Obtaining insight into and controlling customer credit risk is an important part of credit management. In this blog, we look at how this works at one of our customers. MA!N supports the risk assessment and approval of their customers. It is an organization that is active worldwide and also uses MA!N worldwide. They have multiple internal source systems and suppliers of credit information.

Assumptions

The company has employees all over the world, and that also applies to their customers. They were looking for software that facilitates a uniform process for the credit assessment of new customers and the (re)assessment of existing customers.

Together with the customer, we specified the requirements. This resulted in the following guidelines:

  • Not all stakeholders use MA!N.
  • Participation in the process must be accessible.
  • There is a creditworthiness test, based on internal data, such as payment behavior and turnover, and a check at a credit agency (for example Creditsafe).
  • Acceptance is based on an authorization matrix.
  • The process affects employees from different departments and layers within the company.
  • There is a decision tree for accepting customers and credit limits.

We started working with the customer on these principles. Together, we have developed a low code application in MA!N in a short time that is used by more than 1000 people worldwide on a monthly basis.

Illustration of a mail, globe and laptop.

An integrated solution

One of the challenges we faced was the diversity of employees participating in the process. The simple solution was for everyone to work in MA!N for this process. That would be a high threshold for people who only have ten approvals a month. During the design, we therefore looked at the different roles involved in this process.

For each role, we looked at:

  • How often is a person active in the process?
  • What information is needed?
  • Where does someone work?
  • What authorizations does the role have?

Depending on the role, and preference of an employee, someone works within one of the following environments:

  • MA!N desktop.
  • MA!N web application (custom for this client).
  • Microsoft Outlook.

In all cases, MA!N is the engine behind the process. MA!N stores data and determines what needs to be done when based on our customer’s credit policy. It also forwards data, including credit limits and payment terms, to other systems, so that everyone has up-to-date information.

The process

The process for approving customers and credit limits requires the following steps:

  1. A sales employee enters the customer’s data in MA!N.
  2. MA!N checks whether the customer already exists.
  3. For new customers, MA!N identifies the customer at a credit agency.
  4. In case of multiple search results, the employee selects the correct result. It is also possible that MA!N itself selects the right one based on parameters.
  5. For the selected result, MA!N retrieves credit information and other company data. With the latter, MA!N ensures uniform input of company names, for example.
  6. For new customers, an employee assesses the application and supplements information if necessary.
  7. Based on the amount of the credit limit, the profile of the customer, the credit information and the authorization matrix, MA!N approves the order or starts an approval process.

The number of approvers depends on the requested credit limit, the payment terms and the profile of the customer. MA!N assesses this based on an authorization matrix. Approvers who do not use MA!N will receive an e-mail with the information they need. Everyone else uses MA!N desktop or the MA!N web application for the credit approval.

Approvers who do not use MA!N handle a request within Outlook. The received e-mail contains all information, including buttons for approving or disapproving a request, and it contains space for comments. They always have the option to view the request within the web application as well.

Every so often, an approver wants additional information. In those cases, MA!N pauses the approval process until the information is completed.

MA!N collects and processes all information from the various channels. An employee does not experience any difference whether she works in MA!N or in Outlook. This makes it easy to participate in the process and allows them to focus on the exceptions.

After going through the process, the application is approved or rejected. For approved applications, MA!N sends a confirmation to the applicant and to the financial system of that country. In the background, MA!N monitors, based on the credit policy, whether a reassessment of the credit limit or payment condition is required. If necessary, it then starts a new authorization process.

Technology

Due to the design of MA!N, the software fits seamlessly with how both the company and the people want to work. That is the power of our Low Code Credit Management Platform. At a fraction of the cost, you can develop a solution that fits like a tailor-made suit and immediately adds value. It enables this client to perform credit risk management consistently across the organization.