How to Hire Accounts Receivable Experts to Eliminate Invoice Payment Delays

Constantly waiting for invoices to be paid? You’re not alone. Late payments are one of the leading cash flow issues businesses encounter across the globe. The best part? Bringing on the right AR expert can immediately put a stop to it. This guide breaks down what exactly a good AR expert can do, what traits you should look for, how to find them, and how to be sure that they’ll actually get the payment issue resolved. 

Quick Answer: To hire an accounts receivable expert, have a clearly defined role, interview for collection experience and AR software proficiency, conduct a structured interview, and verify past employment reference checks with companies of a similar size/invoice volume.

What Is an Accounts Receivable Expert?

Accounts receivable expertise means a specialist is tracking the funds that your customers owe you. In this position, they make sure that invoices are generated correctly and that they get paid on time.

The key functions of an AR expert include:

• Generating invoices accurately immediately following the sale or service
• Following up with customers before and after their invoices are due
• Applying customer payments in your accounting software
• Identifying high-risk customers and trends that cause delays
• Communicating with your sales or customer service department to swiftly resolve any customer discrepancies

An expert AR specialist will not merely hound customers for payment, but they create processes and systems that avoid payment delays altogether.

Why Invoice Payment Delays Happen (And How an AR Expert Fixes Them)

Before you hire, it helps to know the real causes of late payments. This also helps you ask the right interview questions.

Key Skills to Look for When Hiring an AR Expert

Not all accountants are AR specialists. Here are the skills that separate a great hire from an average one:

1. Collection Experience

Seek someone who has actively called customers to collect money, followed up on late invoices, and chased down bad debt. Ask them: “Please describe a situation where you lowered the DSO at a former employer?”

2. Familiarity With AR Systems

Your candidate needs to be proficient in a leading accounting system such as QuickBooks, NetSuite, SAP, Xero, or Sage. Preferably, they should also have experience using AR automation tools such as Billtrust, YayPay, or order-to-cash systems.

3. Data Accuracy

Incorrect invoices mean delayed payments. Make sure you hire someone who can demonstrate attention to detail through testing or by asking them to provide examples of finding billing mistakes.

4. Interpersonal Skills

Collecting payment from overdue clients requires excellent communication skills. See how your candidate handles difficult situations when following up on late payment by role-playing a customer service phone call.

5. Analytical Skills

Good Accounts Receivable representatives know how to think analytically. Have the interviewee analyse an aged account report and explain the most vulnerable client segment and the reason behind their answer.

Where to Find Accounts Receivable Experts

Try one or a mix of all of the following channels:

• LinkedIn: Look for an “Accounts Receivable Specialist” or “AR Manager” either located in your city or allowing remote work. Filter by the amount of experience you need.
• Job boards: Place an ad on Indeed, Glassdoor, and ZipRecruiter with a clearly written job description, making sure to include the accounting software your company uses in the description.
• Staffing agencies: Finance-focused staffing agencies like Robert Half and Vaco can do preliminary screening of candidates for you and only submit qualified applicants.
• Referrals: Just ask your CFO, controller, and/or bookkeeper. AR is a small world, and good people know good people.
• Freelance websites: If you need a bookkeeper on a part-time or temporary basis, try Upwork and Toptal, where you can find a contract AR Specialist.

How to Structure the Hiring Process

A 3-step process works well for most businesses:

Step 1: Write a Targeted Job Description

Include the invoice volume you handle monthly, the software stack, and whether the role involves direct customer contact. Vague job descriptions attract unqualified applicants.

Step 2: Use a Skills-Based Interview

Go beyond general questions. Use these proven interview questions:

• “What is your current DSO and how did you reduce it?”
• “Walk me through your process when an invoice hits 45 days overdue.”
• “How do you handle a customer who disputes an invoice amount?”
• “Which AR software have you used and what reports do you run regularly?”

Step 3: Check References Carefully

Call at least two former managers. Ask specifically: “Did this person reduce payment delays? By how much?” Numbers matter here.

Red Flags to Avoid

Watch out for candidates who:

• Cannot explain what DSO means or how to calculate it
• Have only done data entry, not actual collections or customer contact
• Cannot name the AR software they used or how they used it
• Give vague answers about collections outcomes with no metrics

Full-Time vs. Outsourced AR: Which Is Right for You?

This depends on your invoice volume and budget:

• Under 100 invoices/month: A part-time AR specialist or outsourced AR service is likely enough.
• 100-500 invoices/month: A dedicated full-time AR specialist makes sense.
• 500+ invoices/month or complex billing: Consider an AR Manager with a small team, or an AR automation platform combined with a specialist.

Outsourcing to an AR firm can be faster to set up and cheaper short-term, but an in-house hire gives you better control over customer relationships.

What to Expect After Hiring an AR Expert

Within the first 90 days, a strong AR hire should:

• Audit your existing AR ageing report and identify the highest-risk accounts
• Set up or improve your invoicing and follow-up workflows
• Reduce your average DSO by at least 5-10 days
• Build a consistent collections calendar so nothing falls through the cracks

Industry benchmark: A healthy DSO for most B2B businesses is 30-45 days. If yours is above 60, you likely have a process problem that a skilled AR expert can fix.

Final Thoughts

It is one of the most ROI-wise decisions to hire the correct person for your Accounts Receivable position. Every day that passes by without you receiving that payment from that invoice is actually costing you money!

Look out for experienced individuals who are good at using AR software and have a history of success. Make sure that you are thorough with your research and hiring process and choose someone who treats their job as a business operation and not as data entry.

And once you do this, payments for invoices will no longer be a problem!