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Discounts are a popular marketing tool to encourage clients and customers to pay faster. Many suppliers offer them to improve
their cash flow. Like many professionals, some veterinarians offer a trade discount of sorts for immediate payment upon completion
of services, but they may give little thought either to the cost of offering discounts or how much they might save by using
discounts offered to them.
Prompt client payments improve a practice's cash flow, reduce the need for borrowing working capital and result in far fewer
collection problems. Little wonder, then, that many professionals and businesses offer discounts or other incentives to speed
payments.
But how much can your practice profit from discounts your suppliers may offer?
Many veterinarians follow the old adage: Always delay cash outflows. That means paying bills on time but never before they
are due. In reality, however, most practices would be better off paying certain bills early to take advantage of trade discounts.
Consider the math:
The supplier's invoice includes credit terms, usually based on the period for which credit is extended, the size of the discount
offered if the buyer pays cash and the date the credit period begins.
A cash discount is a reduction in the purchase price if the buyer pays within a certain period. Such terms typically may be
stated as "2/10 net 30." The buyer knows that means a 2 percent discount will be given if the invoice is paid within 10 days.
Otherwise, the balance is due in 30 days.
Why should anyone pay quickly in order to take advantage of a mere 2 percent discount?
Assume that a practice is offered those terms on a $1,000 janitorial-supplies purchase. By taking the discount, the practice
will pay $980. By ignoring it, the practice pays $1,000 within a month.
Deciding against the discount means the buyer is paying $20 to keep the money for an extra 20 days. Because there are slightly
more than 18 20-day periods in a year, the interest cost, on an annual basis, is more than 36 percent. Obviously, this level
of potential savings makes it a smart move to take the discount, even if money must be borrowed to do so.
On the other hand, can a veterinary practice afford to offer clients a discount for prompt payment?
Examine your cash flow
That depends on what it costs a veterinary practice to offer a prompt-payment discount. You usually can determine the cost
by examining your cash flow.
Obviously, any credit terms you offer should be designed to improve your cash flow.
In order to speed the inflow of cash, some veterinarians offer a discount — typically 1 percent or 2 percent — off the original
bill if payment is made early, usually within 10 days. Full payment normally is due within 30 days.
To discount or not to discount
To determine whether to offer discounts, analyze your practice's cash flow and bottom line. Your goal? To improve cash flow
without sacrificing much profit.
Consider this hypothetical situation:
Although John Doe's practice has been experiencing a steady build-up in accounts receivable, slow collections have put a strain
on his cash flow.
He is looking into the feasibility of changing credit terms by offering a discount if payments are received within 10 days.
He requires full payment in 30 days.
Let's assume billing average totals about $25,000 per month. About 50 percent of Doe's clients would take advantage of a 1
percent discount and 75 percent would take advantage of a 2 percent discount, while the rest pay within 30 days.
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