Your Virtual Credit Manager

APRIL 8, 2025

Photo by Ben Cliff on Unsplash Even before all this turmoil, the business outlook was concerning, in large part due to lingering inflation. Here’s a warning to trade creditor’s from a major commercial credit bureau (from CreditSafe’s Cost of Late Payments report). Do you need help improving cash flow?

Bad Debt 130

Bad Debt Bankruptcy Accounts Receivable (AR) Credit and Collections 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

FEBRUARY 18, 2025

The better you know a customers, the easier it is to make a correct credit decision. One of the biggest challenges for any credit function is making a valid decision when information is lacking. That’s why standard procedure calls for gathering additional credit information until a comfortable decision can be made.

Credit Application 130

Credit Application Credit and Collections Bad Debt High-Risk Accounts 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

JANUARY 14, 2025

Customer past due balances cause cash flow shortages, increase the need for borrowing, and create a significant work requirement in order to accelerate collections. When you do eventually get paid, you recover the cost you expended in fulfilling the customer order less the cost of collections and any interest on loans.

Bad Debt 130

Bad Debt Bankruptcy Credit and Collections Accounts Receivable (AR) 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

Your Virtual Credit Manager is a reader-supported publication. For a masterclass on Credit Department Digital Transformation , join David Schmidt online December 3, 2024, at 1:30 PM EDT. Learn More About Credit Reports Please share this newsletter with your small business customers. Share Read more

Credit and Collections 130

Credit and Collections Credit Management Default Small Businesses 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

JANUARY 7, 2025

Accelerating sales can increase DSO, but most often the cause is problems in the order-to-cash (O2C) pipeline affecting collections. Your Virtual Credit Manager is a reader-supported publication. Learn More About Credit Reports Please share this newsletter with your small business customers.

Days Sales Outstanding 130

Days Sales Outstanding DSO Credit and Collections Accounts Receivable (AR) 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

MARCH 4, 2025

We often talk about the importance of having an efficient and effective collection process and how, from a process improvement perspective, collections automation provides substantial benefits. We don’t, however, want to minimize the importance of the credit side of the equation. Do you need help improving cash flow?

Bad Debt 130

Bad Debt Credit and Collections Accounts Receivable (AR) Collector 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

NOVEMBER 12, 2024

Monitoring and evaluating the credit risk posed by public companies and other large firms differs significantly in comparison to small and mid-sized businesses. Because most of your biggest customers will be larger firms instead of smaller, it is typically the larger firms that will require higher credit limits.

Chapter 11 130

Chapter 11 Accounts Receivable (AR) Bankruptcy Credit and Collections 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

FEBRUARY 25, 2025

A customer that pays on time does not require any collection efforts. Those who sometimes pay on time only require a collection effort when they pay late; getting them to pay is usually not difficult. Since they are abusing your credit terms, why not require them to pay with a credit card when they place an order?

Bad Debt 130

Bad Debt Credit and Collections DSO Debt Collections 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

JANUARY 28, 2025

When a business reaches the point of multiple team members making new sales and taking orders from existing customers, the credit approval process gets more complicated. This company’s evaluation of the risk/reward tradeoff was flawed because it underestimated the credit risk of “large” enterprises.

Accounts Receivable (AR) 130

Accounts Receivable (AR) Bad Debt Credit and Collections Bankruptcy 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

SEPTEMBER 3, 2024

As businesses grow and add customers, there comes a point when collections become a burden. Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash The first step toward a dedicated collection effort involves prioritization. This is a simple matter of efficiency aimed at collecting the most possible dollars with a minimum of effort.

Accounts Receivable (AR) 130

Accounts Receivable (AR) Days Sales Outstanding DSO Credit and Collections 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

DECEMBER 26, 2023

In our case, we found our readers had an affinity for articles on identifying collection risks and the best ways of dealing with past due balances. First we look at Red Flags that may indicate a customer could begin paying slower or default. Far more damaging is a customer that defaults (never pays).

Collector 130

Collector Credit and Collections Default Third Party Collections 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

NOVEMBER 29, 2022

Photo by Ralph Hutter on Unsplash Confronted with high interest rates and inflation, and heading into a what is increasingly looking like a recession, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) will probably need to use a Collection Agency more than they have in the past. it just might help them pay you sooner!

Credit and Collections 130

Credit and Collections Accounts Receivable (AR) Default Collector 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

If that’s the case, collection activities should be at the top of your to do list, because any changes in credit policy and procedures will be too little too late for this year. For those twenty days when you can count on your customers being at work, you need to concentrate on making collection calls.

