Credit Assistant

Farmers Home Furniture•Bay Minette, AL

About The Position

The Credit Assistant assists the credit manager with coordinating and overseeing accounts receivable and collection activities. The role supports credit decisions and account setup by investigating applicants’ credit and financial status, recommending approvals or rejections, and establishing account credit limits. It also helps limit credit losses while supporting growth of the store’s accounts receivable. The position contacts customers about overdue balances, documents collection efforts, receives and posts payments, reviews collection reports, and helps prepare delinquent accounts for legal or outside collection action with the credit manager’s prior approval. It also leads assigned staff, supports office and credit operations, maintains records, handles customer service requests, and assists with sales-floor responsibilities and store goals. The role may perform Store Manager duties when required and assist other store departments.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Three years of experience in accounting/bookkeeping, loan processing, and/or collections, or a combination of training, experience, and education that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Must possess and maintain a valid State Driver’s License.
Ability to evaluate, audit, deduce, and access data using established criteria and exercise discretion in assessing consequences and alternatives.
Ability to function in a managerial capacity and make procedural and technical decisions.
Ability to operate and control equipment, machinery, tools, and materials used in the role.
Ability to use reference, descriptive, and advisory information.
Ability to perform basic arithmetic, calculate decimals and percentages, use fractions, and interpret graphs.
Ability to interpret written, oral, diagrammatic, and schedule-based instructions; apply rational systems; and exercise independent judgment to adapt methods and standards.
Ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness, and creativity when evaluating information using measurable and subjective criteria.
Ability to exert moderate physical effort, including some climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling objects weighing 12–50 pounds.
Ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades, sounds, depth, and visual cues or signals; some tasks require oral communication.
Ability to work in conditions that may include dirt, dust, temperature extremes, electric currents, or toxic agents or chemicals.

Responsibilities

Lead assigned staff by directing work, addressing employee concerns and problems, disciplining, and providing guidance.
Help manage accounts receivable and collection activities.
Review credit applications, investigate and verify applicants’ financial status and reputation, document findings, recommend approval or rejection to the credit manager, and establish customer credit limits.
Contact customers about overdue payments by telephone or text, review applicable sales, service, or credit terms, and seek payment.
Send form letters, text messages, and late-charge notices to encourage payment of delinquent accounts.
Travel to customers’ homes to collect late payments and assist with merchandise repossessions as necessary.
Receive payments and post them to customer accounts.
Document all correspondence and attempted correspondence with customers concerning accounts.
Review and analyze collection reports, outstanding balances, collection status, and the effectiveness of collection policies and procedures.
Review delinquent account records, prioritize collection workloads, and determine which accounts to delegate to assigned staff.
Prepare paperwork before legal action and submit delinquent accounts to an attorney or outside agency for collection with prior approval of the credit manager.
Collect on returned checks and delinquent accounts.
Maintain a work environment free of legally prohibited discrimination and sexual harassment.
Complete, prepare, review, or approve forms, logs, requests, records, reports, correspondence, and other documents; oversee accurate files and administrative records.
Operate a calculator, copy machine, telephone, and other equipment as needed.
Log customer service requests into PQA and schedule merchandise repairs for customers.
Assist customers on the sales floor as assigned, including participating in sales-floor rotation, greeting customers, demonstrating products, completing sales write-ups, and updating CRM.
Maintain an acceptable sales quota in line with weekly, monthly, and annual store goals assigned by the Store Manager.
Comply with Store Operations Customer Service Counter and Telephone Standards.
Uphold and promote the company’s H.O.M.E. values.
Perform Store Manager duties as required, assist other store departments as required, and perform other related duties.