Credit Services acts as a link between Customer Services and Finance and is responsible for claims administration and cash collection, in order to significantly reduce bad and doubtful debts.
Credit Services is made up of 5 teams: Key Accounts, National Accounts, International Accounts, Administration and Projects. The teams oversee all areas of credit control and claims administration for their accounts. This includes the set up of new accounts (i.e., contracts with customers), credit assessments, credit insurance and reviewing payment terms. Credit Services deal with around 7900 live accounts worldwide and receive on average 30 new account requests per week from their customer base of publishers, authors, sales reps and retailers.
As a customer facing function, communication skills are key to a role in Credit Services, particularly when dealing with a sensitive monetary issue. Strong numerical skills are essential, as well as an attention to detail. These are required to ensure accounts are monitored and maintained accurately.
I started working at TBS in 2001, after working for a civil engineering company in their invoicing department. I was employed as a member of Credit Services as a Credit Controller in the Key Accounts Team.
It was in this team that I began to learn so much about TBS, the clients and the customers. I was responsible for my own ledger which involved meeting and more importantly beating targets! While in this role I got to meet a lot of the key account contacts and build good working relationships with them which I enjoyed a lot. I then got involved in reporting key account monthly figures and results to management. It was this part of the job that I really enjoyed, and it was that which attracted me to the position of Project Support Analyst.
In this role I am still within Credit Services but it takes me away from the credit control and focuses more on the analytical side of the department and project work. On starting this job I was given the opportunity to learn more about projects by taking the Prince 2 foundation exam. Obtaining this qualification it has taken me to my first step to a career in project management. This new role also gives me the opportunity to get involved with new publishing clients, and work closely in a team to ensure a successful take-on of the new client publishers.
What I enjoy about my job is that two days are never the same; there are always new people to meet and new projects to get involved with, especially within an industry which is constantly evolving.
