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Charities: Are you missing out on donations due to the timing of your Direct Debit collections?

April 6, 2023

If you are using Direct Debits to collect donations for your charity, delaying collection can lead to a serious loss of revenue. In this article, we'll explore how you can optimise your collection schedule and use the Automated Direct Debit Instruction Service (AUDDIS) to maximise your revenue. AUDDIS sends Direct Debit instructions to banks electronically.

The problem with delayed Direct Debit collections

Delaying collections of Direct Debits can quickly add up to lost revenue and, unfortunately, many charities experience unnecessary delays due to their processes. Most supporters are eager to start contributing to your cause as soon as possible, but if your organisation isn't optimising its collection schedule, you could be missing out on significant amounts of revenue.

Why it’s important to optimise your Direct Debit collection

Let's look at two different scenarios to illustrate the potential impact on your revenue. In both cases, a supporter has agreed to contribute £10 per month by Direct Debit until the same date the following year.


Charity A is not registered for AUDDIS and only offers one collection date on the 1st of the month. This means that, as the charity is not on AUDDIS, it has to wait a minimum of 10 working days to collect a new donation by Direct Debit.


This means that if a new supporter signs up on the 14th of January, Charity A would likely be unable to collect the first donation until the 1st of March.

In contrast, Charity B is using Paperless Direct Debit and AUDDIS and can offer its supporters any collection date within the month.


If a supporter signs up on the 14th of January, Charity B can take the first collection on the 21st of January, followed by subsequent collections on the 1st of each month. By the 2nd of March, Charity B has collected £30, whereas Charity A has only collected £10.

The impact of timely Direct Debit collection on revenue

Although the difference in revenue won't always be as significant as the scenario above, improving your collection timings or migrating to AUDDIS can have a significant impact on the value of an individual's gift. If a supporter has agreed to contribute until the following year, Charity A will only have collected £100 compared to Charity B, which would have collected £120.

How to improve your Direct Debit collection schedule

If you want to eliminate unnecessary delays and optimise your collection schedule, we can help. By implementing AUDDIS or Paperless Direct Debit, you can streamline your processes and maximise your revenue. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help you improve your knowledge and processes.

If you have any questions or need further support, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help you navigate the technicalities of Direct Debit management.

Get in touch today

Why lotteries are a great way for hospices to raise money: 5 reasons

July 29, 2024
Providing quality hospice care requires money – lots of it. There are many ways to raise funds, but hospice lotteries stand out as a simple and effective solution. Lotteries offer an almost effortless way to secure regular income, which every hospice needs to provide the care they're passionate about. Let's look at the top reasons why your organisation should consider hospice lotteries when raising funds: 1. Build a steady income Donations can be an irregular source of income. While some donors give consistently, for others it may be more sporadic or in response to appeals. In this case, the only way to boost revenue is to wait for donations or run campaigns to encourage people to give. While donations may fluctuate, hospice lotteries can be more reliable. Well-advertised lotteries offering great prizes can raise a substantial amount of money. Additionally, lotteries where players can enter multiple draws with a recurring fee encourage regular participation. Use your lottery to create a reliable monthly income that enables you to provide quality care all year round. 2. Create an invested community Encouraging regular donations can be challenging. To inspire consistent giving, you need to raise awareness and build a community of donors who are as passionate as you. Hospice lotteries with great prizes can help you reach people who haven’t heard of your hospice. They provide an opportunity to promote your organisation and share the work you do. Passion is contagious; show people how passionate you are about quality hospice care to inspire them to support your organisation regularly. 3. Boost income to cover daily expenses Giving patients and their loved ones the care they deserve is not cheap. You need to hire specialists such as nurses, therapists, and grief counsellors and provide medication and meals. Hospice lotteries offer a hassle-free way to grow your income and cover your daily expenses. Because the cost of running a lottery is low, you can get a good return on investment and enough money to boost your income. Once set up, you can earn extra money with little effort. 4. Easy to set up and get started Because patient care is your focus, you need a quick and easy way to raise funds. Traditional fundraising methods, such as events and phone donation appeals, require time, hard work, and a big budget. Unlike traditional methods, hospice lotteries are a simple fundraising solution. You don't need much time or money to run a lottery. Additionally, it's easy for participants to sign up and play, meaning they don't need much convincing to participate. 5. Easy to get paid Money is what every hospice needs to give patients better care. The easier it is to collect money from lotteries, the sooner you can get the funds you need – and you can spend less time chasing payments and more time looking after those in your care. Hospices can use paperless Direct Debit to simplify payments. Players can set up automatic payments, and you can get paid on time – no follow up required. To save more time and resources, your organisation can use a Bacs approved bureau service , a solution where payments are managed for you, to make collection even easier. Provide the care you’re passionate about with hospice lotteries Make good patient care your focus with hospice lotteries – an easy way to bring in a reliable income, raise awareness, make extra money, and get paid. If you're eager to start but need guidance, visit the ClearDebit stand at the Hospice Lotteries Association (HLA) Conference 2024 at the Eastwood Hall in Nottingham from 10-12 September. Our team will be available to chat with you about ClearDebit's Direct Debit solutions and share how they make collecting lottery payments a breeze.

