The BMK Vision Podcast

#21 - Don’t Be That Guy - Cash Flow Challenges for MSPs (Nicholas Reimer – Alternative Payments)


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Cash flow keeps MSPs alive—and too many still leak dollars in AR. In this episode, Josh Peterson and Ryan Alter talk with Nicholas from Alternative Payments about practical ways to speed up collections, reduce aging, and make “quote-to-cash” truly automatic for MSPs.

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Nicholas, Partnerships Manager at Alternative Payments, joins the BMK Vision Podcast to unpack the everyday realities of MSP cash flow—and how disciplined AR automation transforms margins. We dig into why so many providers still chase checks, when to pass on credit card fees (and how to do it ethically), and the simple workflow shifts that pull cash in faster without straining client relationships. You’ll hear real talk on lines of credit, deposits for hardware-heavy projects, and how to design payment options that meet clients where they are while protecting your bank balance.

👉 The MSP AR reality: why invoices often pay 20+ days past due—and the levers that reliably shrink it to near-zero with auto-pay and ACH.

👉 Payment options that work: transparent card fees, ACH by default, and project financing as a value-add (not a crutch).
👉 Quote-to-cash done right: capture payment details at signature, reconcile PSA ↔ accounting, and eliminate onboarding gaps that stall revenue.
👉 Project cash flow: deposits, disciplined procurement, and maintaining bank relationships/LOCs before you need them.
👉 Operational hygiene: activation rates, license reconciliation, and clean AR reports that your banker (and CFO) actually trust.
Visit https://beringmckinley.com for more MSP resources.

🔗 Resources & Links

• Nicholas Reimer- Alternative Payments: https://alternativepayments.com  @alternativepayments  
• Ryan Alter - Silver Stream AV: http://www.silverstreamav.com
• Bering McKinley MSP Consulting: https://beringmckinley.com

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Welcome & series context
01:05 – Guest intro: Nicholas, Alternative Payments
02:10 – Scale & responsibility of payments
05:40 – Credit card fees vs ACH, cash discounts
09:30 – Points talk & why redemption value matters
12:55 – Passing fees & offering three payment options
16:30 – AR realities in MSPs (aging & activation rates)
18:05 – Driving auto-pay adoption
20:50 – Cash flow for big projects & LOCs
24:50 – Municipal/education clients & checks
25:50 – bill.com vs MSP-specific AR workflows
27:10 – Closing the loop: AP on the horizon
33:10 – Quote-to-cash: from quote to collection
35:20 – Onboarding gaps that delay cash
40:40 – Sales flow: sign now, pay now
42:05 – Bookkeeper horror story & controls
47:30 – Onboarding as client experience
52:20 – Being known for AR automation (not “just payments”)
54:30 – Final takeaways & sign-off

🔍 Primary Keywords

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🔍 Secondary Keywords

alternative payments, credit card surcharge vs cash discount, net terms b2b payments, license reconciliation msp, psa integration, onboarding msp clients, line of credit for projects, msp project deposits

#️⃣ Hashtags

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The BMK Vision PodcastBy Josh Peterson