Chartered Institute of Credit Management LMS

Country Focus.  Italy part two - Market forces.  Adam Bernstein looks at how to do business in Italy and the implications of tax.  ARTICLE June 2018

FECMA Country Profile - Italy.  Sean Feast, Managing Editor, Gravity, asks questions to Alberto Cotti of the Associazione Credit Manager Italia about their association and Italy's attitude to late payment.  ARTICLE June 2018

Technical committee.  A guiding hand.  Alex Simmons, Assistant Editor, Gravity looks at the work and people behind the CICM's Technical Committee.  ARTICLE June 2018

Payment trends.  The Silent Treatment.  James Braidwood, Head of Credit and Collections, Creditsafe Business Solutions, reports the latest monthly business to business payment performance statistics.  ARTICLE June 2018

Legal matters.  Tools of the trade.  Andrew Symms, Construction and Infrastructure, DWL Law, considers using construction legislation to unlock debt and get some cash in.  (England).  ARTICLE June 2018

A graduate's pathway to credit risk analysis.  Dan talks about his career since graduating at Sheffield Hallam University and a typical day in his current role at Anixter as a credit risk analyst.  ARTICLE June 2018

Pregnant workers and redundancy.  Gareth Edwards, Partner, Veale Wasbrough Vizards, reviews what does the law state about pregnant workers and redundancy?  (England).  ARTICLE June 2018

Making a good impression.  Karen Young, Director, Hays, says, first impressions count, especially when starting out in a new job.  ARTICLE June 2018

The curate's egg.  Glen Bullivant, reviews the case for more national pride and optimism in a country all-too-often prone to self-depreciation.  ARTICLE June 2018

Pays your money, takes your choice.  Sean Feast, Managing Editor, Gravity, considers one of the trickiest problems facing debt collection agencies in recent times - how to recognise and reward their collections staff.  ARTICLE July/August 2018

The world at one.  Philip King, CICM, explains recent initiatives from the CICM are helping to further improve connectivity and reach.  ARTICLE July/August 2018

Shallow Pool.  Stuart Hopewell, Director, Pre-Pack Pool, considers if the  pre-pack pool is delivering for creditors and will it exist in the future. (England).  ARTICLE July/August 2018

Controversy over CVAs.  David Kerr, Insolvency Practitioner, considers a great winning goal, or a dubious dive in the penalty box? He argues that nobody wants empty  and tenants in liquidation and the CVA is playing its part in bring this about. He advocates preserving ailing businesses through a process that encourages creditor engagement (England).  ARTICLE July/August 2018

Electric Dreams.  Sean Feast, Managing Editor, Gravity, caught up with the Accounts Receivables (AR) team at RS Components about CICMQ, measuring DSO, and a very expensive Oscilloscope.  ARTICLE July/August 2018

A tale of two standards?  Heather Greig-Smith, Freelance Business Journalist, asks, how should debt collection agencies and their staff be remunerated to drive fair outcomes for all? (England).  ARTICLE July/August 2018

The History Boy.  Sean Feast, Managing Editor, Gravity, caught up with Eddie Nott, Intrum UK Managing Director, about the state of the debt collection industry, the importance of customer service, and an embarrassing brush with celebrity.  ARTICLE July/August 2018

Brexit bartering.  Lesley Batchelor, Director General, The Institute of Export and International Trade, highlights, how £20 billion will barely scratch the surface of the costs of Brexit  ARTICLE July/August 2018

International Trade.  Andrea Kirkby gives a monthly round-up of the latest stories in global trade. (Bulgaria, Argentina, Italy, The Balkans).  ARTICLE July/August 2018

Taking the strain.  Les Clisby, Freelance Business Writer, reports that despite cautious optimism and falling bad debt, Europe's SME's are still feeling the strain of late payment.  ARTICLE July/August 2018

