Sentence:  Some customers could now be relied upon to send in their orders regularly and, apart from having to <WSD>chivy</WSD> those who had fallen behind with their payments, this allowed travellers to concentrate their energies on securing new customers and on recovering those who had been lost to competitors. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To coerce or hurry along, as by persistent request. (from late 18th c.)