3 Tier Food Services: “We’re getting paid the next day. For us, that’s been a huge turnaround”

Hours saved on chasing payments
No more fraudulent payments
Next day payment & better cash-flow

How 3 Tier Food Services turned cash flow stress into next-day certainty with Ordermentum Payments

For many wholesale suppliers, the biggest threat to growth isn’t winning more orders, it’s getting paid for the ones they already have.

That was exactly the challenge facing 3 Tier Food Services, a Melbourne-based wholesale gourmet food supplier established in 2004.

COVID changed the way customers were paying, creating more risk, slower cash flow, and far too much time spent chasing overdue invoices. Something had to change.

We speak to Nick Haritos, Managing Director, about how the business has streamlined their finances with Payments.

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The problem: orders were being delivered, but payments weren’t

Before COVID, around 85% of 3 Tier Food Services’ customers were paying cash on delivery.

During the pandemic, suppliers extended more credit to help venues survive. Customers began ordering first and paying later, and those habits stuck. That created a dangerous gap between fulfilling an order and actually receiving the money. Some customers simply never paid.

“We found we were actually getting burnt by a few people. They were putting orders in and then just not paying. We just couldn’t retrieve the money for those invoices.”

At the same time, they still had their own suppliers and overheads to pay.

“We’ve got suppliers knocking on doors and constantly asking for us to pay them.”

Cash flow became the biggest source of stress in the business. 

The turning point: charging at the point of order with Ordermentum

The biggest shift came when 3 Tier Food Services activated credit card charging at the point of order.

This immediately solved two major problems:

  • Fraudulent and unpaid orders dropped away to almost zero
    “It’s reduced all those phony type transactions.”
  • Payments started arriving the next day
    “Our existing customers that don’t use Ordermentum, we’ve got to chase that money. In Ordermentum, we’re getting paid the next day. For us, that’s been a huge turnaround.”

That speed and security changed everything.

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Why faster payments matter more than bigger sales

The impact wasn’t theoretical. One Monday alone, thousands of dollars landed through Payments.

“That may or may not sound like a lot, but for us, that made a difference.”

Without Ordermentum, that same money might have taken anywhere from three days to a month to arrive.

For a supplier operating on tight margins, timing matters more than invoice size.

“Without Ordermentum, we wouldn’t be coping. It’s improving our cashflow position.”

The biggest opportunity is often your existing customers

Like many suppliers, 3 Tier Food Services still has customers ordering outside the platform.

Some prefer old habits. Some belong to buying groups. Some have outstanding debt that needs resolving first.

But the goal is clear.

“If I had my way, I’d have all of my customers paying through Ordermentum.”

Because every customer moved onto Payments improves financial health.

“If we had all that cash that we currently have outstanding in our pockets right now, we’d have all our suppliers paid off and we’d be up to date with everything.”

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The result: less stress, stronger cash flow, better business decisions

By driving more customers through Ordermentum and securing payment at the point of order, 3 Tier Food Services has built stronger cash flow and far less stress.

Sales, accounts, and marketing are now all aligned around driving customers to Ordermentum.

“It’s been a game changer for us.”

Ready to strengthen your cash flow?

Nick’s advice is simple:

“Use Ordermentum Payments to make sure customers are paying at the time of ordering.”

Because the real value of Payments isn’t just getting paid faster, it’s certainty, protection, and far less stress.

Suppliers using Ordermentum Payments generally get paid up to 5x faster, with fewer overdue invoices, less admin, and stronger day-to-day cash flow.

If you’re already on Ordermentum, speak to your Supplier Success Manager today to put a payments adoption strategy in place and see just how much you can improve your bottom line. 

If you haven’t yet discovered how Ordermentum can transform your business, book a fast, free demo now. 

Book a Demo

At a glance

  • SUPPLIER 3 Tier Food Services
  • LOCATIONMelbourne, Victoria
  • INDUSTRYDistributor

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