Customer Service Manager

JAMES E. VAN METER

*** **** ******, ********, ** 11217

*****@***.*** 914-***-****

CAREER SUMMARY

Accomplished, detail-oriented, and enthusiastic business professional with

extensive knowledge in credit risk management, collections, and customer

service in diversified corporate environment. Strong background in working

with financial information providers and at a major national media trade

association. Proven track record in areas of cash flow management,

accounts receivable and reduction of bad debt. Motivated to complete

projects from start to finish, both independently and within a team.

CORE QUALIFICATIONS

Customer Service ? Sales Support ? Credit Management ?

Collections Management ? Credit Risk Analysis ? Dispute

Resolution ? Customer and Vendor Relations ? Internal and

External Audits ? Project Management ? Evaluation of Internal

Processes and Controls ? Analysis of Business and Systems Data ?

Lawson Accounting Software ? Meeting and Event Coordination ?

Trade Show Coordination

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Love Alex, LLC. New York, NY Credit Manager (contract position), June

2012 - Present

Responsible for all credit and collections activities and charge

backs. Prepare weekly cash collection reports and monthly aging

reports for senior management and sales team. Implement improvements

in cash collection procedures to help reduce DSO. Contacted all past-

due accounts and reconcile invoice disputes. Perform credit

investigations including D&B reports, bank and trade references, and

payment experience as well as utilizing networking resources.

Information Clearinghouse, Inc., Great Neck, NY Customer Service

Manager, Jan 2011 - Apr 2012

Primary role consisted of managing all facets of client retention and

to successfully retained existing customer base as well as continually

add new accounts to the subscriber base. Identify potential clients,

introducing them to the company's credit information services, and

outlining the benefits with respect to financial risk management.

Responsible for the implementation of policies and procedures to

ensure quality customer service to a broad subscriber base in multiple

business segments. Worked closely with sales, marketing, operations,

and senior management to provide subscribers with customized credit

portfolios for monitoring their list of major accounts and enabling

them to make sound financial decisions. Introduced new product

information service to existing subscribers. Trained staff members and

subscribers in proper use of company products and information service.

Paper Enterprises Inc, Bronx, NY Credit Manager (contract position),

Sep 2010 - Jan 2011

Managed over 650 accounts, including both Fortune 500 companies and

small- to mid-size companies, representing over $12 million of annual

revenue. Responsible for all aspects of the credit approval process

for all new and existing clients. Perform credit investigations

including D&B reports, bank and trade references, and payment

experience as well as utilizing networking resources. Established

appropriate credit limits for each customer based on company's policy

for credit exposure. Maintained close relationships with customers to

ensure payment within credit terms. Performed monthly review of

accounts receivable aging to ensure compliance with credit and

collection policy. Collaborated with secondary collection agencies and

succeeded in obtaining payment on previously written-off accounts.

Global Credit Services, New York, NY Customer Service Account

Executive, Oct 2006 - Jul 2010

Managed over 200 existing subscribers totaling more than $1 million of

annual fee revenue. Established close relationships

to maintain client retention and developed customized solutions for

their individual business needs. Reviewed daily financial reports to

ensure that clients were fully informed of any derogatory information

and potential risks. Scheduled regular meetings with subscribers and

company's financial analysts to review list of high-risk accounts and

recommend solutions for mitigating risk. Provided all one-on-one

training to all client personnel and potential subscriber to maximize

benefit of service. Kept abreast of new industry credit developments

and continually monitored clients' and competitors' business trends

and innovations. Maintained standards for engagement with clients that

facilitated a positive experience with GCS while setting proper client

expectations. Instrumental in assisting sales with closing new

business and the retention of existing accounts. Prepared all client

proposals and contract renewals.

Showroom 57, New York, NY Credit Manager Apr 2005 - Oct 2006

Managed all aspects of the credit approval process for all new and

existing clients in high-end apparel for retail stores. Regular

review of customer lines of credit to maximize profitable sales while

maintaining targeted cash flow parameters at the appropriate risk

level. Developed credit and collection procedures to reduce high-risk

accounts and bad debt. Monitored and contacted all past-due accounts

and reconciled all quality and invoice disputes to obtain payment.

Perform credit investigations including D&B reports, bank and trade

references, and payment experience as well as utilizing networking

resources

Quebecor World, Greenwich, CT Senior Analyst, Jun 1997 - Apr 2005

Responsible for a $35 million monthly portfolio for billion-dollar

corporation. Established appropriate lines of credit for each

customer based on credit worthiness. Performed monthly analysis of

accounts receivable aging to ensure compliance with credit and

collection policy. Maintained customer account balances within

appropriate credit risk levels to ensure timely flow of orders to

magazine and catalog division. Analyzed financial statements in

order to establish adequate credit limits and mitigate exposure to

company. Provided continued assistance with dispute resolution, cash

application, legal action, and write-offs. Identified and managed

high-risk accounts, negotiated customized payment terms, and referred

them to legal department if warranted. Successfully avoided financial

risk to the company by controlling credit limits on overdue accounts.

Cultivated and retained customer loyalty through ongoing contact and

personal visits. Reduced write- offs by negotiating favorable outcomes

with customers on invoicing and quality disputes. Maintained excellent

relationships with account executives to help drive business

strategies and collection efforts.

Media Credit Association (MCA) New York, NY Vice President and

Executive Director, Sep 1985 - Jun 1997

Produced, promoted, coordinated, and directed more than 40 magazine

industry conferences, workshops, and seminars over a ten-year period

for the credit reporting division of Magazine Publishers of America

with a membership of more than 200 publishers representing over 1200

magazines. Published a monthly industry report on the delinquent

payment habits of all advertising agencies. Instituted industry DSO

(Days Sales Outstanding) program to track advertising delinquencies

industry-wide to allow members to compare their performance with other

magazines. Doubled membership attendance at all conferences and

seminars. Represented the magazine industry at several media events.

Increased membership participation by 50%. Conducted annual survey

with 81% membership participation, qualifying this study to be the

most comprehensive examination of magazine credit industry procedures

and performances. Spearheaded a two-year industry-wide investigation

effort with the United States Postal Inspection Service that resulted

in the successful prosecution of a fraudulent advertising agency.

Gruner+Jahr USA Publishing, Inc., New York, NY Corporate Credit

Manager, Feb 1981 - Sep 1985

Served as corporate advertising credit and accounts receivable manager

for four major consumer magazines. Oversaw accounts receivable and

cash application of 17 independent regional magazines for public

television. Worked closely with the in-house programmer in designing

and testing new credit reporting programs. Developed and implemented

model for cash receipts application and accounts receivable system

which resulted in the reduction of in-house billing discrepancies.

Introduced a new computerized invoice-, credit memo- and short rates

procedure, enabling the rollup of all magazines into a corporate

consolidation for more timely operations evaluation. Designed and

coordinated procedures for the exchange of schedules and documentation

between finance department and auditors for annual year-end close.

Substantially improved cash flow by revising company's terms of

payment policy.

EDUCATION Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration,

Central Connecticut State University.

SKILLS MS Excel, Word, Outlook, ACT, Lotus Notes, LAWSON accounting

software, GETPAID collection software, Ad-Mark, MS-DOS, IBM AS/400.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS National Association of Credit Management

(NACM) - member; Credit Research Foundation (CRF) - member; American

Society of Association Executives (ASAE) - member; Media Credit

Association (MCA) - Executive Director of the Board of Directors;

Actors Conservatory Theatre (ACT) - former member of the Board of

Directors.

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