Overview
Bering McKinley is a management consulting firm based in Chicago, Illinois, serving MSPs across the industry for more than 20 years. The firm helps MSPs increase revenue, improve profitability, and ultimately grow enterprise value by advising on operations, financial discipline, and business strategy. Their work spans hundreds of MSP engagements and deep expertise in the tools that power service businesses.
Industry: : Business Consulting and Services
Company Size: : 11–50 employees
Challenge
Looking to Improve Billing Reliability, Address Workflow Gaps, and Protect Client Relationships
Bering McKinley previously relied on a long-standing payment setup that increasingly introduced risk instead of reducing it. Fees continued to rise under a pricing model that no longer felt aligned with the value they were getting. More importantly, gaps in the billing workflow allowed critical issues to slip through unnoticed, creating financial exposure and straining both their internal team and their client relationships. When a recurring billing failure resulted in a large unpaid balance and the loss of a client, it became clear that the system itself was a liability.
Recurring Billing Failures Created Financial Risk
A gap in our previous payment workflow allowed a client to accumulate a significant unpaid balance without triggering alerts or safeguards. This wasn’t caused by human error or a breakdown in our process, it was a system issue that let recurring billing fall through the cracks. When the problem arose, it necessitated an extensive investigation and a series of challenging conversations with the client. Ultimately, the company lost the relationship along with a substantial amount of revenue. One failure was enough to show us just how fragile our setup really was.
Rising Fees Added Financial Pressure Without Added Value
Over time, the fee structure of our existing payment platform became increasingly difficult to justify. Costs continued to climb without delivering meaningful improvements in reliability, flexibility, or transparency. The pricing model no longer felt aligned with the value we were receiving, especially for a firm that had committed to automated billing for years. As fees increased, our confidence in the platform eroded. It got to a point where it was clear we needed a solution that scaled more fairly and predictably.
Billing Issues Created Stress Across Teams And Client Relationships
When billing breaks down, the impact goes far beyond accounting. We found ourselves placing internal teams in defensive positions and forcing leadership into uncomfortable conversations with clients. Even isolated issues created anxiety and disrupted otherwise healthy relationships. Time and energy that should have been spent serving clients and growing the business were redirected toward damage control. Over time, the cumulative stress made it clear that billing needed to be a source of stability, not risk.
Solution
A More Reliable, Flexible Payment System Designed To Reduce Risk And Stress
Bering McKinley needed a billing foundation they could rely on, one that reduced complexity and removed common failure points. Alternative Payments provided predictable pricing, safeguards against recurring billing errors, client-friendly financing options, and clearer financial visibility. Just as important, the rollout was quick and well supported, minimizing disruption and giving the team renewed confidence in their billing operations.
Eliminating Recurring Billing Failure Points
We evaluated Alternative Payments specifically to make sure the type of recurring billing failure we experienced in the past could not happen again. The system design closed workflow gaps that had previously allowed charges to go unprocessed without detection. With clearer billing logic and tighter controls, our recurring invoices now behave predictably. This significantly reduced the risk of clients accumulating unpaid balances without anyone noticing. Billing is no longer something we worry about, it’s something we trust.
Client-Controlled Financing Without Awkward ConversationsÂ
For larger onboarding fees and substantial consulting engagements, Alternative Payments introduced flexible financing options that our clients can self-select. This removed pressure on both sides by allowing financing decisions to happen without uncomfortable conversations. It also reduced the need for us to absorb cash flow risk internally. Our clients get what they need when they need it, while we maintain financial stability. The result is a healthier, more balanced payment dynamic.
A Seamless Implementation With No Client Disruption
Despite our initial concerns about migrating sensitive payment data, the transition to Alternative Payments was completed quickly, and we were able to be completely hands-off. The cutover happened within a tight billing window and did not disrupt cash flow or client payments. Our clients never raised complaints, and our internal teams experienced minimal friction. Overall, the implementation was smooth, controlled, and far less disruptive than we ever expected.
“Seeing our DSO move into the four to five day range has been incredibly rewarding. That kind of improvement doesn’t happen without a system you can trust.”
Results
Stronger Cash Flow, Lower Risk, And A Calmer Financial Operation
With Alternative Payments in place, Bering McKinley significantly improved cash flow predictability while reducing operational risk. Days Sales Outstanding dropped into the four to five day range, reconciliation became simpler, and billing failures were effectively eliminated. These changes removed stress from leadership and accounting while allowing the team to focus on higher-value financial work.
“It only takes one billing failure to damage a client relationship. We needed a system we could trust not to let that happen again.”
