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CUSTOMER STORIES · PILLOW MAY

How Helpbox tripled on-time payments and cut collection costs by 58%

A fast-growing accountancy firm replaced four payment tools with one platform, automated its chasing, and got paid faster across thousands of clients.

58%
Reduction in payment collection costs
4 > 1
Tools consolidated into a single platform
3x
Increase in invoices paid on time

“Working with Adfin feels like a dream scenario for a business owner - I've got a team of smart, dediacated people building software to solve my biggest business problems.”

Alex EamesCEO,  Helpbox UK
Company
Pillow May
Website
pillowmay.co.uk ↗
Industry
Accountancy
Size
~500 clients
ReGION
Wiltshire
Accounting software
Xero
Products used
Payment linksDirect debitCustomer agentsXero integration
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SUMMARY

How Pillow may got their overdue invoice rate down to 6x lower than the UK average.

Helpbox UK is a leading provider of accounting of bookkeeping services, working with thousands of SMEs across the UK on a clear mission: to simplify and digitise financial management for its clients.

As it grew, the problem Helpbox solved for everyone else started showing up in its own back office, with invoicing and payment collection spread across several providers. Moving to a single platform cut collection costs by 58%, retired three tools, and got invoices paid faster.

Before Adfin
After Adfin
No centralised systemInvoicing and payments spread across four separate providers, with manual workarounds between them.
One platform for everythingPayment links, Direct Debit and chasing, all managed centrally.
Low payment success ratesA significant share of invoices unpaid on time, driving debtor days up.
Faster payments64% of invoices paid before the due date, three times as many as before.
Manual, ineffective chasingThe team managing invoices and chasing payments by hand.
Automated chasingBuilt-in reminders replace manual follow-up.
Rising software spendSeveral providers pushing up the cost of getting paid.
Lower costsSoftware spend down 58% after retiring separate tools.
CHALLENGE

Generic reminders weren’t cutting it

Helpbox was collecting payments through a mix of tools that had served it well early on but were straining as the firm grew. Working with multiple providers drove costs up and slowed collection down.

A significant share of invoices went unpaid on time, which pushed debtor days higher, and the team spent too long managing invoices and chasing payments by hand. The firm needed something that could keep pace with its growth.

SOLUTION

Automated custom reminders using Adfin

Helpbox moved to a single platform that combined card payments and invoice chasing in one place, with a best-in-class user experience:

  • Integrated invoicing: automated reminders and built-in chasing to bring payments in faster.
  • One system, end to end:  four separate tools replaced by a single platform.
  • A process that scales: one simple onboarding flow to bring new clients on faster.

“Because it's intelligent, I don't have to worry about trying to find what the invoices are or what amount is owed - I just click send and I know that Adfin will sort out everything within that email - for me it was a huge game-changer.”

Samantha Sollis · Operations Director
RESULTS

Invoices paid on time

45%
Invoices now paid on the same day.

Since bring in on Adfin:

  • 45% of Pillow May's invoices are now paid on the same day
  • 27% are paid within the next two working days
  • Pillow May's overdue invoice rate is 6x lower than the UK average
  • Sam can focus on client work, not copy-pasting invoice numbers into emails!

Eliminate manual collection work and improve cash flow.