Overview

U.S. Debt: Corporate, Government, Consumer—Significance for Credit & Collections

August 2016 - What is the state of overall U.S. corporate and consumer debt today? What is the debt picture for the global economy? What about U.S. public debt—not only the federal government’s

Credit Scoring—From Judgmental to Statistical Models

Credit scoring is a methodology and set of tools for evaluating the credit worthiness of customers by employing a formula or set of rules. Such sophisticated methods, also known as rules-based credit… Read More

International Credit & Collections in a Challenging Global Economy

As global headlines rarely fail to remind us, managing international credit risk is a serious challenge—as well as a moving target. In the latter part of 2015 emerging economies that have been

How Antitrust Law Impacts the Credit Function

Some AR and credit managers may wonder why they should worry about compliance with federal or state antitrust laws. After all, such laws are designed to ensure a level business playing field by

Recognizing—and if Warranted, Helping—a Customer in Financial Distress: Part 1

In an economy that has still not fully recovered from the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, credit and AR professionals continue to face challenges in identifying customers that are… Read More

Recognizing—And, If Warranted, Helping—a Customer in Financial Distress: Part 2

(See Part 1: Recognizing a Customer in Trouble.) Strategies to Deal with a Customer in Trouble Once the AR or credit professional determines that a customer is in financial distress, they must… Read More

Critical Information That Belongs in AR/Credit Files

Is this the year the department’s files will finally be reorganized—prior to being converted into retrievable electronic documents? Typically, files with customer account and credit and payment

Verify That Digital Signatures On Credit And Guarantees Are Binding

By Scott Blakeley The credit department is going electronic for a variety of reasons, including: faster payments, reduced discrepancies with the customer, lower administrative costs, competition, and

Managing Open Accounts South of the Border

Conducting business with companies located in Mexico makes some AR managers sweat. An unfamiliarity with regulations (or lack thereof) combined with the hyperbolic media image of a "lawless" Mexico… Read More

Employ Pagarés for Open Account Sales to Latin America

Enforceable promissory notes and other security devices are common forms of collateral in Latin America, and especially critical for open account sales. Promissory notes, known as pagarés, can be