William's story:
From beginner to credit control consultant in five months
Not so long ago, we met William, a new colleague at iCredit. It was by chance that he ended up at iCredit. He told us that he was quickly won over by the warm, family atmosphere there and began dreaming of a job as a credit control consultant.
Five months later, we met again. And now William is actually carrying out his first assignment as a credit control consultant! He has now been working for six weeks at Van Hoecke, a distributor of Blum brand furniture fittings and manufacturer of its own industrial drawer system. William has joined the finance team, where he performs various operational tasks within the accounting department.
William, how did you get started as a credit control consultant at Van Hoecke?
When I joined iCredit in May, it was clear that not having a degree or a driver’s license was an obstacle to becoming a consultant.
Despite this, I was hired and was able to start working in iCredit’s outsourcing department. I am delighted to have been given this opportunity.
In the meantime, I graduated. However, I was surprised to be offered a project so quickly. The client was looking for someone who already had some experience with their software. Since I didn’t have that experience, I wasn’t selected for the project. That’s when Van Hoecke contacted me.
I hesitated for a moment, then decided to seize this opportunity. Three days later, I went to Van Hoecke. Tine took me under her wing and introduced me to the day-to-day operations of the credit control department.
How Van Hoecke experienced his collaboration with iCredit
Van Hoecke had a specific question.
We are in the process of implementing credit management software. The final preparations are underway and we hope to be operational next month. Everything has accelerated and suddenly required more time on our part.
So we felt the need to find someone who could temporarily relieve us of our daily operational tasks. Someone who could quickly get up to speed and ensure the continuity of operational tasks. ‘
Tine ~ Credit Controller at Van Hoecke
How did the collaboration with iCredit actually come about?
I knew about iCredit from networking events and knew they had consultants specializing in credit management. We contacted several consulting firms to find a credit control consultant, including iCredit.
We quickly received a call from Sven, who asked us what exactly we were looking for and what was important to us. The next day, we were introduced to two candidates, including William. We had a phone interview with each of them. Everything happened very quickly.
Tine ~ Credit Controller at Van Hoecke
William, how did you find the start-up phase?
We had to react quickly. Everyone at iCredit who was involved in the project in one way or another was very close to me. They all came to see me from time to time, which was very nice. In preparation for the presentation interview, I also received some advice. Above all, I felt confident.
Why did Van Hoecke choose a consultant?
Obviously, because of the temporary nature of the assignment. And also because we were looking for someone who could hit the ground running. You want the ratio between the cost and effort you invest on the one hand, and the return on investment on the other, to be as efficient as possible. You have to monitor this constantly throughout the assignment, which is not always easy.
You have to take a purely rational approach and look at the figures, whereas I would also like to get to know William as a person. I want to learn, grow, and develop things. But you really have to know how to set boundaries. That’s sometimes a problem for me.
Tine ~ Credit controller at Van Hoecke
What gives you the most satisfaction as a consultant, and what do you consider to be the biggest challenge?
As a credit control consultant, your goal is to solve a problem. It is rewarding when you succeed and see the results of your work. The gratitude and appreciation you feel then are also very satisfying.
What does your typical workday look like right now?
I usually start my working day as a credit control consultant at around 8 a.m. I begin by processing all the previous day’s banking transactions. Have the payments been allocated to the right customer? Has the correct amount been paid? If something is wrong, I either fix the problem or inform the customer.
Throughout the day, I monitor pending orders. I assess whether orders from customers with overdue invoices can be processed or not. I also check the creditworthiness of new customers and then decide on the payment terms to be granted to them. In the meantime, I call customers with overdue invoices, process my emails, and create new customers in the ERP system. Around 5 p.m., I finish my workday.
How did William and Van Hoecke experience this collaboration?
Were you well prepared for the project?
iCredit encourages its employees to take its training courses, which I did. But you’re never quite ready for an assignment. I wasn’t sure I had enough knowledge and experience. In the end, it turned out that I was better prepared than I thought.
Were Van Hoecke's expectations met?
As a client, you naturally have certain expectations of a consultant. In terms of knowledge and skills, the bar is naturally set high. At iCredit, they felt that William’s experience was a perfect fit for this assignment. They found the ideal person!
Tine ~ Credit controller at Van Hoecke
And now, how will this unfold?
The cooperation has been extended.
The implementation of the software is running a little behind schedule due to other priority projects within our IT department. We therefore asked William if he would be willing to stay on a little longer. We have extended our collaboration by two months.
And William is not about to tire of Van Hoecke!
Tine ~ Credit controller at Van Hoecke
A job at iCredit
Just like William, you will start out in a warm, family-like environment where learning and personal development are key priorities. From day one, you will have the opportunity to make a real difference, while benefiting from the support, training, and flexibility you need. Whether you are a graduate or looking to take your first steps in finance!
Want to learn a lot, work in a close-knit team, and have an impact on leading clients?
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