DSO 100

DSO AR Metrics Credit and Collections Accounts Receivable (AR) 100

Your Virtual Credit Manager

JUNE 4, 2024

Successful collections require the coordination of a variety of activities: timely and accurate invoices and payment posting, monthly statements, email reminders and other dunning notices as well as telephone calls. A Cautionary Tale… As a corporate credit manager, I periodically was tasked with other finance department activities.

Collector 130

Collector Credit and Collections Past Due Invoices Credit Management 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

OCTOBER 22, 2024

When we first think about credit risk, our minds focus on the financial status of the company in question. To manage the risk that a customer might default, companies implement credit and collection policies and procedures. Your Virtual Credit Manager is a reader-supported publication. Share Read more

Past Due Invoices 130

Past Due Invoices Credit and Collections Credit Card Payments Default 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

For small business executives, and many mid-sized businesses as well, managing collections effectively can be a significant challenge, particularly when time and resources are limited. Over time, this erodes profitability and financial stability, making it harder to keep the business running smoothly.

Credit and Collections 100

Credit and Collections Accounts Receivable (AR) Bad Debt Credit Risk 100

Your Virtual Credit Manager

NOVEMBER 1, 2022

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash Effective collections is the single most important factor for achieving reliable cash inflows. Effective collections can also reduce bad debt losses by compensating for a liberal or weak Credit Control function. The solution to the collections challenge therefore starts with Prioritization.

Credit and Collections 130

Credit and Collections Past Due Invoices Bad Debt Accounts Receivable (AR) 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

AUGUST 20, 2024

In the face of an economy being buffeted by opposing trends, what should those with credit and collection responsibilities do to protect their organizations’ accounts receivable (AR)? For credit pros, that means first getting a better handle on the risks to your AR portfolio and then adopting strategies to mitigate those risks.

Credit Management 130

Credit Management Credit and Collections Accounts Receivable (AR) Bankruptcy 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

AUGUST 29, 2023

Effective collections are crucial to maintaining a healthy cash flow and the financial stability of your company. If your business is struggling with cash flow or AR balances are growing, it could be a sign that your collections policy requires updating. There are a myriad of issues that can affect collections.

DSO 130

DSO Credit and Collections Bad Debt Collection Effectiveness Index 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

OCTOBER 15, 2024

Full Speed Ahead for Collections Effective collections management is key to maintaining healthy cash flow and minimizing overdue accounts, which will reduce your risk of bad debt losses. To continue reading and learn how to adapt your collection efforts to the current economic challenges, you must be a paid subscriber.

Chapter 11 100

Chapter 11 Bad Debt Bankruptcy Accounts Receivable (AR) 100

Your Virtual Credit Manager

APRIL 2, 2024

Commercial credit scores predict the likelihood of a business fulfilling its financial obligations, particularly regarding debt repayment and trade credit. Commercial credit scores are often not as well understood as consumer credit scores such as FICO.

Credit Scoring 130

Credit Scoring Credit and Collections Bad Debt Credit Risk 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

OCTOBER 8, 2024

Companies selling other businesses on open terms need to ensure any collection agency partners can effectively collect non-performing receivables. Here are four prime example of issues that impede third party collections: 1. Doing this involves taking a series of proactive steps.

Third Party Collections 100

Third Party Collections Credit and Collections Bankruptcy Bad Debt 100

Your Virtual Credit Manager

JANUARY 23, 2024

Approving a customer for credit terms is merely the first step in an open credit relationship. Economic circumstances may cause you to tighten your credit policies and customer credit limits. Even more likely are changes to a customer’s business. Situations change, both for you and for your customer.

Credit Application 130

Credit Application Bad Debt Bankruptcy Credit Scoring 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Credit Policy is an inextricable part of a company’s Sales Policy. If you choose to sell on open credit, the terms you offer are in effect part of the price. If you discuss credit terms with a competitor, you are in violation of anti-trust statutes forbidding price fixing. What’s Right for Your Firm?

Credit Sales 130

Credit Sales Bad Debt Credit and Collections Credit Risk 130

Your Virtual Credit Manager

DECEMBER 27, 2022

For example, there are firms burning through their cash reserves that may still be considered worthy of credit on their next order, but not the order that comes in three months from now. Cash flow is the biggest cause of customers defaults, but often cash flow is a result of other financial problems or miscues.

