What is a credit controller?
A credit controller often works for a company that purchases debts and processes collections on behalf of a creditor. They are responsible for collecting unpaid money from individuals or corporations who have failed to process payments on time.
How to become a credit controller?
You could do a college course that may give you some of the skills required to do this job. Courses include:
- Level 3 Certificate or Diploma in Financial Studies
- Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Credit Management
You may be able to get into this role through a credit controller, or accounts and finance assistant, intermediate apprenticeship. You could also do an advanced apprenticeship for credit controllers and debt collection specialists.
You can apply directly to be a credit controller, as many large companies will train you on the job. The qualifications and experience you’ll need will vary, but most employers will expect you to have:
- 3 to 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including maths, and sometimes college qualifications
- Ability to use spreadsheets and computerised accounts packages
- Experience of office administration or customer service work
Credit controller duties
Credit controller duties are diverse and depend on the employer and specialty, but some responsibilities are common to most:
- Establish policies that follow customer service best practices while ensuring customers submit payments on time
- Check consumer credit reports, approve or deny applications and communicate decisions to the appropriate personnel in a timely manner
- Negotiate payment plans with consumers and set loan terms and conditions accordingly
- Preparing statements and reports for the company accountant
- Managing the sales ledger
- Liaising with customers and the sales team
- Responding to client inquiries
- Make notifications in client accounts of interactions, such as payments or purchasing activities
Credit controller skills
To be an effective credit controller, you’ll need certain skills and competencies. The following are often cited in job vacancies:
- Proficient in Accounting and Office software
- Ability to reconcile complex debtors’ accounts
- Strong communication skills
- Ability to deal with problematic clients
- Strong organization skills
- Analytical skills
How to find a credit controller job
These jobs are advertised online, in local newspapers and at your local jobcentre. To find all the credit controller jobs near you, you need to:
- Search for credit controller jobs on popular job websites such as; Indeed, Total Jobs and CV Library
- Use the DWP’s Find A Job Service
- Check local newspapers and local Facebook groups, especially groups dedicated to local jobs
Credit Controller Job Titles
When you search for credit controller jobs online, be aware that the jobs might be advertised using a different job title. Popular job titles for credit controller jobs include;
- Debt collection agent
What does a credit controller do?
The job of a credit controller varies depending on the job role and the company you’re working for. Check the duties and responsibilities of credit controller job advertisements to find jobs that best suit your skills and experience.
The day-to-day tasks of a credit controller include;
- contact individuals or business customers when payment is overdue
- check credit records and trace missing debtors
- set up repayment plans and work with debt counsellors
- set up and maintain customer files
- process payments
- start legal proceedings if debts are not paid within an agreed time
- liaise with solicitors and bailiffs