As Chaser celebrates its 10th anniversary, it's moving to reflect on how far the software and team have come, especially since my first year as CEO. What started as a simple idea to help businesses follow up on overdue invoices has grown into a fully automated accounts receivables platform, helping thousands of businesses around the world to bring their revenue in on time.
Since 2014, Chaser has been driven by a single mission: to help businesses get paid on time and reduce the burden of late payments. Along the way, we’ve had the privilege of supporting over 7,000 businesses, helping them recover £30 billion in late payments, and saving more than 6 million hours of manual tasks.
This is not only a chance to look back at the key milestones Chaser has achieved but also to celebrate the innovative technology and partnerships that have brought us to this moment. Whether you've been with Chaser from the beginning or joined us more recently, thank you for being part of this incredible journey.
Chaser CEO Sonia Dorais, CTO Pedro Sampaio, and former Founder David Tuck reflect on 10 years of Chaser.
Chaser’s journey: 10 years of growth and innovation
In 2014, Chaser began with a simple mission: to help businesses follow up on overdue invoices with automated email reminders. Over time, as users' needs evolved, so did Chaser’s software. What started as an email-chasing tool has become a comprehensive platform designed to support the accounts receivable process.
From multi-channel reminders—including SMS and automated calls—to AI-driven tools that predict late payments and optimize follow-up times, Chaser has continued to innovate and adapt. Chaser has also introduced key features like payment portals and new integrations, allowing businesses to streamline and automate their receivables process even further.
In the last decade, Chaser has helped more than 7,000 businesses collect £30 billion in late payments and save over 6 million hours in manual tasks. It’s been an incredible journey, and the team’s commitment to helping businesses improve cash flow remains as strong as ever.
Transforming accounts receivables with AI and automation
One recent milestone to highlight is the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) in Chaser's software to help businesses further optimize their accounts receivable process. In 2023, Chaser released several AI-driven features to make credit management more efficient and effective for finance teams worldwide.
- Recommended chasing times help businesses select the best moments for follow-up, ensuring that they connect with their customers when they are most likely to respond or pay their invoices.
- The late payment predictor enables businesses to act proactively by identifying potential late payments before they become a problem.
- Payer ratings provide valuable insights into customer payment behavior, helping businesses tailor their approaches for each client and effectively segment their debtor book.
- The Revenue forecast predicts cash in based on historical payment patterns, allowing businesses to plan their finances with greater confidence.
These AI-driven tools have been instrumental in improving efficiency and saving time, contributing significantly to the 6 million hours businesses have saved through the use of Chaser. By automating routine tasks and providing actionable insights, Chaser empowers businesses to focus on their core operations, ultimately leading to healthier cash flow and improved financial stability.
Expanding how businesses can chase payments
Chaser has significantly evolved over the past decade, transforming from a simple email chasing tool into a comprehensive multi-channel payment follow-up platform. This evolution improves collection efficiency, enabling businesses to recover overdue payments more effectively.
SMS payment reminders
In 2023 Chaser introduced SMS reminders as an effective way to reach customers directly on their mobile devices. This feature allows businesses to send quick and concise payment reminders via text, tapping into a channel that many customers engage with daily. By leveraging SMS, Chaser helps businesses ensure that their messages are seen promptly, improving the chances of timely payments.
Automated debtor calls
The auto-call feature was launched in 2024 and is designed to take the work out of credit control phone calls. Chaser now allows businesses to set up automated calls to remind customers about overdue invoices, ensuring consistent follow-up without the need for manual intervention using text-to-speech technology.
Automated posted letters
As of June 2024, businesses can also automate posted letters using Chaser. This method allows businesses to send physical reminders without the hassle of manually drafting and mailing letters, and convey a sense of urgency to their debtors. By automating this process, Chaser ensures that businesses can reach all their customers effectively, regardless of their communication preferences.
Chaser Pay and the Payment Portal: making payments easier
Another significant milestone in Chaser's journey has been the launch of the Payment Portal in 2021 and Chaser Pay in 2023, which streamline the payment process for businesses and their customers. These tools allow debtors to view outstanding invoices and make payments quickly and easily, contributing to improved cash flow.
One of the key benefits of the Payment Portal is that businesses can include links for payment in various communication methods. Whether it’s through SMS reminders, email notifications, or even letters with QR codes, debtors can easily access the Payment Portal to settle their invoices. This technology encourages prompt payments and reduces the time and effort businesses need to spend on collecting their overdue amounts.
These innovations have been instrumental in helping businesses recover £30 billion in late payments, and demonstrate Chaser's continued commitment to making accounts receivable more efficient.
Open API and new integrations
In 2014, Chaser was initially built as an add-on tool for Xero users, designed to integrate solely with the Xero accounting system. Over the past decade, Chaser has evolved significantly to help more businesses worldwide combat late payments in an efficient and friendly way.
With the launch of the Open API in 2023, Chaser can now connect seamlessly with any accounting system, ERP, or CRM platform. This advancement means that businesses, regardless of the systems they use, can effortlessly integrate Chaser into their existing workflows.
These integrations empower organizations to streamline their accounts receivable processes, automate data transfers, and ensure that payment collections fit seamlessly within their broader operations. By enhancing connectivity, Chaser continues to support businesses in managing their finances more effectively, ultimately driving improved cash flow and reducing the impact of late payments.