The wooden spoon.  Jason Braidwood, Head of Credit and Collections, Creditsafe Business Solutions, reviews the latest monthly business to business payment performance statistics.  ARTICLE July/August 2018

Debt satisfaction.  Peter Walker, Freelance Business Writer, reports, the Court of Appeal was willing to allow a verbal amendment to a contract forbidding it, but the Supreme Court has intervened to overrule that judgement.  (England).  ARTICLE July/August 2018

By Royal appointment.  Sean Feast, Managing Editor, Gravity, reports, how High Court Enforcement Officers at Andrew Wilson & Co helped creditors cash in on the biggest event of the year, the Royal Wedding, through a series of targeted operations to collect payment or Take Control of Goods at a time when owners are found at their residential address or businesses are more busy and therefore more likely to pay.  ARTICLE July/August 2018

Personal guarantees and indemnities.  Duraid Al Musaied, Specialist Manager Recoveries, DWF Law, explores some of the key issues the Creditor should consider when taking a personal guarantee and/or indemnity for the liabilities of another Principal Debtor. (England).  ARTICLE July/August 2018

The art of simplicity.  Chris Sanders, Head of Accreditation - CICMQ, reports that credit management in larger companies run the risk of becoming over-complicated and failing to add value.  ARTICLE July/August 2018

Track your continuing professional development with CICM Knowledge Hub.  How to get started - its never been easier.  ARTICLE July/August 2018

Building careers.  Hayley Earle, Credit Manager, Amey, talks about her typical as a credit manager and how she got into credit management.  ARTICLE July/August 2018

Would you like to be CICM qualified?  Plan now to start studying in September.  ARTICLE July/August 2018

Social media in the workplace.  A cautionary tale on the pitfalls of using social media at work and at home.  ARTICLE July/August 2018

Starting out.  How to impress your new colleagues and alleviate some of the potential stress.  ARTICLE July/August 2018

CSA warns of unintended consequences of new debt guidelines.  Sean Feast , Managing Editor and Alex Simmons, Assistant Editor, Gravity report on new guidelines for debt advisors.  ARTICLE May 2018

Consultations and consultations.  David A Kerr MCICM, Insolvency Practitioner, reviews a new government paper on insolvency and corporate governance.  ARTICLE May 2018

Bill of rights.  Nicola Howell, Senior Compliance and Privacy Attorney, Dun and Bradstreet, considers why with the deadline for GDBPR now upon us do we also have UK-specific Data Protection Bill going through parliament.  ARTICLE May 2018

Chain reaction. Credit Management asks the question: Why is Supply Chain Finance gaining in popularity and could the Government be doing more to promote alternative means of finance?  Credit Management ask the questions.  ARTICLE May 2018

Taking responsibility. Alex Simmons, Assistant Editor, and Managing Editor at Gravity ask members of the CICM Think Tank and the wider community about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its relevance to today's business environment.  ARTICLE May 2018

Helping hands.  Claire Bishop, CICM Head of Member Administration review how giving paid time to employees to volunteer can boost employee engagement.  ARTICLE May 2018

The death of the high street.  Kevin Reed, Freelance Journalist, suggests big business and big landlords need to think small to survive.  ARTICLE May 2018

A force for good.  Sean Feast, Managing Editor, Gravity, visits the Personal Finance Research Centre (PFRC) at the University of Bristol to discover more about the team behind recent research into vulnerability.  ARTICLE May 2018

Exclusion zones and broken bones.  John Thompson, Head of Compliance, Hoist Finance, looks at how vulnerability is defined continues to evolve, but are there more vulnerable customers than a decade ago.  ARTICLE May 2018

A landmark moment.  Lesley Batchelor, Director General of The Institute of Export and International Trade suggests the signing of a new trade agreement could be a solution for UK exporters post Brexit.  ARTICLE May 2018

International Trade  Andrea Kirby gives a monthly round up of the latest stories in global trade, including trade wars, Brexit,Crytocurrentcies and reference too Belarus, Haiti, Tajikistan, Greece, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Poland, South Africa, Indonesia, Russia.   ARTICLE May 2018

