The verdict in three sentences
A maintenance company lives on recurring contracts: air conditioning, elevators, IT, generators. Billing must not depend on someone remembering to issue the invoice each month — it must trigger itself and automatically chase unpaid invoices. A recurrence engine improves collection by around 15 % and cuts payment delay by 20 days.
Manual billing versus a recurrence engine
The risk of a recurring model is forgetting and revenue leakage: an un-issued invoice is a lost month, an un-chased debt is a receivable that ages. The engine automates both.
| Criterion | Manual billing | Recurrence engine |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly issuance | By hand, missed | Automatic |
| Chasing unpaid | Sporadic | Auto sequence |
| Unpaid rate | Baseline | -40 % |
| Collection | Baseline | +15 % |
| DSO (payment delay) | Baseline | -20 days |
| Contract renewal | Manual tracking | Alerts |
A monthly contract is worth 25,000 to 250,000 FCFA; across a book of 60 contracts, one forgotten invoice a month is several hundred thousand FCFA gone over the year.
2026 budget: build or SaaS
Recurring-billing SaaS exists but rarely integrates Wave, Orange Money and your local dunning sequences. The build fits your contracts and channels. 2026 order of magnitude.
| Item | Custom build | Monthly SaaS |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 1,200,000 - 2,400,000 FCFA | Low |
| Recurring cost | Hosting only | 12,000 - 30,000 FCFA/month |
| Wave/OM/SMS dunning | Built in | Rare |
| Renewal management | Custom | Basic |
| Time to go live | 6 - 9 weeks | 2 - 3 weeks |
| Data ownership | You | The vendor |
At 25,000 FCFA/month, SaaS costs 300,000 FCFA/year; the build amortizes in two to three years and the collection uplift often funds it faster.
Mini case study
Ibrahima runs an HVAC maintenance company in Dakar with 65 active contracts, average ticket 70,000 FCFA/month, about 4,550,000 FCFA in monthly recurring revenue. Before, his accountant forgot 2 to 3 invoices a month and only chased after 60 days. With the engine (a 1,900,000 FCFA build), invoices go out on their own on the 1st, Wave and SMS reminders cascade, collection gains 15 % (about 680,000 FCFA/month recovered earlier), and his DSO drops from 55 to 35 days.
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FAQ
Does the recurring invoice really go out on its own?
Yes. You set the frequency (monthly, quarterly, annual) per contract, and the engine issues and sends the invoice on the due date without intervention. That is what removes lost months.
How do automatic reminders work?
A sequence triggers by debt age: gentle reminder, firm follow-up, notification via Wave, Orange Money or SMS. The unpaid rate falls by around 40 % with no manual effort.
Can it handle renewals and contract revisions?
Yes. The app alerts before a contract expires and applies a price revision if planned, avoiding billing an old rate for months.
Can the client pay directly from the invoice?
Yes. Each invoice carries a Wave/Orange Money link or QR, shortening the delay between issuance and collection.
How long to set up?
Expect 6 to 9 weeks depending on the number of contract templates. Importing your existing book happens during scoping.
Let's talk about your project. We model your recurring contracts and dunning sequences in one call. 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.