Credit Scoring 130

Credit Scoring Credit and Collections Accounts Receivable (AR) Credit Application 130

Fundera

SEPTEMBER 18, 2018

When a credit bureau computes your credit score, their job is to produce a number that estimates—given your past and current financial history—how likely you are to default on future debts. There are five notable components of a personal credit score. There are five notable components of a personal credit score.

Credit Scoring 93

Credit Scoring Small Businesses Credit and Collections Collector 93

Your Virtual Credit Manager

MARCH 19, 2024

If all your customers paid promptly — by the time the invoice was due — you would not need to do any collection work. Collections is a reactive process. The amount of collection activity with which you are tasked is directly proportional to your customers’ payment habits.

Bulk Transfer 100

Bulk Transfer Credit and Collections Bankruptcy Third Party Collections 100

Your Virtual Credit Manager

JUNE 25, 2024

Rising Days Sales Outstanding DSO measures the average number of days it takes to collect payment after a sale. A rising DSO indicates that your collections are not matching the rate of new sales, and if that goes on for any length of time, your cash flow will not be able to support the volume of your current business operations.

Bad Debt 130

Bad Debt Credit and Collections DSO Days Sales Outstanding 130

Fundera

AUGUST 11, 2016

You took out a small business loan with the best of intentions… But things didn’t quite work out the way you’d planned—and now you can’t make your loan payments. What happens when you default on a loan? What Happens When You Default on a Loan? What Happens When You Default on a Loan?:

Default 75

Default Credit Reporting Agencies Credit and Collections Credit Scoring 75

Your Virtual Credit Manager

JUNE 6, 2023

People who are new to business collections are inclined to fall into one of several patterns. Seldom does a new collector appreciate the need for a balanced, holistic approach to debt collections. In time, as they become more familiar with the process of collecting, their productivity increases.

Debt Collections 100

Debt Collections Collector Credit and Collections Default 100

Your Virtual Credit Manager

MARCH 5, 2024

Finding the time and resources to accomplish all the collection activities required to do a good job is a constant challenge. Most small companies come up short because when there isn’t a dedicated employee responsible for credit and collections, the owner or CFO have more important things to do.

Past Due Invoices 100

Past Due Invoices Credit and Collections Collector Accounts Receivable (AR) 100

Your Virtual Credit Manager

JUNE 18, 2024

Small businesses in general have a short life span. That means 20% of those smaller firms still in business at year 5 will fail before year 10, and of those that make it that far, 10% more will fail before reaching their 20 year anniversary. The challenge with businesses that employ less than five people is even more acute.

Bad Debt 100

Bad Debt Credit and Collections Credit Risk Credit Card Companies 100

Your Virtual Credit Manager

AUGUST 27, 2024

Imagine a world where extending trade credit was completely risk-free, and granting open terms of sale to business customers required no second thought. In such an ideal scenario, every customer would have both the ability and the integrity to pay their bills in full and on time, eliminating any need for a credit management.

Accounts Receivable (AR) 100

Accounts Receivable (AR) Default Credit and Collections Cybersecurity 100

Fundera

MARCH 28, 2018

You probably know how important your credit score is when you’re applying for a small business loan. But with all of the surprising ways you can damage your credit, that number might come as a surprise when it pops up on your application. What Your Credit Score Is, and Why It Matters: A Quick Rundown.

Small Businesses 88

Small Businesses Credit Scoring Default Credit and Collections 88

Fundera

NOVEMBER 4, 2015

When you’re new to the world of small business lending, it’s not uncommon to have more questions than answers. Almost without fail, the first question every small business lender or loan broker will ask you is, “How much do you need?” How will my credit impact my small business lending options?

Small Businesses 97

Small Businesses Credit Scoring Credit and Collections Default 97

Fundera

SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

If you’re a small business owner on the hunt for business loans , you probably know the deal with traditional banks: big banks just don’t lend to small businesses. More than 80% of banks reported that they tightened their lending standards for small businesses after the recession. That’s partly true.

Small Businesses 104

Small Businesses Credit Scoring Credit and Collections Credit Card Payments 104

Your Virtual Credit Manager

MAY 16, 2023

When a commercial account wants to buy your product, chances are they will want credit terms. Business credit, also known as trade credit, facilitates the flow of goods and services between business trading partners. Credit evaluations prevent more bad debts than collection efforts.

Bad Debt 100

Bad Debt Credit and Collections Default Small Businesses 100