The verdict in three sentences
Automating accounts receivable for a Dublin SME costs, in 2026, between 10,000 and 28,000 EUR depending on the number of scenarios and bank integrations. The real lever is not sending more reminders but sending them at the right time, to the right contact, in the right tone, without misses. The payoff: DSO cut by roughly 12 days and lighter working capital needs.
Reminder scenarios and customer scoring
You do not chase a key account like an occasional customer. The system adapts pace and channel to amount, seniority and payment behaviour.
| Scenario | Trigger | Channel | 2026 setup cost (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-due-date reminder | 5 days before due | 1,500 - 3,000 | |
| Reminder 1 | 3 days overdue | Email + SMS | 1,800 - 3,500 |
| Reminder 2 | 10 days overdue | Email + scheduled call | 2,000 - 4,000 |
| Formal notice | 30 days overdue | Letter + email | 2,500 - 5,000 |
| Dispute escalation | 45 days overdue | Credit manager alert | 2,000 - 4,500 |
| Customer risk scoring | Continuous | Automatic | 2,500 - 6,000 |
Accounting/bank integration and DSO dashboard
Effectiveness depends on the freshness of payment data. Daily bank reconciliation avoids chasing a customer who has already paid, the main source of irritation.
| Item | Detail | 2026 cost (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting connector | Aged balance, outstanding | 2,000 - 4,500 |
| Bank aggregation | Detect received payments | 2,500 - 5,500 |
| DSO dashboard | Per customer, per rep | 2,500 - 5,000 |
| Scenario engine | Rules and sequences | 3,000 - 7,000 |
| Annual maintenance | 12-18% of project | 1,800 - 5,000 / yr |
Mini case study
Sophie, credit manager of an 80-person services SME in Dublin, manages an average 650,000 EUR receivables balance with a 62-day DSO. Reminders are done by hand, unevenly, and 4.2% of revenue ends up as bad debt. The project, quoted at 19,000 EUR, automates 5 reminder scenarios and daily bank reconciliation. By bringing DSO from 62 to 50 days, she frees roughly 21,400 EUR of cash, and cutting bad debt from 4.2% to 2.1% on 3.8M EUR revenue recovers about 80,000 EUR of receivables per year. The project pays for itself in under 4 months.
FAQ
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Does automation make reminders impersonal?
Quite the opposite: each message is personalized (name, amount, history) and sent at the right moment. The credit manager keeps control of large accounts and sensitive cases.
How do we avoid chasing a customer who has already paid?
Through daily bank reconciliation. As soon as a payment is detected, the reminder scenario stops automatically. This is the most important point of the project.
What DSO gain is realistic?
A reduction of 8 to 15 days is common in the first year for an SME whose reminders were manual and irregular.
Is customer scoring reliable?
It relies on real payment history and seniority. It does not replace human judgment but prioritizes effort on at-risk customers.
Do we need dedicated collections software?
Not always. For many SMEs, a custom solution connected to the existing accounting costs less than a specialized SaaS subscription over 3 years.
Let's scope your project. Send us your average receivables, current DSO, bad-debt rate and accounting tools, and we will cost the priority scenarios. 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.
