by Nancy Seiverd | Jan 6, 2026 | Feature Article
Every credit and collection professional knows the truth: January isn’t just the start of a new year; it’s the start of the annual payment excuse season. Once the holiday decorations come down, the real “January effect” kicks in, and suddenly the promises that...
by Nancy Seiverd | Jan 6, 2026 | Uncategorized
Every January, credit professionals brace themselves for a familiar trend: the sudden wave of customers who decide, consciously or not, that the new year is the perfect time to stretch payment terms. While individuals throughout the world promise to eat healthier,...
by Nancy Seiverd | Jan 6, 2026 | Hector the Collector
Hi Everyone, It’s Hector and I hope you had a wonderful New Year! If you work in credit long enough, you eventually encounter the kind of customer who treats payment terms the way some people treat speed limits, as friendly suggestions rather than actual rules....
by Nancy Seiverd | Jan 6, 2026 | Poll
Take the Poll — Are Customers Being Honest About Why They’re Paying Late?Never — Pure fiction every timeOccasionally — A bit of truth sneaks inSometimes — Depends on the dayUsually — But still must verifyChoose In the world of collections, no two debtors are exactly...
by Nancy Seiverd | Dec 12, 2025 | Feature Article
by Nancy Seiverd | Nov 3, 2025 | Feature Article
As the federal government shutdown drags on, its ripple effects are spreading far beyond Washington. While political leaders trade soundbites, credit and collection professionals are seeing something more tangible — a creeping freeze in cash flow that’s hitting...
by Nancy Seiverd | Nov 3, 2025 | Uncategorized
For generations, the American Midwest has been called the nation’s breadbasket. Today, that breadbasket is starting to look more like a casualty zone. As the U.S.–China tariff war drags into another season, soybean fields, grain elevators, and farm supply businesses...
by Nancy Seiverd | Nov 3, 2025 | Dear Crabby
Dear Crabby, I’ve been managing credit for more than a decade, and I pride myself on being firm but fair. Lately, though, our sales manager has been pressuring me to approve a large credit line for a customer whose financials are shaky at best. I’ve reviewed the...
by Nancy Seiverd | Nov 3, 2025 | Poll
Take the Poll – As a Credit & Collection Professional, What Is Keeping You Up at Night?Customers who think “Net 30” means “Net whenever.”Rising DSO and shrinking credit limits.Leadership pretending “cash flow issues” will fix themselves.Sales reps promising, “This...
by Nancy Seiverd | Oct 7, 2025 | Feature Article
October has long been associated with ghosts, goblins, and eerie tales of things that disappear in the night. But for credit and collection professionals, the scariest kind of “ghosting” doesn’t happen in haunted houses — it happens when a once-reliable customer...
by Nancy Seiverd | Oct 7, 2025 | Uncategorized
For many businesses, the holiday season represents both opportunity and risk. Sales surge as customers place larger orders to meet consumer demand, but the same season often exposes the cracks in cash flow management. Credit managers find themselves on the front lines...
by Nancy Seiverd | Oct 7, 2025 | Hector the Collector
Hi Everyone, I always enjoy hearing your stories about the unusual challenges that come up in the collections world, especially when they involve that tricky balance between keeping a customer relationship alive and protecting your company’s bottom line. Recently, I...
by Nancy Seiverd | Oct 7, 2025 | Poll
Take the Poll – Would You Ever “Scare” a Customer into Paying?Yes, if I can secure payment in fullYes, but only as a last resortNo, fear tactics damage long term relationshipsNo, I prefer to use diplomacy and negotiationChoose In the world of commercial collections,...
by Nancy Seiverd | Sep 8, 2025 | Feature Article
As the weather cools and companies shift gears into the final quarter of the year, credit and collection professionals face more than just seasonal changes. This fall, the business climate is shaped by a combination of policy shifts, economic headwinds, and new...
by Nancy Seiverd | Sep 8, 2025 | Uncategorized
For decades, the credit department has carried a reputation as the “sales prevention” team — focused mainly on blocking bad deals rather than driving new business. But in today’s fast-moving commercial environment, credit teams are increasingly expected to show how...
by Nancy Seiverd | Sep 8, 2025 | Dear Crabby
Dear Crabby, Over the past several months, several of my long-time customers have started short-paying invoices, claiming that new tariffs are cutting into their margins. One customer in particular reduced a $100,000 payment by $15,000, stating it was their way of...
by Nancy Seiverd | Sep 8, 2025 | Poll
Take the Poll – Will you allow credit policy exceptions for “strategic customers” in Q4?Yes - if sales insists and the customer is “too big to lose.”Sometimes - but only with executive approval and clear documentation.Rarely - since exceptions create long-term risk...
