Managing Mexico’s online portals

Navigating customers’ online portals can be challenging enough as is, but when it comes to managing customers internationally, confusion can increase exponentially. As larger companies increasingly rely on online portals to handle billing and invoicing, credit managers may find themselves devoting more time to learning exactly how they fit into these systems.

Why it matters: Some credit managers are finding that managing customers in Mexico is becoming more time-consuming as online payment portals are increasingly complicated. 

Larger companies in Mexico will often funnel billing documents through an online portal that verifies order details and enters the information into the customer’s accounting system. “Sometimes this process is straightforward, depending on the portal’s user-friendliness,” said Alfredo Puerta, ICCE, director of credit Latin America for Osterman Company (Chesire, CT). “The registration process is usually time-consuming and requires periodic updates. These portals sometimes offer benefits such as foreign exchange hedges and factoring, but the costs are usually high compared with the market.” 

Navigating tricky customer portals can consume a large portion of the credit department’s time. “Some customers require different documentation or even set specific time slots during the month to file invoices, which creates extra work,” said Puerta. “In most cases, you need to hire someone to handle information collection, preparation and filing, and have a credit manager review every application to avoid problems.”

For many credit departments, the challenge isn’t using customer portals but managing multiple systems efficiently. “The biggest problem is that there are so many different types of portals with different ways of communicating through them,” said Debra Schoenecker-Dixon, credit manager for CTS Corporation (Lisle, IL). “At times, special documentation is required because you’re shipping across borders, but it can be unclear because of the portal. For these reasons, it is important to have a good understanding of what you need in order to get paid and to make sure that everyone upstream from credit is doing their part.”

Credit managers should be aware that different business practices and portal systems may rely on identifying numbers other than those traditionally used. “One of our big customers doesn’t pay by invoice number because they do a two-way match,” said Schoenecker-Dixon. “So, they ignore the invoice and instead use the delivery number. But in our system, one invoice can have multiple delivery numbers attached to it, so we’ll get a remittance from them that has like six different remittances, but it’s all attached to one invoice. So, we have to take the time to figure that out.”

Regardless of what portal a credit manager is tasked to navigate, the resounding truth is that getting in contact with a real person from the company and building a rapport with them is invaluable. “Particularly across borders, it is important to build a relationship with someone in accounts payable,” said Schoenecker-Dixon. “If you don’t have an established contact, it’s much more difficult to get somebody to respond to you, especially because at times people are relying on translators due to the language barrier.”

Though it can be a challenge, because so much business is facilitated through online portals, establishing the right point of contact often requires persistence and follow-up.

“When we reach out to the other company, we tend to go much higher in the organization,” said Schoenecker-Dixon. “It’s easier to go from the top down. If I am not getting a response, I’ll reach out to the CEO or the CFO over the phone. They’re likely not going to call you back, but they’ll make sure somebody does. The sales department also might have strong contacts that we don’t have that are more responsive.”

The bottom line: When faced with unfamiliar billing processes and portal requirements, credit managers must remain adaptable. Understanding a customer’s systems—and knowing when to seek clarification from the right contact—can go a long way toward preventing misunderstandings and keeping payments on track.