Country Focus.  Adam Bernstein, Freeland Business Writer, considers how Italy is recovering from its recent economic struggles and where businesses may find exporting opportunities.  ARTICLE May 2018

Wait in line.  Peter Walker talks about how there can often be a delay from when a payment is made on a card and the money is taken from your account.  But some supermarkets have challenged the charges that can be incurred.  ARTICLE May 2018

Building a better credit future with CICMQ.  Amey is one of the largest and most diverse companies working in the public and regulated sectors in the UK and has recently achieved CICMQ re-accreditation.  ARTICLE May 2018

A statement of intent?  Jason Braidwood FCICM (Grad), Head of Credit and Collections at Creditsafe Business Solutions, highlights that payment terms have reduced significantly across a number of sectors.  ARTICLE May 2018

Top six tips for debt recovery.  Jefferson Gledhill, Legal Recoveries and Operations Manager, DWF Law, concludes his TOP TIPS on Risk Management and Debt Recovery. ARTICLE May 2018

Going under cover.  James Burgess, head of Commercial with At radius London, explains more about export credit management and risk.  ARTICLE May 2018

Management matters.  Chris Sanders, Head of CICMQ, considers how credit managers can do more not only to maximise the effectiveness of their teams but also to ensure their contribution is recognised and valued.  ARTICLE May 2018

L2 Credit Controller and Collections Apprenticeship success.  The first three candidates to pass the new Level 2 Credit Controller/Collector Apprenticeship have been announced.  ARTICLE May 2018

Redefining the boundaries.  Andrew Wilson, MCICM, Chairman, High Court Enforcement Officers Association (HCEOA), explains why Enforcement Agents are looking to extend the remit of their County Court Judgement (CCJ) debt enforcement work.  ARTICLE May 2018

The redundancy process.  Gareth Edwards, Partner, Veale Wasbrough Vizards, explains, no employer likes to make their staff redundant.  Unfortunately, though, sometimes difficult decisions need to be made.  ARTICLE May 2018

Handing in your resignation.  You've got the job, now to tackle the most daunting part, Karen Young, Director, Hays, reviews how to tell your current employers you are leaving.  ARTICLE May 2018

Going for broke.  Trevor Price, Managing Director of Credit and Business Finance, considers, how can a business protect itself from bad debts and the risk posed by unexpected customer insolvency.  ARTICLE May 2018

Meeting of minds.  Sean Feast, Managing Editor, considers, why are so many meetings a waste of time and why does one need to send a meeting request for a date that is already agreed.  ARTICLE May 2018

Credit controller apprenticeships.  A unique opportunity for your credit team.  Over 60 Apprentices are currently working their way through Level 2 and Level 3  Credit Controller Apprenticeship programmes.  ARTICLE April 2018

This CICM elearning module will introduce you to the different types of abuse encountered by adults at risk, and what to do if you are worried about the safety of an adult. ELEARNING 2018 (Archived - replaced with 2021/22 version)

Could data sharing improve the support provided to customers in vulnerable situations? This University of Bristol report asks whether greater sharing of data between financial services firms can improve their ability to identify and support customers in vulnerable situations. It considers how such data-sharing could work in practice, and presents ‘building blocks’ for the industry to consider if it is to take forward increased data-sharing. RESEARCH 2018

Shurely Shome Mishtake.  Sean Feast, Managing Editor, Gravity, considers the issue of fraudulent start up companies.  ARTICLE April 2018

Small business minister says Carillion must act as the catalyst for change.  Sean Feast, Managing Editor and Alex Simmons, Assistant Editor, Gravity, consider the potential impact of the collapse of Carilion.  ARTICLE April 2018

Regulation oversight.  In the complex world of insolvency, David Kerr, Chief Executive, The Insolvency Practitioners' Association, reports on who regulates the regulators. (England).  ARTICLE April 2018