by Nancy Seiverd | Aug 4, 2025 | Feature Article
Cryptocurrency has evolved from a niche experiment into a mainstream financial tool, raising an important question for businesses: Should your company use cryptocurrency to pay its commercial obligations? As adoption grows among major corporations and startups alike,...
by Nancy Seiverd | Aug 4, 2025 | Uncategorized
Over the next several years, the commercial credit and collection industry will experience a significant generational shift. Thousands of seasoned professionals, many with 30, 40, or more years of experience, are preparing to retire. These individuals have weathered...
by Nancy Seiverd | Aug 4, 2025 | Hector the Collector
Hi Everyone, I always enjoy receiving your emails, especially when they involve the next generation finding creative ways to apply what we do in the credit and collection world. A recent email came from a commercial collector here in the U.S. whose daughter is...
by Nancy Seiverd | Aug 4, 2025 | Poll
Take the Poll – It's Friday at 3:00pm and your sales manager hands you an urgent order for $100K needing your approval by the end of the day from a long-term good customer with a credit limit of $65K. Do you:Approve itStay overtime to review itWait until Monday...
by Nancy Seiverd | Jul 7, 2025 | Feature Article
July marks more than just the start of the second half of the year, it’s also a critical checkpoint for credit professionals. Are your credit goals for 2025 on track? Or have they quietly drifted off course while you were juggling approvals, collections, lack of...
by Nancy Seiverd | Jul 7, 2025 | Uncategorized
As the sun stays out longer and offices start to feel a little emptier, many credit professionals notice a familiar and unwelcome trend: Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) begins to climb. While the summer season brings vacations, barbecues, and long weekends, it also...
by Nancy Seiverd | Jul 7, 2025 | Dear Crabby
Dear Crabby, I’m the credit manager at a gear manufacturing company and recently received a purchase order from our long-term Canadian customer. Everything seemed normal until I noticed the shipping term was listed as “DAP.” As I’ve never encountered this term on...
by Nancy Seiverd | Jul 7, 2025 | Poll
Take the Poll – How often do you perform economic stress tests on your A/R?NeverOnce per yearTwice per yearWhat’s an economic stress test?Choose As we enter the second half of 2025, economic headwinds are swirling once again. From whispers of a mild recession to the...
by Nancy Seiverd | May 6, 2025 | Feature Article
Mother’s Day reminds us that real love isn’t about saying ‘yes’ to everything — it’s about knowing when to say ‘no’ for someone’s own good. In credit risk management, tough love isn’t just necessary, it’s the heart of protecting both customers and companies. Setting...
by Nancy Seiverd | May 6, 2025 | Uncategorized
If a credit risk manager is aiming for a Director of Global Credit role at a multinational company, the resume needs to do a lot more than just check boxes. It should tell a story that projects global leadership, strategic foresight, and deep operational experience....
by Nancy Seiverd | May 6, 2025 | Dear Crabby
Dear Crabby, I am the credit risk manager at a small manufacturing company that manufactures all kinds of industrial springs. I’ve been working here for about two years and overall, I have been working in credit and collections for over twenty years. Although I...
by Nancy Seiverd | May 6, 2025 | Poll
Take the Poll – What is your biggest concern regarding customer risk over the next 12 months?Increased customer bankruptcies/insolvenciesSlower payments and stretching of termsReduced demand impacting customer cash flowGeopolitical events disrupting global...
by Nancy Seiverd | Apr 4, 2025 | Feature Article
At first glance, Easter eggs — a symbol of fun, mystery, and childhood delight — seem to have little to do with the serious world of credit risk management. However, when we step back and ponder these two activities more deeply, intriguing similarities begin to...
by Nancy Seiverd | Apr 4, 2025 | Uncategorized
One of the most frequent complaints I’ve heard over the years from credit risk managers is that they don’t feel appreciated for their hard work in trying to increase cash flow and minimize the risk of selling on credit. In fact, as time goes by, some credit...
by Nancy Seiverd | Apr 4, 2025 | Hector the Collector
Hi Everyone, As always, I greatly appreciate your emails, especially when they mention how someone would like to improve and expand their professional goals. One email came from a middle-aged collector at an agency here in the US regarding his employment. After 5...
by Nancy Seiverd | Apr 4, 2025 | Poll
Take the Poll – With tariffs in full swing, are you tightening credit on foreign and/or domestic customers?No, it’s business as usualDepends on the credit amountDepends on the countryDepends on the relationshipTightening credit across the boardChoose When a broad...
