Why This Credit Exec Likes to Get Out of the Office

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Get out of the office as often as possible and meet the people with whom you usually only interact by phone or mail - your salespeople and customers. So advises Michael A. Bena, CCE, Credit Manager with Cascade Corporation (Portland, Oregon).

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Credit & Collection Manager's Letter, which Credit Today purchased in 2006.

Salespeople. While Bena talks with salespeople frequently over the phone, he also makes the effort to meet and spend time with them in person. He does this when the salespeople visit corporate offices, when he travels in the field to visit customers, and at the sales department's annual meetings.

"The salespeople are my eyes and ears for what is going on with our customers throughout North and Central America," he explains. "They provide me with all the information they have that might affect how we conduct business with them."

Customers. "Over the years, I've been fortunate enough to have many of the same customers," notes Bena. To his knowledge, he is the only credit manager in his industry (Cascade manufactures forklift attachments) who makes it a regular habit to visit customers throughout North and Central America.

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During his visits, which he arranges through Cascade's salespeople, Bena tries to meet with four or five customer representatives, including the CFO, the controller, the accounts payable person, the sales manager or sales coordinator, and often the owner. Cascade sells its attachments to forklift manufacturers and distributors, who, in turn, sell the equipment to end users.

Since the customers' sales departments process invoices, statements, and other paperwork that Bena sends, he tries to get them involved in the meetings, too. Often, customers will arrange to have Bena visit their customers, giving him an even stronger understanding of the industry. "When I can see the applications for our products," he explains "it adds to my depth of knowledge."

Editor's Note: The above article originally appeared in the Credit & Collection Manager's Letter, a newsletter purchased by Credit Today in 2006. This article originally appeared prior to 2000.