Newsletters

In This Issue
- Are You Underemployed?
- The Importance of Having a Consistent Supervisor
- ICEL Chair: Sales and Credit Partnership
- It's the Small Things
- Educating Customers about Credit
- ICEL Recap: Risk vs. Reward

Looking Ahead

Why should I submit potential members to NACM?"

Help gain information on your customers. As a member, their information could help build the database on your customers. It's not just a one-way street. more Info

Are You Underemployed?

by D'Ann Johnson, CCE, Roofers Supply

In the August 12, 2014, Forbes magazine issue, Kathryn Dill reported on "The Ten Most Underemployed Jobs in America." In her article she states that data released by the compensation comparison site Payscale.com, up to 22 million workers in the U.S. could be considered "underemployed", a term Payscale  defines as "having part-time work but wanting full-time work, or holding a job that doesn't require or utilize a person's education, experience or training."  Read full article

The Importance of Having a Consistent Supervisor
by Kelsey Tebbs, Wheeler Machinery

Can you remember the last time a customer became frustrated with you during a phone call? Did that phone call change your mood? How about the last time your supervisor criticized or humiliated you over a credit decision you made because they were simply having a bad day? Working in credit is not always sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes we have to say "no" to a customer or to a salesman. Regardless of who it is, a no is still that, a no. And, not too many of us truly like hearing the word no, which can ultimately trigger certain emotions. Read full article

ICEL Chair: Sales and Credit
Partnership
by DeAnna Leahy, CCE, Sunroc Corp

Essentially every business transaction that concerns another business involves credit. Credit can be used as a powerful tool to generate sales, improve profit margins, increase market share, and meet customer demand. Sales share many of these same goals, yet sometimes it seems that credit and sales are always in conflict. The credit department must meet their financial goals, provide timely credit decisions, provide a fair, consistent and predictable credit policy while maximizing revenue and managing risk. The sales department must meet their sales goals while dealing in a competitive environment. They also want to see a consistent and predictable credit policy as well as timely decisions from the credit department. Read full article

It's the Small Things
by Nina Flurer, CCE, PermaPlate

The only constant in business is change. It's the one thing I know I can count on. If a business is not changing it's just a matter of time before it goes out of business. So, how do we, as credit professionals not only adapt to those changes, but help to drive the innovation that can help to grow the businesses that we were hired to support? Read full article

Educating Customers About Credit
by NACM National

A large majority of consumers in the United States are credit card holders. In 2015, the Federal Reserve reported 70% of U.S. consumers had at least one credit card, meaning roughly 174 million people were credit-active. With these types of numbers, it would seem it's the norm to charge it, yet this could not be further from the truth in business credit. "It's a privilege to have credit," said Graybar Electric Company Financial Manager Rick Weisman, CCE. This is his No. 1 takeaway when trying to educate his customers about what he does for them as a credit professional. Read full article

ICEL Recap: Risk vs Reward
by Jessica Corry, CBA, Roofers Supply

What is the American Dream? The members of ICEL had the opportunity to listen to Ross McGarvey and left feeling the American Dream is alive and well.

McGarvey was an immigrant from Scotland. He spoke of the struggles he experienced while creating a new life in America. He remembers cleaning the drain systems for employment and trying to support his family on his small hourly wage. Read full article