Preliminary Notices: The Secret Sauce For Your Credit Department

Post on 11-Nov-2014

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Establishing a policy to send a single document – the preliminary notice document – may change your company’s fortunes with DSOs, aging receivables, and bad debt. So, why aren’t you doing it? Getting paid in the construction industry is an art form, and the preliminary notice document has been used by contractors and suppliers for nearly 200 years to position themselves in line for payment. As this Webinar will explain: if you’re not sending it, you’re not in line. Watch a recording of this webinar here: http://hub.zlien.com/preliminary-notices-secret-credit-success

transcript

Preliminary Notices Secret Sauce To Credit Departments

Every Wednesday1pm CSTSignup At:zlien.us/z-web

Construction Credit Knowledge

1. History and Purpose Of Notices!

2. What GCs and Owners Do With Notices!

3. What this means to you!

4. The Results

WHY?

WHY?

Thomas Jefferson introduced the first mechanics lien legislation.

?

No one was willing to build out Washington D.C. because they were afraid of not getting paid

?

If You Build It

And We Don’t Pay For It

You Can Have It

?

This would have never worked pre-America, because land ownership was reserved for aristocrats. America, however, was land-rich.

?America believes that trade contractors and suppliers

should get paid.

?America believes that

GCs and Owners should shoulder the burden of a

project’s financial risk.

Facing Serious Difficulty Getting Paid!

Have Some Delays But Cash Coming Through!

Paid Fairly & On Time

77.8%

22.2%0%

http://zlien.us/17Fx31Y

PAY WHEN PAIDPAY IF PAID

JOINT CHECK AGREEMENTSBANKRUPTCIES

DELAY DISPUTES & DAMAGESWORKMANSHIP DISPUTES

CHANGE ORDERSSCOPE OF WORK ISSUES

CODE INSPECTION VIOLATIONSPREVAILING WAGES

An epic battle between contract and policy

Mechanics lien laws provide contractors remedy in event of non-payment

Contracts start to include “no lien clauses.” Courts void these provisions as anti-public policy

Contracts start to include “pay when paid” clauses. Courts say this is only a “timing” clause

“Pay when paid” turns into “pay if paid.” Many courts declaring this void as against public policy.

Notice Claim Provisions now appearing in contracts with strict claim periods.

1791 40’s 60’s 80’s 2000

Mechanics Lien Rights !Payment bond requirements !Contractor license bonds (i.e. WA) !Misappropriation of funds laws and criminal statutes !Contractor payment timing laws

Laws Protecting Subcontractors & Suppliers

Mechanics Lien Rights !Payment bond requirements !Contractor license bonds (i.e. WA) !Misappropriation of funds laws and criminal statutes !Contractor payment timing laws

Laws Protecting Subcontractors & Suppliers

No Lien Clauses !Pay When Paid Clause !Pay If Paid Clause !Notice Claim Provisions !Retainage Requirements

Owners / GCs Attempt To Shift Risk With Contract

Mechanics Lien Rights !Payment bond requirements !Contractor license bonds (i.e. WA) !Misappropriation of funds laws and criminal statutes !Contractor payment timing laws

Laws Protecting Subcontractors & Suppliers

No Lien Clauses !Pay When Paid Clause !Pay If Paid Clause !Notice Claim Provisions !Retainage Requirements

Owners / GCs Attempt To Shift Risk With Contract

Judges (usually) tip the scales back to subs & suppliers

Liens were created to protect subcontractors

and suppliers.

Notices were created to protect owners and general contractors.

Liens were created to protect subcontractors

and suppliers.

Notices were created to protect owners and general contractors.

You can be fined or charged with a crime for not sending some notices.TN, CA, AZ, NV, WA, OR...

1. History and Purpose Of Notices

2. What GCs and Owners Do With Notices!

3. What this means to you!

4. The Results

1. History and Purpose Of Notices

2. What GCs and Owners Do With Notices!

3. What this means to you!

4. The Results

Use Software to manage “financial risk” - which is the risk of lien

GCs and Owners Track Who Does And Does Not Send Notices

Track Preliminary Notices

If not Textura, they are using something to distinguish between those who do and

do not send preliminary notices.!

1. History and Purpose Of Notices

2. What GCs and Owners Do With Notices!

3. What this means to you!

4. The Results

PRIORITIES

Smart CompaniesAlways SendPreliminary NoticesBecause they prioritize your invoices above others.

Smart CompaniesAlways SendPreliminary Notices

1. History and Purpose Of Notices

2. What GCs and Owners Do With Notices!

3. What this means to you!

4. The Results

0%

2%

4%

6%

2011 2012 2013

% of Projects Liened

As preliminary notice policy implemented at Graybar, percentage of projects that need a lien to get paid falls from almost 6% to <1%

0%

13%

25%

38%

50%

2010 2011 2012 2013

% Projects Noticed % Projects Liened

Again, more preliminary notices means less payment problems, and therefore, less liens.

Secure your debt.

Secure your lien rights with a Preliminary Notice. This is sent right when you begin furnishing.

START OF YOUR WORK

END OF YOUR WORK

30 DAYS PAST DUE

90 DAYS PAST DUE

Send a notice of intent to lien after work is completed and you are unpaid.

START OF YOUR WORK

END OF YOUR WORK

30 DAYS PAST DUE

90 DAYS PAST DUE

File your lien or bond claim.

START OF YOUR WORK

END OF YOUR WORK

30 DAYS PAST DUE

90 DAYS PAST DUE

Recap1) Preliminary Notices Benefit The Owner, Not You!

2) GCs / Owners Expect Them, and Manage Them!

3) You will not scare away customers

!

4) It will prioritize your invoice!

5) It will protect you in the event you are unpaid

Secure your debt.Always get paid.

it’s really that simple

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scott@zlien.com