Credit Management magazine October 2017

TOWN AND COUNTRY
AUTHOR – SEAN FEAST
time to call is. We don’t use letters or emails,
every customer interaction is by phone or in
person, and we keep detailed notes so that we
have a complete credit history.
“This is especially important, for example,
if we have a lapsed customer who comes back
to us. It is also important for those farmers
who have a long and good payment record,
but may need some breathing space, and we
feel comfortable in helping them through a
temporary issue. In our experience farmers
generally tend to do everything in their power
to settle a debt. It is very unusual for a debt
to go bad, or to have to go to court to get our
money back.”
In terms of the wider credit environment,
Frank says that the banks have been
noticeably better in the support they lend
to the farming community. Yet it is still a
concern: “The farmers we speak to are still
anxious, and recently the banks have been
wanting their debts to be paid down. This
could be a concern going forward, and why
it is important for us to maintain a close
dialogue with our customers.”
Frank’s passion for credit management
is matched only by his passion or all-things
James Bond. His near-obsession takes him and
a group of fellow enthusiasts to set locations
all over the globe, including the Far East, to
pay homage to the world’s most famous Vodka
Martini drinker. His favourite Bond? Frank is
disarmingly diplomatic: “There has been a
right Bond for every generation,” he smiles.
% Prompt Payments
The Recognised Standard / www.cicm.com / November 2017 / PAGE 21