Chaser is also proud to have new integration partners including AccountsIQ, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Intuit QuickBooks, Sage, Stripe and Zapier, to ensure more businesses can benefit from seamless accounts receivables automation connected to their existing systems.
Recognized as an industry leader
Chaser’s journey over the past decade has not only been marked by innovation and growth but also by recognition from the industry. Key awards highlight the impact Chaser has made in the accounts receivable sector, showcasing the hard work and dedication of the team as well as the success of the 7,000 businesses it has supported.
Recent accolades include in 2024, when Chaser was honored as the Best Technology Provider at the Credit Strategy Awards, a testament to its commitment to enhancing financial processes. The company also received the Best Use of Innovation in Business award from Management Today in 2023, underscoring its role in driving efficiency and effectiveness within accounts receivable management.
Further accolades include being named Xero App Partner of the Year in 2023 and winning the Best Use of Technology award at the Credit Awards in 2022. These recognitions reflect Chaser's continued dedication to providing innovative solutions that empower businesses to manage their receivables effectively, ultimately contributing to improved cash flow and reduced late payments.
Celebrating Chaser users: The Accounts Receivable Excellence Awards
In honor of Chaser’s 10-year milestone, Chaser is proud to launch the Accounts Receivable Excellence Awards. These awards celebrate the incredible achievements of businesses using Chaser to improve their credit management processes. They highlight organizations that have reduced late payments, reduced their DSO, and leveraged Chaser’s tools for greater efficiency and cash flow improvements.
With the finalists already announced, the winners will be revealed today, October 23rd, 2024, at 12 pm (BST). Stay tuned for updates as we celebrate the success of Chaser users leading the way in accounts receivable excellence.
Business operations: Evolution at every step
As we celebrate Chaser's 10th anniversary, I can’t help but reflect on how far we’ve come—not just as a company but as a community. It’s been a decade filled with learning, growing, and transforming, all while staying true to our mission of helping businesses manage their accounts receivables more effectively. What’s become increasingly clear to me over these years is that, while technology and processes play a vital role in our growth, it’s the culture we’ve cultivated that has been the true engine of our success.
Over the years, we’ve continually enhanced our internal operations, ensuring that we’re not just providing the best solutions to our clients but also practicing what we preach. One of the most significant changes has been integrating Chaser into our own credit control process. Not only has this allowed us to refine our own cash flow, but it has also given us firsthand insight into how we can continuously improve the product for our users. Using Chaser internally has been a game-changer in how we operate day-to-day.
We’ve also made significant strides in other operational areas. We introduced a comprehensive CRM to manage relationships more effectively, ensuring we stay connected with clients, prospects, and partners alike. To streamline our financials, we embedded a robust billing system, and we took HR to the next level by implementing HR software that has allowed us to manage our growing team more efficiently.
But our work is far from done. We are currently working towards achieving SOC 2 compliance, a significant milestone for us as we continue to prioritize security and data protection for our users. The implementation of more stringent security policies reflects our commitment to not just innovation but responsibility.
The power of rebranding
In the early days of Chaser, we took bold steps to reimagine who we were as a company. We underwent a complete rebrand, released a new and improved user interface (UI), and launched a sleek new website. This wasn’t just a facelift—this was about aligning our brand identity with the direction we were heading. The rebrand symbolized our evolution and positioned us as leaders in the accounts receivable automation space.
At the same time, we launched an employee share scheme. This initiative wasn’t just about rewarding our team; it was about ensuring that everyone at Chaser feels a sense of ownership and pride in what we’re building together. After all, we’re all in this together, and the success of the company belongs to every single person who has contributed to its growth.
Culture: The heart of our success
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past decade, it’s that culture is everything. You can have the best technology, the most efficient processes, and the most loyal customers, but without the right culture, sustaining success is difficult.
At Chaser, we’ve built a culture that values transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement. We believe in empowering our team members, giving them the tools, support, and autonomy they need to thrive. We foster an environment where feedback is encouraged, and everyone has a voice in shaping the future of the company.
As we look to the future, I’m confident that it’s this culture that will continue to drive us forward. Our journey isn’t just about building better software; it’s about building a company where people love to work, and customers love to engage.
Looking forward
Ten years is a significant milestone, but in many ways, it feels like we’re just getting started. We’ve achieved so much, yet we have so much more we want to accomplish. As we move forward, we remain committed to innovation, operational excellence, and maintaining the strong culture that has brought us to where we are today.
Thank you to everyone—our team, our customers, and our partners—who have been a part of Chaser’s incredible journey over the last decade. Here's to the next 10 years of growth, innovation, and continued success!
Thank you to Chaser’s community
As Chaser celebrates 10 years, a heartfelt thank you goes out to the customers, partners, and employees who have been part of this journey. The trust and collaboration from this community have allowed Chaser to support over 7,000 businesses, recover £30 billion in late payments, and save 6 million hours of manual work.
These milestones are significant, but they also serve as a foundation for the future. Chaser remains committed to driving further innovation and supporting businesses in overcoming late payments and improving their accounts receivable processes for years to come.
To stay tuned on the latest developments in Chaser, visit the Chaser blog. Or, if you’d like to learn how Chaser can support your business to reduce late payments in the most efficient and effective way possible, speak to an expert today.
