Slow or inconsistent chasing can quietly inflate DSO, distract your team with low-value admin and reduce your odds of recovery. In this Part 1 episode, we explain why timely escalation from in-house chasing to a third-party matters, what “third-party collections” actually covers (from pre-legal DCAs to legal action), and the early warning signs that your account needs a handoff: aged-debt cliff edges (30/60/90+ with broken promises or silence), sudden changes in payment behaviour, document “fatigue,” part-payments without a plan, and the moment your internal time starts costing more than an agency fee.

We also set the UK context - how acting reasonably helps if you later rely on the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims, or MCOL and note the extra care required for consumers and sole  ...