by Nancy Seiverd | Mar 4, 2025 | Feature Article
It has certainly been quite the whirlwind over the past several weeks with many new changes in our regulatory agencies. One change that has hit close to my credit and collection home has to do with the sidelining of the Consumer Financial Protection...
by Nancy Seiverd | Mar 4, 2025 | Uncategorized
To be expected, as the use of AI continues to advance through the entire global business community, there is also an increase in the creation of forged Letters of Credit. A forged Letter of Credit (LC) is typically created to deceive a supplier into...
by Nancy Seiverd | Mar 4, 2025 | Dear Crabby
Dear Crabby, I am the credit and collection manager at a small logistics company. I’ve been working here for about one year and as a small company, I find myself wearing several multi-ethnic hats that are making me slightly unbalanced. Let me explain. I am an older...
by Nancy Seiverd | Mar 4, 2025 | Poll
Take the Poll – As a Credit & Collection Professional, when should you get your sales representative involved in collecting a past due account?Almost neverWhen the customer requests to talk to the sales repWhen there’s a disputeWhen you are being ignoredWhen you...
by Nancy Seiverd | Feb 4, 2025 | Feature Article
I don’t profess to be an economist. In fact, like many credit professionals, my focus is primarily on the credit and collection problems directly in front of me. However, in the back of my mind is the accumulation of all the news and opinions I’ve been hearing...
by Nancy Seiverd | Feb 4, 2025 | Uncategorized
Over the course of my credit and collection career, I’ve observed the careers of hundreds of credit professionals. Some may enter a client’s place of business as a high school graduate and slowly work their way up to becoming the credit and collection manager. Others...
by Nancy Seiverd | Feb 4, 2025 | Hector the Collector
Hi Everyone, It’s Hector and as always, I greatly appreciate receiving many wonderful emails from readers asking for my thoughts and guidance. Last month I received a rather concerning email from one in-house collection manager, I’ll call Joe, who was confronted...
by Nancy Seiverd | Feb 4, 2025 | Poll
Take the Poll – As a Credit Professional, what is your biggest regret regarding your career in credit?Not building relationshipsMaking too many extreme credit decisionsNot pursuing professional developmentNot leveraging technologyNot advocating for the credit...
by Nancy Seiverd | Jan 7, 2025 | Feature Article
I was talking with several relatives on New Year’s Day about my New Year’s resolutions and from their reaction, I guess my list seemed over the top. Since I like adventurous activities, which includes wall climbing, a few of them suggested...
by Nancy Seiverd | Jan 7, 2025 | Uncategorized
A client of mine was recently talking to me about one of their customers who had been covered under their credit insurance policy, but coverage was suddenly cancelled due to negative financial information that came to light. According to my client, they have been...
by Nancy Seiverd | Jan 7, 2025 | Dear Crabby
Dear Crabby, Hope you had a nice New Year holiday. I wish mine had been better — I was in a bad mood. Let me explain. I am the new credit and collection manager at my company and started one year ago. In just one short year, I reduced our DSO from 75 days...
by Nancy Seiverd | Jan 7, 2025 | Uncategorized
The “January Effect” is a well-known financial market phenomenon referring to a seasonal increase in stock prices during January, often attributed to year-end tax-loss selling, portfolio rebalancing, or increased market optimism. While it primarily impacts...
by Nancy Seiverd | Jan 7, 2025 | Poll
Take the Poll – Who at your company approves your credit & collection goals for the year?Only you as the credit professionalCFOTreasurerPresidentOtherChoose As a credit risk management professional, aligning your credit and collection goals with the objectives of...
by Nancy Seiverd | Dec 10, 2024 | Feature Article, Uncategorized
by Nancy Seiverd | Nov 7, 2024 | Feature Article
One of the most heartwarming Thanksgiving stories is the one about Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton, often referred to as the “Thanksgiving Text Mix-Up.” It’s an example of how unexpected friendships can begin and the spirit of Thanksgiving. In 2016,...
by Nancy Seiverd | Nov 7, 2024 | Uncategorized
About one year ago, one of our clients asked us to help them interview candidates to fill the position of in-house collector for their commercial claims. They had received over two hundred resumes and in reviewing them, there were about two dozen candidates...
by Nancy Seiverd | Nov 7, 2024 | Hector the Collector
Hi Everyone, It’s Hector and I hope you all had a nice Halloween holiday. It won’t be long now before we go from eating a lot of candy to chowing down on some delicious turkey for Thanksgiving. In the meantime, I continue to receive wonderful emails from many...
