CCR Interactive - in association with Phillips' Homecoll Service

Welcome to May's edition of CCR.

Many of us, this month, were faced with the surreal experience of our transport being delayed, not by traffic jams or leaves on the line, but by ‘the volcanic ash cloud covering the country’. This has been the cause of either interest and mirth, if you have an office-based job within the UK, or of frustration and anxiety if your work involves travelling abroad or if you have been on holiday.

Even if you are not someone who has been prevented from travelling yourself, you have probably been indirectly affected by customers who have essential staff trapped overseas or who find vital imported supplies harder to come by quickly. Even I, as the editor of a UK-focused magazine, have had to rearrange meetings this month as contacts have been trapped overseas. As I write, things are hopefully about to get better, as the airlines have resumed services, but, even so, it will still take a considerable time before things are back to normal.

The situation comes on top of all the difficulties that consumers and businesses have endured during the recession, which we are still only slowly emerging from.

Once again it puts the value of high-quality credit professionals into sharp relief. On the consumer side, we have seen the likes of MBNA put in new procedures to show understanding to customers who are trapped overseas when it comes to paying monthly bills, extending credit facilities and needing foreign currencies.

And all across the country, commercial credit professionals are having to deal with a myriad of delays, either genuine or not. If the experiences of CCR’s readers are to be believed, then the overcrowded departure halls of Spain’s airports must be heaving with ‘the person who signs the company cheques’, as they would all appear to be trapped out there!

There are two things that really stand out for me in all this. Firstly the role of technology to cope with unpredicted situations, by allowing people to deal with their accounts from overseas, or simply to be assured that the monthly direct debit will go out and keep their affairs up to date, be they there to confirm it or not.

The second is the, far more ‘old-school’, skills of being close to your customer, understanding their needs and motivations and building a partnership whereby they are as motivated to make sure the bill is paid as you are to help them when they need. This month we have an excellent example of this from Eddie Pacey, of Bell Micro, who, in the first of a two-part feature, takes us through the establishment and maintenance of such a positive business partnership. It was not always an easy road, but with a desire to succeed on both sides, good business was done.

Such examples of best practice thoroughly deserve to be rewarded so it is with great pleasure, this month, that I announce the opening of nominations for the Credit Excellence Awards, in association with Philips’ Homecoll service, which will be held during the Gala Dinner at CCR-interactive on 5 October. It is only right that best practice should be recognised, so if you, your team, your company, or your product, have shown true excellence over the past year, I hope that you will want to enter a nomination.

Enjoy the magazine!

Stephen Kiely

Editor