Success and sustainability in the business world demand sustainable and effective business strategies, especially when a company offers credit options to its clients, which gives them an opportunity to purchase its products or services without having to pay the full amount immediately. This attracts more customers and increases the volume of sales, but it also comes with funding challenges and financial risks if it is not properly managed. Therefore, companies and institutions need regular credit monitoring.
The importance of this process goes beyond the administrative aspect; it forms an essential pillar in the successful implementation of credit sales strategies. It helps a company assess the customer’s ability to pay the amounts due and determine appropriate credit limits. In addition, this process enables the company to monitor and analyze the client’s behavior with respect to credit.
So in this article, we will address the importance and benefits of credit monitoring for companies and institutions that offer credit options to their clients, and we will mention some of the methods and tools that help them to do so.
What is credit, and what are its types?
Credit is a financial concept that refers to the ability of a person or commercial entity to obtain goods or services without paying the full price immediately; instead, such goods or services are provided on the basis of an agreement that the amount due will be paid at a later date. In other words, credit means that you receive something now and pay for it in the future.
There are many different types of credit that are used in business operations. Here are some of the main types of credit:
Personal credit
It is a credit that can be used for personal purposes, such as the purchase of cars or the cost of education. It includes personal credit cards and loans.
Real estate credit
It is used to purchase real estate, such as houses and apartments, and usually requires a first payment and sustainability over many years.
Commercial credit
Used in commercial operations to purchase equipment and expand business, including commercial lines of credit and loans.
Student credit
Used to finance university education expenses and study costs. It usually continues to be repaid even after graduation.
Secured credit
It requires a guarantee or a mortgage, such as a car loan, where the car can be used as a hostage.
Unsecured credit
It is a type of credit that is not secured by any origin; it always comes at higher interest rates because it is more dangerous for lenders. An example of that is credit cards.
Installment Credit
It includes fixed loans that are repaid over a specific period of time and in regular installments, such as auto loans and personal loans.
The concept of credit monitoring and its importance
It is the process of monitoring and evaluating the credit activities of individuals, companies, or institutions that grant or use credit sales options. This includes monitoring how clients use their credit and payment records. The main objective of credit monitoring is to assess the customer’s ability to make successful payments.
The importance of this process stems from the need for companies and institutions to assess risks and ensure payment of funds due when granting credit to customers, including:
Reduce financial risk: By examining a client’s credit history and assessing their ability to repay debts, the company can reduce potential financial risks. This means that they reduce the chances of experiencing financial losses as a result of non-payment of debts.
Improved credit management: This process helps companies improve credit management and set the maximum credit that can be granted to clients without high risk.
Building confidence with clients: Clients have confidence in companies that follow objective and impartial credit monitoring practices; this enhances business relations and increases the likelihood of future transactions.
Increasing Growth Opportunities: Through a good understanding of client credit status, a company can improve its credit management strategies and increase growth opportunities by attracting more clients.
Basic aspects of credit monitoring
This concept covers many key aspects, including:
Credit assessment: This process involves the collection and analysis of the client’s financial and credit information. This information includes the personal or commercial financial history, current debts, the previous payment record, and the volume of credit granted.
Credit limits: Based on credit valuation, a company can determine the credit limits for each customer. These limits will determine the maximum amount to be awarded to the client.
Monitoring financial behavior: The company must monitor how the customer uses credit and its financial behavior in general. This could include monitoring financial operations, payments, and outstanding debts.
Preventive action: If there are indications of possible non-payment of debts, the company can take preventive action such as reducing credit limits or operationalizing debt recovery options.
Credit reporting: Credit reports are provided by credit offices to companies and institutions to provide important information on potential clients and to assess the risk of granting them credit.
The main tools used in credit monitoring
There are many tools and techniques that can be used in this process, including:
Credit reports: These reports provide detailed information on the credit register of individuals and companies, as they contain information on current and past debts, financial history, funds owed, and payments to the client.
Credit valuation: The credit valuation is a point of appreciation that reflects the risk of credit being granted to the client. The credit valuation is based on credit report information and includes elements such as repayment history, current debts, and credit limits.
Information Systems and Software: These tools help to store and organize data related to customers, loans, collateral, and collections effectively. It also enables this data to be retrieved quickly and updated when needed.
Periodic analytics and reports: Periodic analytics and reports contribute to understanding customers’ performance in paying off their debts and assessing the extent of the risk of doing business with them. These tools can be used to monitor and analyze customer financial behavior to detect any deviations or issues that need corrective or preventive action.
Appropriate indicators and criteria: Appropriate indicators assist in setting credit limits and conditions for each client or class of customers. These indicators depend on the quality and financial capacity of the client’s credit report. For example, credit limits can be established based on a certain proportion of income or the total value of assets.
Continuous monitoring: This process includes monitoring customers’ financial records on an ongoing basis so that any changes or problems can be detected early.
How are credit scores calculated for individuals and companies?
Credit scores are calculated by collecting and analyzing the financial and credit information of individuals and companies and creating credit reports that reflect their credit history. These reports are used as a basis for calculating credit scores and are an estimate of a person’s or company’s ability to repay debts.
Here’s how credit scores are calculated:
- Information-gathering: Here, financial and credit information is collected from multiple sources. This information includes the payment history, current debts, the amount of credit granted, and matters relating to finance.
- Writing a credit report: Using the collected information, a credit report is written for the individual or company. This report includes details such as consumer loans, mortgages, credit cards, and any other debt.
- Credit Score Calculation: Here, several pieces of information are considered from the credit report in order to provide an estimate of the reliability of the person or company with respect to the repayment of debts.
- Consider the influencing factors: There are multiple factors that affect the credit score, which include credit history (how long you own credit and repayment history), the amount of debt used compared to the credit limit, and the variety of credit types used.
- Credit Rating: Based on credit scores and influencing factors, credit is classified; credit ratings range from low to high, where the higher number reflects better reliability in debt repayment.
- Provision of credit reports: Individuals and companies can obtain copies of their credit reports to verify and improve their information if they are inaccurate or require improvement.
In conclusion…
The important lesson to be learned from the issue of credit monitoring is the importance of that process in the financial and commercial spheres. It is not just an administrative measure; it is a vital integrated strategy that contributes to the protection of financial interests and the promotion of the economic success of any enterprise, which, if learned how to deliver effectively, paves the way for building long-term relationships with clients and increasing their confidence in them.
In order to facilitate the process of recording accounts, financial information, and performing profit and loss calculations for any entity, Qoyod has customized its services to facilitate this for its customers in the best way. So, what are you waiting for? Try Qoyod now for free for 14 days and start your journey towards improving financial management.
