Free credit and collections guides. The best collection is the one you never need.

The extension of credit is an integral part of business. Credit is a means of creating revenue, and many companies use it to increase sales, match or beat competitors and meet customer demands. How to do it without getting burned.

Granting credit involves three basic steps: gathering credit information from the customer and outside sources, analyzing it to determine creditworthiness, and making the credit decision.

Among the long list of things to consider when operating a business is how to handle past due accounts. Being prepared with an action plan before you need one is smart business.

What is your in-house strategy for collecting on past due accounts? Do you call? Write? Wait? How soon after the due date do you begin, and at what point do you draw the line?