New Credit Application Process

19-Apr-2011

Nowadays, B2B customers have a different sense of what's acceptable in business transactions. Take credit applications as an example. Most everyone here has had to fill out an on-line credit application for something or other at some point. Some of these forms are very intuitive, easy to use, and completely negate the possibility of any dual or repetitive entry. Others are little more than a form that you have to print out and fill-in by hand. We need to be somewhere in the middle of those options and right now, we are not.

Effective immediately, we are taking a step forward. A new .pdf form has been created that will allow applicants to type directly into the application and even digitally sign and submit. Of course, applicants who swear by the power of the pen may still print and fill out as always, but now, potential customers will have the option of either.

One of the drawbacks to the way we've done things in the past has been the necessity for back-and-forth between the branch and accounts receivable so that things like credit limits and territory assignments can be established prior to an account being set up in TrulinX. Many times, we have an order pending and thus, we're slowed down by this "catch-ball" activity.

Hence, in addition to the Credit Application, a Customer Profile page will be added to the application which will ask a few simple questions which should alleviate the need for all of the preliminary internal dialog. These questions will generally be checkbox-style and aimed at figuring where the customer came from, what they do, and what they anticipate doing with us. Also, we'll need to find out if an order is pending and therefore, establish a credit limit that is appropriate to service this first transaction. Further evaluation of that credit limit can come later.

As of this moment, the form will exist as a Adobe Acrobat Form and be sent to customers or to the branches for them to fill out and submit directly. However, the next step is to be able to post on the website and direct our customers to simply "go to the web" to fill out (or print out) our credit application. This gives us the added ability to send them an automated confirmation and other functionality to boot--like auto-generating the reference letters that have to be sent out. We'll also give applicants the ability to attach their standard forms and tax exempt forms and submit along with their application. More to come on this particular subject, but expect changes soon!

Go To The Application!!!

---