Bottoms up.  Sean Feast, Managing Editor, Gravity, reports on a subject very close to his heart, wine, and how one luxury wine producer has found an innovative way of funding its global expansion. ARTICLE April 2018

Everybody knows somebody. CICM Credit Profession. Laurie Beagle, CICM Executive Board Chair, suggests those who want to work in business and with money do not have to be an accountant.  ARTICLE April 2018

The only way is ethics.  James Perry, Solicitor and Technical Director, DWF LLP, reports on how controlling the march of the business robots means regaining the ability to think for oneself.  ARTICLE April 2018.

The dance of the robots.  Brian Morgan, Product Director, Rimilia, advises how to turn data into practicable insight to benefit businesses, stakeholders and individual customers.  ARTICLE April 2018

Page turner.  Sean Feast, Managing Editor, Gravity, caught up with Jon Swan, Head of Credit Services, Hachette UK, to talk about credit management, Harry Potter, and Maidenhead United FC.  ARTICLE April 2018

The genius effect.  David Andrews, freeland business journalist, reports on what makes one a genius, and who can rightly or wrongly claim the title.  ARTICLE April 2018

It's good to talk.  Lesley Batchelor, Director General, The Institute of Export and International, considers the threat of trade wars  shows how important WTO rules really are.  (Bejing, USA, UK, Uruguay)  ARTICLE April 2018

International Trade monthly round up by Andrea Kirkby. (Senegal, UK, Slovenia, Azebaijan, South Korea, Taiwan, Ukraine, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Rwanda,Ukraine, Phillipines, Bahrain, China, Saudi, South Africa, Russia, Czechia, Hungary).  ARTICLE April 2018

Country focus. Adam Bernstein, freelance business writer, concludes his look at Austria and considers the state of the economy, taxation, and business etiquette. (Austria)  ARTICLE April 2018

The State of the Credit Management Nation and exclusive report.  Sean Feast, Managing Editor, Gravity, reports that CICM members are untroubled by Brexit and unimpressed by GDPR.  ARTICLE April 2018

A spring in your step.  Jason Braidwood, Head of Credit and Collections, Creditsafe Business Solution, asks if Spring has finally sprung in reducing payment terms.  ARTICLE April 2018

Top 12 tips for debt recovery and risk management.  Jefferson Gledhill, Legal Recoveries and Operations Manager, reports over the next two publications on tips about debt recovery and risk management.  ARTICLE April 2018

From the archive.  Credit magazine from exactly 46 years ago. 1972 was an eventful year that started with the coal miners strikes and Bloody Sunday.  Spurs beat Wolves in the first UEFA Cup Final, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Anthony Barber announces a decision to float the pound, the first official gay pride march in London was held, the school leaving age was raised in England and Wales to 16, and Access creditcards were introduced.   ARTICLE April 2018

CICM Vulnerability Framework.  Debbie Tuckwood, CICM Head of Education and Professional Development, launches CICM Vulnerability best practice framework and self analysis tool for organisations.  ARTICLE April 2018

HR Matters roundup.  Can employees refuse work if wronged?  Gareth Edwards, Partner, Veale Wasbrough Vizards, reports on Tribunal cases of an employee refusing to work when wronged, perceived disabilities and discrimination and changes to the Fit for Work scheme.  (England)   ARTICLE April 2018

Signs your interview went well.  Karen Young, Director, Hays, advises ten signs that the interview went as well as you thought.  ARTICLE April 2018

Ask the experts.  Nigel Fields, Director, 20th Century Fox, looks at how consignment stock arrangements work and what are the benefits.  ARTICLE April 2018

Leader or follower?  The CICMQ accreditation is a proven model that has consistently delivered dramatic improvements in cashflow and efficiency.  CICMQ is the hallmark of industry leading organisations.  ARTICLE April 2018

