Essentials of Credit, Collections, and Accounts Receivable [Paperback]

Mary S. Schaeffer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471220744 | ISBN-13: 978-0471220749 | Publication Date: August 15, 2002 | Edition: 1

Mary Schaeffer is considered an industry expert and writes a newsletter that focuses on credit, collections, and accounts receivable.
* Provides an overview of the credit, collections, and accounts receivable functions for senior level managers.
* Provides tips and techniques as well as case studies.
* Shows how to stream line the credit process and how to make this area as efficient as possible.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

* Best techniques for extending business credit
* Proven techniques to reduce unauthorized deductions and unearned discounts
* Latest Internet, electronic, and high-tech applications
* Practical real-life strategies to improve collections

Full of valuable tips, techniques, illustrative real-world examples, exhibits, and best practices, this handy and concise paperback will help you stay up to date on the newest thinking, strategies, developments, and technologies in credit, collections, and accounts receivable.

"This book is filled with wisdom, common sense, and practical solutions. Mary Schaeffer is right on when she states that credit is part science, part art, and part gut feel. I recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding the essentials of credit, collections, and accounts receivable."
-Vaughn P. Benjamin, Vice President, Media Credit Association
Magazine Publishers of America

"Mary Schaeffer has written an excellent book for the credit and collection professional. Every credit professional should read this book and keep a copy handy in their personal library."
-Tim Paulsen, Principal of T. R. Paulsen & Associates, author of Paid in Full
International Specialist in Creative Receivables Management

"Mary Schaeffer has taken a sometimes complex subject and reduced it to an easy- to -understand guidebook. This book should be in the reference library of every credit professional."
-H. Bruce Watson, Manager, Credit Services Group, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

About the Author

Mary S. Schaeffer is the Editorial Director and Publisher of Accounts Payable Now & Tomorrow, a newsletter devoted to payment issues. She also pens, e-News from the AP Front, a complimentary e-zine for the payment community. She's the author of ten books and numerous magazine, newsletter and newspaper articles. Her books have been used in several certification programs. She is a member of the New York Financial Writers Association. She is currently working on two additional books for John Wiley & Sons.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (August 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471220744
• ISBN-13: 978-0471220749
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #417,156 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Towards the end of my 15 year finance career, I began writing - first books and then magazine articles. No one told me it was supposed to be the other way around. Talk about ignorance being bliss! With two books and perhaps 50 articles under my belt, it became clear to me where my future was.

For the last ten years I have been interviewing business professionals and writing about their issues. My most common theme came from an area that I thought had no potential - accounts payable. Now I devote the lion's share of my time to the issue, writing a newsletter(www.ap-now.com), a free e-zine, books for John Wiley & Sons and a short piece or two amazon.com and others.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Describes the Credit/Collections Function Perfectly!, October 20, 2008

By 

Bozena Page "Comment Page" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Essentials of Credit, Collections, and Accounts Receivable (Paperback)

I've worked in Credit/Collections for around 15 years. I picked up Mary's book because I was out of the field for many years to stay home with my kids, and now I'm ready to get back into it but wasn't sure if I remember everything. Mary could have been descibing my life as a credit person and all that they go through. I have not forgotten a thing, and could have added to the book myself. In fact I'll be writing my own book about the field enhanced with rapport building skills based on NLP teaching techniqes that will help you get the money in quicker.
So If you're looking to pursue a career in credit, I can attest that this book covers all the important stuff from dealing with unearned discounts and decductions, to the reality of dealing with less supportive departments in your company. I'm glad I read it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Essentials of Credit, Collections, and Accounts Receivable, December 8, 2008

By 

Focus G. (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Essentials of Credit, Collections, and Accounts Receivable (Paperback)

I am disappointed with this book. It is very general and probably applied more on very large corporations. I was looking for some more specific advices on collection. I got more out of the book "Collection made easy." And, I think it is overpriced for its contents.

5.0 out of 5 stars Best-Practices from the Point of View of the A/R Professional, November 4, 2010

By 

Citizen John (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Essentials of Credit, Collections, and Accounts Receivable (Paperback)

This is not one of those books used primarily to pass the CPA exam. Essential of Credit, Collections, and Accounts Receivable is an advice book for those doing this work.

From the point of view of one who performs the Accounts Receivable (A/R) function, author Mary Schaeffer presents excellent points, observations and practices. For anybody working in A/R, especially those just getting into the field, there will be a great benefit justifying the cost of this book. One's on-the-job learning can be accelerated by careful consideration of this material.

Seasoned collections and A/R professionals understand that this work can be grinding and made very difficult if this function is not adequately supported by management. The professional engaged in this type of work has to be flexible enough to adjust to the given environment. Schaeffer gives approaches to different situations that A/R professionals may experience.

While there is no teacher like experience, experience alone is not the fastest way to become excellent at one's work. It helps to read what others have learned based on their vast accumulated experience.