B2B debt recovery is a different discipline from consumer collection. The debtors are corporations with filed accounts and registered assets. The amounts are larger. The legal tools are more powerful. The regulatory framework is less restrictive. And the recovery rates are substantially better — which is worth remembering when a six-figure receivable goes overdue and the instinct is to write it off.
Why B2B Recovery Rates Are Higher
Commercial debtors have structural characteristics that make recovery more probable than consumer debts:
Identifiable assets. Companies have registered offices, bank accounts, equipment, inventory, receivables, and property — all traceable through registries and enforceable through courts. The debtor can't simply be unreachable.
Reputational incentives. A company listed on ASNEF or RAI (Spain's debtor registries) faces real commercial consequences: restricted credit access, difficult trade finance, worsened insurance terms. These consequences create settlement pressure that doesn't exist in consumer collection.
Filed financial information. Through the Registro Mercantil, you can assess the debtor's financial health before investing in collection. This pre-collection intelligence prevents wasting resources on uncollectable debts and informs strategy for viable ones.
Lighter regulation. B2B collection isn't subject to consumer protection regulations (FDCPA, Consumer Credit Act, etc.). Commercial collectors have more flexibility in how they contact debtors, what they can say, and what consequences they can impose. B2B regulatory framework here.
The B2B Recovery Framework for Spanish Debts
Assessment. Before committing resources, assess the debt's viability. Registro Mercantil check (filed accounts, registered charges), ASNEF/RAI status, commercial credit report, and documentation strength. A competent agency does this in the first 48 hours and gives you an honest assessment of recoverability.
Amicable collection. Local agent contact in Spanish: phone calls, burofax demands, field visits, structured negotiation. No-win, no-fee terms (5–15% commission). Resolves 70–85% of commercially viable debts referred within 90 days. The amicable phase is the highest-ROI stage of the process.
Pre-legal escalation. Attorney demand referencing Ley 15/2010, statutory interest, and the specific court procedure. €300–€800. Resolves a significant further proportion.
Legal proceedings. Monitorio for documented debts (30–45 days, €1,000–€5,000). Full civil proceedings for contested debts (6–18 months, €3,000–€15,000). Decision based on cost-benefit analysis at each stage.
Enforcement. Bank garnishment, asset seizure, receivables seizure, property charges. Requires local investigative capability to identify assets.
Common B2B Recovery Scenarios
The silent debtor. Was paying consistently, then stopped responding. Usually indicates either financial distress or a deliberate decision to deprioritise your invoices. Professional amicable collection resolves most of these — the debtor re-engages when confronted by a local agent with enforcement capability.
The tactical disputer. Raises a dispute (quality issue, delivery problem, specification mismatch) months after delivery, timed to coincide with the payment deadline. The dispute may be genuine or fabricated. A competent agency assesses the dispute's substance and adjusts strategy: resolve the legitimate issue, or challenge the tactical one and proceed to legal escalation.
The serial promiser. Acknowledges the debt, promises payment "next week" repeatedly, never delivers. Payment plans with documented default clauses (administered by your agency) convert vague promises into enforceable commitments. Default on the payment plan triggers immediate legal escalation.
The insolvent debtor. Genuinely unable to pay. Pre-collection solvency assessment identifies this early, preventing wasted resources. If the debtor enters concurso de acreedores (formal insolvency), your agency files your claim within the insolvency framework.
The Economics of B2B Recovery
For a €100,000 commercial debt, 90 days overdue, with solid documentation:
Amicable resolution (most likely): €100,000 recovered × 8% commission = €8,000 cost. Net: €92,000.
Amicable + monitorio: €100,000 × 8% (€8,000) + €3,000 legal = €11,000 cost. Net: €89,000.
Full litigation (worst case for successful recovery): €85,000 partial settlement × 8% (€6,800) + €8,000 legal = €14,800 cost. Net: €70,200.
Any of these outcomes is dramatically better than a €100,000 write-off. The detailed cost breakdown helps you model the economics for your specific case.
FAQ
What's the minimum debt amount for professional B2B recovery?
Most agencies accept cases from €10,000–€15,000 on no-win, no-fee terms. Below that threshold, a standalone pre-legal attorney demand (€300–€500) can be effective. Small business collection strategies here.
How quickly should I engage professional recovery?
By day 60 if internal collection hasn't produced results. Every month past day 60 reduces recovery probability by 3–5 percentage points. The cost of engaging on no-win, no-fee terms is zero upfront. The cost of waiting is measured in lost recovery probability.
Alan Perez
💥 World citizen / 🛵 Tourist, Senior Debt Collection Manager, Business Debt Claims Expert