This Ofgem report presents a view of the extent to which vulnerable consumers are experiencing positive outcomes in the retail energy market. The report draws on 2016 social obligations data, discussions with suppliers, consumer research and cases from the Citizens Advice Extra Help Unit. Ofgem examines trends relating to debt levels and debt repayment rates, prepayment meters, disconnections and support for vulnerable consumers in England, Scotland and Wales. The report explains what Ofgem expects of suppliers now and in future, highlighting areas where they want to see improvement. The report also provides examples of good practice. GUIDANCE 2017

Philip King, Chief Executive, CICM, believes Brexit is undoubtedly affecting business confidence and while our members are clearly taking a pragmatic wait and see approach to their credit risk policies, it is similarly clear that their skills are going to be much in demand in the future ARTICLE March 2018

David Kerr, Chief Executive, Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA), looks at the curious case of Carillion's collapse and the unusual government intervention ARTICLE March 2018

John Ricketts, President of the Credit Services Association and Managing Director of Ardent Credit Services, considers the true cost of debt to the individual, and whether government should be looking closer to home for the solution ARTICLE March 2018

Heather Greig-Smith, freelance business journalist, looks at how DCAs are engaging with customers in this social media and smartphone era to make repaying debt easier ARTICLE March 2018

Peter Walker, reports that Multilateral Interchange Fees are commercially justifiable ARTICLE March 2018

Sean Feast, speaks to Joanna Elson, Chief Executive, Money Advice Trust (MAT), about life as a House of Commons Researcher, the debt advice sector, and the great outdoors ARTICLE March 2018

The construction industry can be a tricky sector for credit managers, but these issues are nothing new.  Derek Scott reports ARTICLE March 2018

Looking at debt that often goes unreported and unrecovered.  Kevin Feehan, Director of the Recoveries team, reports that statistics show when theft is carried out by colleagues, the values are significantly higher than the type of incident we associate with shoplifting ARTICLE March 2018

Adam Bernstein, Freelance business writer, focuses on Austria, looking at the people, economy and trading opportunities.  (Austria) ARTICLE March 2018

FECMA Country Profile.  Sean Feast, Editor, Gravity, speaks to Rudolf Kersler at the Bundesverband Credit Management Osterreich (Germany) about their association and the country's laws/regulations about late payment.  ARTICLE March 2018

Lesley Batchelor, Director General of the Institute of Export and International Trade advises on what you need to know about the introduction of the tax in the Middle East.  (Middle East) ARTICLE March 2018

Andrea Kirkby, advises on Japan's firm economic expansion; Angolan alarm bells - new president reforms economy; Trade insurance - night of the long lives for the UK retail sector; Promise of emerging markets - India, Central America, Africa and Asia Europe; Paperless world - bitcoin soars and e-commerce expands, trade finance remains resolutely wedded to paper; Currency UK, Up up and away - Colas UK wins major contract for Hoima International Airport in Uganda backed by UK Export Finance; Fusion whisky - collaboration blending ARTICLE March 2018

The latest monthly business to business payment performance statistics, reported by Jason Braidwood, Head of Credit and Collections, Creditsafe Business Solutions ARTICLE March 2018

CICM has started an exciting programme to introduce a new generation of CICM qualifications.  With a simpler structure clearly linked to credit and collection roles ARTICLE March 2018

Gareth Edwards, Partner, Veale Wasbrough Vizards, gives some insight into new holiday pay case law ARTICLE March 2018

Karen Young, Director, Hays, asks what's next when the first interview went well and you've been called back for the all-important second interview ARTICLE March 2018

Use this Self-Assessment to explore where you are now, where you would like to be and what you could do to help achieve your personal goals. Through working through three activities you will be able to benchmark your skills against CICM membership criteria, check your progress towards personal goals and find out what makes a qualified professional ELEARNING 2018

Capture the Moment. What turns a business around so dramatically?  Scandinavian Airlines Systems EBUZZ January 2018