early intervention can improve cashflow, reduce financial risk and create a stronger platform for sustainable growth.

What next?

A cashflow consultant does far more than recover overdue invoices.

The right specialist helps businesses improve working capital by strengthening debtor management, reducing Days Sales Outstanding, improving collections and embedding better credit management processes.

At itsettled, we combine decades of receivables management experience with a practical three-month intervention that delivers measurable improvements in cashflow while leaving businesses with stronger people, processes and systems for the future.

If you’re unsure of your current position, take our Working Capital Healthcheck to see where you stand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why choose itsettled?

Recovering more than £1 billion has given our team experience across manufacturing, recruitment, wholesale, construction and professional services. We’ve seen first-hand how poor credit control develops, and more importantly, how to fix it quickly.

We regularly support businesses where high invoice volumes and extended payment terms can place significant pressure on working capital.

Author

Glen Morgan FCICM (Grad)
Founder, itsettled by Credebt

Glen Morgan is one of the UK’s leading receivables management specialists with more than 30 years’ experience in credit management and invoice finance. Through Credebt, he has helped recover over £1bn for UK businesses, advised organisations on improving working capital and reducing debtor days, and has contributed to the wider credit management profession through his work with the Chartered Institute of Credit Management and UK Government initiatives on late payment.