Mountain States Commercial Credit Management Blog

When we think about credit management, it’s easy to get focused on the day-to-day operations of sending invoices and collecting payments. It can be hard to see the forest through the trees, so to speak. But if the recession of 2008 taught credit managers and business owners anything, it’s that they need to be prepared…

Where is the risk in your business? Credit managers know that credit reports are one of their most useful tools for managing risk. Ongoing monitoring of customers’ credit reports provides valuable data for deciding which customers are your best bets for prompt payments and ongoing sales. But risk doesn’t come just from the customer side…

Throughout history, credit terms and the way they’ve been offered have changed depending on the strength of the economy. For example, during the Great Recession, many credit managers found that their commercial customers needed extended time to pay their invoices. Businesses and individuals alike struggled to survive in the difficult reality of the stagnant economy….

Have you ever procrastinated on a work task — even if it was important? We’re guilty, too. Procrastinating is common, especially with tasks we don’t like. All kinds of theories seek to explain why, but chances are it’s not because you’re lazy. Many researchers believe there are underlying psychological reasons1 for avoiding certain tasks: We fear…

Imagine this: You check your books and find that a customer is late with a payment. You contact the accounts payable clerk and realize the company didn’t pay because your invoice was wrong. Now you have to rebill the customer — a rework process that costs you time and money. And to top it all…

This spring, the consulting and research firm Deloitte produced a report that revealed a shocking statistic: As many as one-third of all oil and gas producing companies are at risk for bankruptcy in the coming year.1 Analysts at Reuters explained that although oil producing companies have been able to weather the downturn thus far, most…

Construction projects across the nation — and in Colorado — are picking up as leaders of municipalities of every size are looking to upgrade infrastructure and provide enhanced public services. To finance these major projects, many public agency decision-makers partner with private-sector company leaders. These public-private partnership, or P3, projects provide a growing area of…

Experienced credit managers frequently deal with joint check agreements, and you already probably understand that you need to treat such agreements on a case-by-case basis. But it takes time to gain the experience needed to determine whether a particular agreement will be good or bad for your business. For many teams, it’s helpful to have…

Every year, you see the invitations in your inbox encouraging you to brush up on your knowledge of rules, regulations, and best practices for credit management. And when you attend, you likely do learn something. But for experienced credit managers, are courses worth the time you spend? If you are truly experienced, the answer is…

As an experienced credit manager, you probably know the criteria you use to extend a line of credit like the back of your hand. Your decisions are probably based on deep experience and a highly tuned intuition that you’ve earned over the years. But, despite all your experience, there’s more to it in today’s enterprise….