"Become the Squeaky Wheel", a new book just published, explains that getting customers involves more than advertising. Michelle Dunn presents examples of credit procedures and policies to help creditors or business owners collect bad debt and prevent it in the future.
"One of the best things you can do is implementing a credit policy or have each new customer fill out a credit application," says Michelle Dunn. "A credit application will protect you and let your customers know you mean business. Done correctly, it can increase your overall profits now and in the future.
Having a sound credit policy in place helps ensure that you will get paid, as long as it is enforced. Most customers who open accounts for credit expect to fill out something and will not complain, but will realize you are serious and smart about your business.
Customers who have to fill out forms when they set up an account might also take advantage of direct pay options which lowers your receivables immediately and creates more sales for your business.
It may cost you some money to have credit applications and other forms printed, hire someone to run your Credit Department or do credit checks, but it will result in more money for you and your business.
Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in credit and debt collection. She is the founder of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is a writer, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter. Michelle started M.A.D. Collection Agency and ran is successfully for 7 years. She also owns and runs Credit & Collections.com an online community for credit and business professionals.
She has written 5 books in her Collecting Money Series She is currently writing a book for the Streetwise Series, part of the Adams Media Corporation. In addition to writing and marketing her books, Michelle moderates and runs Credit & Collections.com and was a member of The American Collectors Association for 9 years.
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
Sometimes when I conduct my workshop on Effective Meetings, one... Read More
In a competitive world with the need for businesses to... Read More
Time To Market (TTM) is a vital concept that every... Read More
A major problem for employers today is attracting the best... Read More
A core activity in many successful businesses, Succession Planning is... Read More
Performance Management is the act of managing personal or organizational... Read More
Using all of your senses, to help you test how... Read More
It's no secret! Day after day the news is riddled... Read More
Employee performance reviews are one of the most dreaded tasks... Read More
Do you have some goals you want to achieve or... Read More
One of the greatest obstacles to progress can often be... Read More
Do you announce a meeting and find either no one... Read More
People who work with us often struggle with this dilemma:... Read More
Managing, supervising, being a team leader is the hardest job... Read More
Every business must strive to provide quality products and services... Read More
In the Wizard of Oz, it was "Lions and tigers... Read More
You may have the MBA but if an internal critic... Read More
It happened again. I ran into an old friend while... Read More
Most people think real change in an organization occurs as... Read More
Q: How much do I have to worry about what... Read More
The recent news about one of America's most powerful woman... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
People sometimes interchange the terms "know-how" and "knowledge", but there's... Read More
I once was part of a group of management professors... Read More
Does your hiring process consist of proven practices or just... Read More
I suspect all of you out there have someone that... Read More
In the last few years a lot has been written... Read More
If you work from home, chances are you already know... Read More
Trust is essential. You can't run a business without it.... Read More
We all know that achieving better alignment, synergy and cooperation... Read More
In my work with business executives, I have come to... Read More
It is when the going gets better, that the going... Read More
The Cash to Cash Cycle Part Four of SeriesNext: Complete... Read More
One of the major benefits, if not THE benefit of... Read More
Have you ever sat in a meeting where everyone is... Read More
You've made the plans, built the quality system and conducted... Read More
In Stephen Covey's great book, "The Seven Habits of Highly... Read More
In any event, getting the process right is a vital... Read More
Nearly all leaders I've encountered are underachievers. They're getting a... Read More
You know, this would be a great business if it... Read More
Where there is people there is politics! Bullying is now... Read More
The characteristics of job applicants have a strong influence on... Read More
I once was part of a group of management professors... Read More
Yet there is a place for those external 'raft-build's', 'away... Read More
As crazy as it seems, some people spend more time... Read More
Last month I talked about the Skilled Facilitator principle of... Read More
Picture the scene. Anthony pops down to the guardhouse, partly... Read More
Having an agenda template that works well for you, week... Read More
Test your assumptions about everything.Assumptions have a way of creeping... Read More
Talk to as many consultants as you can before hiring... Read More
People talk to me about making personal and professional changes... Read More
There is a difference between being comfortable and being in... Read More
People want to understand their role - they want to... Read More
This is a challenge for every company owner and manager.... Read More
Does your company need to retain the services of a... Read More
Creativity measurement is often required in order to benchmark existing... Read More
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal raised the... Read More
If you are an executive, you may sometimes feel like... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Writing a safety manual is a tough job and most... Read More
OBSTRUCTIONS: 1. Staff deficiencies. Lack of confidence in employees quite... Read More
Human beings and the way they interact are extraordinarily Complex.... Read More
"Ha!" you say. "For someone to make a statement like... Read More
This article relates to the Compensation and Benefits competency, commonly... Read More
For many companies, procuring the right packaging, such as Poly... Read More
In today's competitive environment, companies realize that a good boss... Read More
Business Management |