For an Accounts Receivable Job are you expected to physically go to locations to collect unpaid bills?

Question

I have worked in an A.R. position and occasionally had to drive to customer's businesses to pick up checks. Is that normal for that position?

Answer 1

Typically no, but smaller business will sometimes go pick payment up from customer to improve cash flow (get the money in the bank faster) as a convenience to the customer.

If the customer is fully expecting you to drop by to pick up a check, thats one thing and its probably cool, but if your being asked to go to the customers and ask for payments and the customer isn't expecting it, then as another poster said, thats acting like a collector, and this is a great big grey area, there are laws against just showing up at a door and asking for money.  Collectors generally aren't allowed to beat down doors.

Answer 2

Yeah, I think your job title has a fancy name for collector.

Answer 3

No.  Typically, you do the A/R bookkeeping.