The 7 payments challenges sports clubs face… and how Direct Debit can help solve them

February 6, 2024
As a sports club, it’s essential that your off-field performance is exceptional. Whether you’re managing golfers booking tee times or football supporters renewing season cards, a smooth, easy and secure payments experience can make all the difference. In order to deliver that experience, however, a number of challenges must be overcome – and having a reliable and robust Direct Debit set up for your sports club can help. Here’s what you need to be thinking about. Security concerns Sports clubs deal with vast amounts of sensitive customer information – and because of that, payment processing systems must be secure and compliant to industry standards. Payment fraud Sports clubs are susceptible to payment fraud – for example, credit card fraud and unauthorised transactions. To avoid this, robust fraud detection and prevention measures are crucial to minimise and avoid fraudulent transactions, and help protect your reputation, too. Subscription and membership models Some sports clubs offer subscription-based services and memberships, meaning recurring payments, cancellations and renewals are a regular part of the day-to-day. Without a reliable and efficient management system in place, this can be time-consuming and challenging to manage. Refund and dispute resolutions Handling refunds and resolving payment disputes can also take up significant time for your back-office teams. Sports clubs need effective processes in place to efficiently manage any situations that may occur, as well as a deep understanding of customer rights. Having that knowledge of processes and entitlements significantly strengthens your organisation – as well as ensuring your teams can operate as efficiently as possible. Regulatory compliance Sports clubs must follow local and international regulations governing payments and data protection. By staying compliant with laws and regulatory bodies, you can avoid legal issues and maintain trust with your fan and customer bases. User experience Smooth and easy payment processes are crucial for fan satisfaction. Lengthy processes can lead to customers abandoning their shopping carts, so by prioritising a positive online purchase experience, you can help keep fans happy. Integration with ticket systems Integrating payment systems seamlessly with ticketing can be difficult, however, it’s an essential part of delivering that stellar online experience. By ensuring your payments system and ticketing system are fully in sync, you have clear, real-time visibility on income, making reconciliation and forecasting simple.  Ten must-have features your sports club Direct Debit provider must have Security and compliance that meet local and international regulations Reliable and stable payment platforms/processes User-friendly interface The ability to integrate with existing software Customisation and flexibility Clear and transparent pricing Active customer support Effective reporting and analysis tools Final thoughts on choosing a Direct Debit provider for sports clubs Addressing the challenges outlined above is essential in order to meet the expectations of your fans and customers, who expect their club to have the highest of standards. A secure and reliable payment processing system, robust cybersecurity measures and commitment to providing a positive experience for fans throughout the transaction process is a fundamental part of meeting those expectations. By choosing your sports team’s DIrect Debit partner carefully, you can seriously boost your off-field game.
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