Baki is part of doing business in Bangladesh. Refuse it completely and you may lose loyal customers, but let it drift and your working capital slowly disappears into other people's pockets. The goal is not to stop giving credit. It is to always know where it stands and to collect it without any awkwardness.
1. Write it down the moment it happens
“I will note it later” is how dues get lost. Every credit sale needs a memo or an entry before the customer leaves, with the customer's name and mobile number. Without a phone number, you have no way to remind them.
2. Give every customer one running balance
When someone comes in to pay, you should be able to tell them the exact amount, and show them every sale and payment behind it, within seconds. Arguments about dues usually start because nobody has a clear record. With a clear statement, there is little left to argue about.
3. Set a limit before you need one
Decide how much credit each type of customer can have, and for how long. For example, a regular customer might get a set amount for 30 days. When the limit is reached, the conversation becomes easy: “The system is showing your limit is full. If you clear part of it, I can give you more today.” The rule refuses them, not you.
4. Look at the dues list on a fixed day
Choose one day each week to go through the list, starting with the largest and oldest amounts. Old dues are the hardest to collect, so catching them early matters more than anything else on this list. Assign each call to someone and check it was made.
5. Send reminders that cannot embarrass anyone
Face-to-face reminders feel uncomfortable, so people put them off. A polite SMS is easier for both sides:
Dear customer, your balance at [shop name] is Tk [amount]. Please pay when convenient. Thank you for shopping with us.
Keep it short and friendly, and send it during the day. An SMS also gives the customer a record of the amount, which reduces disputes.
Do the same in reverse
Keep an equally clear list of what you owe your suppliers. When you know both numbers, you can plan your cash rather than being surprised by it.
How software helps
All of this is possible in a khata, but it takes a lot of time. Software such as ePOS or our dealership and distribution software keeps customer accounts and dues collection in one place, and SMS is built in. Your dues list is always ready, and you can spend your time collecting the money instead of adding up pages.