Collection Specialist

Position Summary

The primary objective of the Collection Analyst (CA) is to affect the timely receipt of customer payments on open accounts receivable balances in a manner which consistently strengthens customer relationships and loyalty.    To accomplish this, the CA will seek to understand all issues, external and internal, which slow customer payments and then work with the Regional Credit Manager to devise and drive solutions.

Key Areas of Responsibility

The CA’s key areas of responsibilities include Collections, Customer Relationship Management, Reporting, Order Releases and System Maintenance.  Duties within these areas of responsibility will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Collections

• Responsible for managing all past due items in assigned regional portfolio including those deemed uncollectible and requiring internal resolution.
• Contact customers to gather data, organize, analyze, negotiate and manage to closure all issues slowing payment on open receivable balances.
• Utilize fair but firm written and verbal communication skills, approaching all issues in a diplomatic, problem-solving manner.
• Consistently effect customer adherence to Domino terms of sale.
• Keep internal customers apprised of all customer activity and contact which may affect their interaction with that account.
• Manage portfolio accounts to meet or exceed the percent current and past due dollar expectations set by credit management.
• Apprise Regional Credit Manager of issues that could result in non-collectability of any open receivable balance.
• Consistently seek opportunities, internal or external, to improve the speed and accuracy of the Order to Cash process, including moving customers toward electronic transactions whenever possible.   Implement such improvements with the guidance of the assigned Regional Credit Manager.
• Manage the billing and collection of unearned cash discount balances.
• Responsible for operating on line customer and bank portals to process information and extrapolate payments.
• Maintain timely written documentation and support for all customer interactions including detailed and thorough collection notes and contact information.
• Responsible for managing and reconciling customer credit balances (overpayment and credit memo).

Customer Relationship Management

• Exercise careful judgment in all customer communications, seeking first to understand, rather than be understood.
• Act as facilitator for resolving any issue, internal or external, which slows customer payments or prevents or deters customers from purchasing our products.
• Maintain diplomatic contact with all levels of a customer’s organization, building long-term contacts and relationships.
• Artfully navigate the fine line between protecting the two most important company assets; cash and customers.  Ensure the Company’s financial interests are served while simultaneously “Delighting the Customer”.
• Provide regular verbal and written updates to assigned Regional Credit Manager.
• Strive to make all external customer relationships as ‘touch less’ as possible.
• Provide excellent customer service and support to Company sales representatives and department.

Reporting

• Review and update weekly past due reports.
• Utilize SAP, Microsoft Excel and Word to analyze and present payment trends and other relevant data.
• Prepare daily Blocked Order Report.

Order Releases

• Review blocked order status reports multiple times throughout the day and work with external and internal customers to arrive at a solution which allows orders to be released, if appropriate.
• Work through assigned Regional Credit Manager to resolve any credit issues preventing order release.
• Keep customers within their assigned credit line by anticipating payments. 
• Responsible for communicating blocked orders to our internal customers including sales, customer service, distribution and credit management.
• Diplomatically diffuse blocked order issues with customer’s management and our sales management.
• Consider and recommend to credit management fact based adjustments to customer risk codes and/or credit granting alternatives for the customers.

System Maintenance

• Responsible for engaging internal partners to correct customer system maintenance issues that impact our customer’s ability to conduct business with us in a smooth and timely manner.
• Continuously learn additional aspects of our SAP system that can be used to accomplish our department goals.
• Maintain thorough collection notes so that all customer contact and actions can be documented and substantiated.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or business administration from an accredited university
• Minimum of three years of collection experience in commercial credit environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.  Ability to diplomatically communicate and negotiate with internal and external customers.
• Intermediate word processing, spreadsheet and database software skills.  SAP experience a plus.
• Desire to advance within organization and willingness to relocate, if necessary.