What does a Credit And Collections Analyst do?

A credit and collections analyst is responsible for evaluating clients' account statements and financial transactions, analyzing their credit scores, and creating payment plans for outstanding debts. Credit and collections analysts assist in handling account discrepancies and financial disputes, reaching out to financial institutions and clients to collect documents and necessary data for resolution processes. They also update the clients' information on the database, analyze the terms of service of contracts, and respond to the customers' inquiries and concerns regarding their account status.
Credit and collections analyst responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real credit and collections analyst resumes:
- Represent and lead the collections' team during executive management weekly conference calls providing updates on the delinquent A/R reports.
- Identify and submit financial adjustments using SOX controls and GAAP accounting principles, increasing monthly AR collection.
- Develop and maintain detailed spreadsheets on all UCC activity for the branch for tracking purposes and follow-up.
- Establish the UCC filing template and liaise with agent bank to get UCC filing in due time.
- Oversee the DSO level and negotiate account settlements, payment plans, and attend small claims court for small businesses.
- Attend regular credit meetings with order management, sales, treasury, and revenue recognition groups to resolve business issues.
- Assist with internal and external quarterly and year-end audits, always receiving favorable remarks for being in compliance with SOX regulations.
- Lower company DSO to within guidelines
- Supervise A/R functions, including cash applications and account reconciliation.
- Prepare various account reconciliations and assist in the preparation of documents for corporate reporting requirements.
- Visit websites of third-party payers to research and verify patients' insurance coverage eligibility options.
- Reconcile in a monthly basis long-term government contracts and assist staff accountants with monthly expense reconciliations.
- Prepare & submit refund requisitions and adjustments; process reimbursements to patients and insurance companies weekly.
- Audit medical records and claims to ensure Medicaid program payment are made accordingly to medical necessity.
- Work remittance advice from Medicaid and Medicare ensuring accuracy of payments, correcting account billing according with Medicaid or Medicare disposition.
Credit and collections analyst skills and personality traits
We calculated that 18% of Credit And Collections Analysts are proficient in Customer Service, Credit Limits, and Past Due Accounts. They’re also known for soft skills such as Listening skills, Negotiating skills, and Speaking skills.
We break down the percentage of Credit And Collections Analysts that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 18%
Utilized effective listening skills and assisted delinquent customers with solutions that resolved past due accounts, while providing exceptional customer service.
- Credit Limits, 5%
Analyze credit information in order to determine risk involved in establishing credit limits for international and domestic's commercial accounts.
- Past Due Accounts, 5%
Monitored and collected past-due accounts and recommends to management credit extensions and/or legal actions as necessary.
- Delinquent Accounts, 4%
Reviewed aged trial balance to determine delinquent accounts and prepared collection letters to bring accounts current within established guidelines.
- Financial Statements, 4%
Minimized bad debt through implementation of department credit policy; evaluated financial statements and customers payment history.
- Credit Card Payments, 3%
Processed credit card payments and authorizations.
Most credit and collections analysts use their skills in "customer service," "credit limits," and "past due accounts" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential credit and collections analyst responsibilities here:
Listening skills. The most essential soft skill for a credit and collections analyst to carry out their responsibilities is listening skills. This skill is important for the role because "collectors must pay attention to what debtors say when trying to negotiate a repayment plan." Additionally, a credit and collections analyst resume shows how their duties depend on listening skills: "established and communicated standards for collection processes. "
Negotiating skills. Another essential skill to perform credit and collections analyst duties is negotiating skills. Credit and collections analysts responsibilities require that "the main aspects of a collector’s job are reconciling the differences between two parties (the debtor and the creditor) and offering a solution that is acceptable to both parties." Credit and collections analysts also use negotiating skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "analyzed and reduced/increased credit lines using problem solving and negotiating skills. "
Speaking skills. credit and collections analysts are also known for speaking skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to credit and collections analyst responsibilities, because "collectors must be able to speak to debtors to explain their options and ensure that they fully understand what is being said." A credit and collections analyst resume example shows how speaking skills is used in the workplace: "addressed customer questions and requests via phone, fax, correspondence, and e-mail, assisting internal and external customer service. "
The three companies that hire the most credit and collections analysts are:
- Anixter
12 credit and collections analysts jobs
- Robert Half9 credit and collections analysts jobs
- WESCO Distribution8 credit and collections analysts jobs
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Credit and collections analyst vs. Account representative
Account representatives are employees who manage client accounts and act as the main contact of the clients they are handling. They maintain existing accounts by updating client details regularly. They also check up on clients to see if they are still satisfied with the products or services of the company. They also create new accounts by welcoming new clients and assisting them in their needs. Account representatives manage client inquiries and process client requests. They also address complaints and ensure that any challenges are mitigated and that clients remain with the company.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a credit and collections analyst are more likely to require skills like "credit limits," "financial statements," "reconciliations," and "credit memos." On the other hand, a job as an account representative requires skills like "patients," "patient accounts," "data entry," and "medicaid." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Account representatives really shine in the finance industry with an average salary of $38,433. Comparatively, credit and collections analysts tend to make the most money in the finance industry with an average salary of $53,740.On average, account representatives reach similar levels of education than credit and collections analysts. Account representatives are 1.3% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Credit and collections analyst vs. Accounts receivable specialist
Accounts receivable specialists are members of the organization's finance or accounting department. They are responsible for managing the collection of payments for the company. They prepare official receipts and coordinate with account payable specialists from other companies with pending payables. They ensure that clients pay on time, and they also follow up on payments when necessary. They are responsible for checking whether the clients have already paid in full. Accounts receivable specialists are in charge of updating accounting records as well to ensure that client records are up to date.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real credit and collections analyst resumes. While credit and collections analyst responsibilities can utilize skills like "credit worthiness," "credit risk," "phone calls," and "credit reports," accounts receivable specialists use skills like "patients," "data entry," "general ledger," and "medicaid."
Accounts receivable specialists earn a lower average salary than credit and collections analysts. But accounts receivable specialists earn the highest pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $43,571. Additionally, credit and collections analysts earn the highest salaries in the finance with average pay of $53,740 annually.In general, accounts receivable specialists achieve similar levels of education than credit and collections analysts. They're 1.2% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Credit and collections analyst vs. Account specialist
An account specialist is responsible for reaching out to customers or potential clients through calls, emails, and other forms of correspondence to secure sales and strengthen business relations. An account specialist may also perform other tasks such as arranging appointment schedules with clients, providing price quotes and responding to further inquiries, process orders, generating sales leads, and handling complaints and resolving issues. Furthermore, an account specialist may also be involved in developing strategies, finding new opportunities, producing and completing necessary documents, and preparing reports, all in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, credit and collections analysts are more likely to have skills like "credit limits," "reconciliations," "credit memos," and "credit worthiness." But a account specialist is more likely to have skills like "patients," "account management," "powerpoint," and "data entry."
Account specialists make a very good living in the finance industry with an average annual salary of $47,336. On the other hand, credit and collections analysts are paid the highest salary in the finance industry, with average annual pay of $53,740.When it comes to education, account specialists tend to earn similar degree levels compared to credit and collections analysts. In fact, they're 0.3% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Credit and collections analyst vs. Analyst
Analysts are employees or individual contributors with a vast experience in a particular field that help the organization address challenges. They help the organization improve processes, policies, and other operations protocol by studying the current processes in place and determining the effectiveness of those processes. They also research industry trends and data to make sound inferences and recommendations on what the company should do to improve their numbers. Analysts recommend business solutions and often help the organization roll out these solutions. They ensure that the proposed action plans are effective and produce the desired results.
Types of credit and collections analyst
Updated January 8, 2025