The verdict in three sentences
A 74-day DSO on a volume of 400 to 1,500 B2B invoices/month ties up substantial cash and pins accounting to manual chasing. An automated dunning module (email, SMS, WhatsApp) paired with risk scoring costs 8,000-16,000 EUR, plus 3,500-6,000 EUR for the ERP connector. 2026 result: DSO cut to 48 days, 22 to 30 hours/month freed and an estimated cash recovery of several million in released receivables.
The cost of a high DSO
Every day of DSO is cash lent to customers for free. Cutting from 74 to 48 days changes how you finance working capital.
| Metric | Before automation | After automation |
|---|---|---|
| Average DSO | 74 days | 48 days |
| Invoices handled/month | 400-1,500 | 400-1,500 |
| Chasing hours/month | 30-38 h | 6-10 h |
| Day-1 dunning rate | ~20% | 100% |
| Cash released (estimate) | — | Several million |
| Receivables > 90 days | High | Sharply lower |
What the collections module costs
The work splits between multichannel dunning logic, risk scoring and the ERP connector that feeds it in real time.
| Item | Effort | Cost (day rate 550 EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping dunning scenarios | 2-3 d | 1,100-1,650 EUR |
| Email/SMS/WhatsApp engine | 6-9 d | 3,300-4,950 EUR |
| Customer risk scoring | 4-6 d | 2,200-3,300 EUR |
| ERP connector (billing) | 6-11 d | 3,500-6,000 EUR |
| Testing, acceptance, training | 3-4 d | 1,650-2,200 EUR |
| Total | 21-33 d | 11,500-22,000 EUR |
Mini case study
Ms. Koné, CFO of a B2B trading Mittelstand in Berlin (1,100 invoices/month, 74-day DSO, average receivables of about 480 M FCFA equivalent), deploys a dunning module at 14,000 EUR plus 4,500 EUR of ERP connector. By cutting DSO from 74 to 48 days, she releases roughly (26/365) × annual receivables in cash — an order of magnitude of 8 to 10 M FCFA equivalent now available instead of tied up. She also frees 26 hours/month in accounting, redeployed to controls. The project pays back in under a year, before even counting lower bad debt.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Is WhatsApp really effective for dunning?
In many B2B markets, yes: WhatsApp open rates far exceed email. Multichannel dunning (email + SMS + WhatsApp) maximises useful contact from day 1.
Is risk scoring essential?
Not mandatory but highly profitable: it focuses chasing on at-risk customers and adapts tone, speeding collection without hurting the commercial relationship.
How much DSO can we realistically gain?
On high-volume B2B, going from 74 to 48 days is a realistic 2026 target, provided you dun from day 1 and segment by risk.
Must we change ERP?
No. The connector (3,500-6,000 EUR) interfaces with the existing ERP. We read open invoices and write dunning status with no migration.
What is the lead time?
Expect 4 to 6 weeks from scoping to production, accounting training included.
Let's scope your project. Share your invoice volume, current DSO and ERP: we'll price the right dunning module and connector. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
