Nicola Ashmore
Birmingham,West Midlands
Summary
Accomplished Credit Controller with nearly 20 years experience in credit management and debt recovery across diverse sectors, including commercial property and utilities. Proven track record of exceeding KPIs in cash collection and managing the credit control of significant financial portfolios. Strong communication and interpersonal skills, allowing collaboration with client and internal teams to resolve account queries and optimise cash collection.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Public Sector Credit Controller
Avison Young
11.2016 - Current
- Public Sector Credit Controller
- Exceeding KPIs on cash collection as set by the client
- Exceeding industry average cash collection performance
- Receiving continuous positive feedback from clients and colleagues
- Responsible for credit control across five client portfolios within the private commercial property sector, managing over 500 tenancies across UK-wide office and building locations, including the collection of approximately £14 million in quarterly rent, £2 million in service charges, and associated utility charges.
- Proactively chasing outstanding invoices and payment applications via telephone and email to ensure timely collection
- Close collaboration with property managers, surveyors, accountants, and directors to resolve account queries, ensuring all charges are accurately raised and issued to tenants in a timely manner
- Proactive communication with tenants ahead of financial quarter due dates via email and telephone to confirm invoice receipt and secure payment commitments, prioritising and resolving any disputes to maximise cash collection performance
- Regular collaboration with cashier and finance teams re account reconciliations, payment allocations and tenant refunds
- Chairing regular bi-weekly, monthly, and quarterly meetings with clients and/or surveyors/property managers, and accountants to ensure the smooth and effective management of property portfolios
- Liaising directly with clients with any collection, account and tenancy queries they may have
- Providing regular updates on arrears by producing monthly bespoke and system reports (Excel and property management systems) - weekly during post-quarter periods - providing regular updates on arrears, payment concessions, and agreeing next steps with clients and surveyors.
Treasury Assistant
Midland Heart
09.2016 - 11.2016
- Migration of data into a new bespoke system manipulating a multitude of spreadsheets into one template to ensure full and accurate data is available for reporting
- Data Analysis of large intricate spreadsheets including VLOOKUPs and pivot tables enabling timely and efficient reviewing mechanisms
- Assisted in producing Assets and Liabilities Register for internal and external audit by HCA
- Liaised with external solicitors to ensure accuracy and completeness of data
- Updated, corrected, and maintained the new Document Management System within Treasury.
- Collated, reviewed, and analysed documents from Land Registry website to ensure accurate information retention and procurement
Project Role – Credit Control Department
GVA
06.2016 - 09.2016
- Responsible for undertaking a project within the credit control function
- Working closely with directors, associates, accountants and credit controllers to gather up to date data on tenants and clients in order to send automated invoice demands
- Communicating with clients and tenants regarding the new scheme in order to gather interest and taking up to date contact information
- Liaising with client accountants/credit controllers in order to determine which clients/tenants require demand notices
- Regular meetings with directors and associates for progress reporting
- Emailing directors and associates with progress data - using information run by the data team and using Microsoft Excel for relevant information required
- Responsible for the e demands inbox - responding to queries, updating data or passing on to relevant department
- Ad hoc credit control duties during busy periods - liaising with client accountants and surveyors regarding accounts
Credit Controller
Nicocigs (PMI – International)
02.2016 - 05.2016
- Responsible for a ledger of around 1000 retail customers
- Making outbound telephone calls chasing payment and dealing with account queries by liaising with other MA departments, senior credit control staff and sales reps - minimum of 50 calls per day
- Making a high volume of calls and taking a high volume of inbound calls
- Taking payments, dealing with account queries and organising rep visits on their behalf
- Dealing with any blocked orders where customers have placed an order which has been blocked due to a balance on their account - chasing customers for payment so orders can be released in a timely fashion
- Raising service credits and debits - investigating finance issues and collating information so these can be applied to accounts
Commercial Debt Advisor
Severn Trent Water
10.2010 - 05.2015
- Responsible for chasing very high volumes of commercial debt within the East Midlands
- Looking after key accounts such as Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Boots
- Collecting high value debts and payments from smaller companies for increased cash collection
- Managing and organising a heavy workload ensuring that ledgers were effectively looked after
- Extensive contact with commercial customers speaking daily with large amounts of account holders
- Motivated others and assisted with workloads to ensure that all deadlines were met
- Ability to communicate in an effective manner to collect outstanding debt whilst building sustainable relationships
- Liaising with other departments within Severn Trent regarding issues preventing debt collection and efficiently resolving any outstanding work or customer complaints, improving both customer experience and reducing debtor days
- Making significant contributions during team meetings, suggesting ideas for change and continuous improvement within the team and processes used
Credit Management Team Specialist, Enforcements & Aged Debt
Severn Trent Water
02.2007 - 10.2010
- Utilised enforcement procedures by liaising with HMCS and DWP.
- Specialising in the attachment of earnings and administration order procedures, reducing debts on accounts with county court judgments
- Chased debt on domestic accounts independently while collaborating within a team environment
- Negotiated payment plans and revised terms with commercial customers and third parties
- Managed high volumes of documents from local courts and addressed customer queries effectively
- Organise time to meet all deadlines for maximum performance
- Provided training for groups of staff, along with continued support enabling them to work effectively and confidently within their new roles
- Provided training for new and existing processes on a one to one level
- Provided procedure overviews for members of other departments contributing to effective working between different areas of the company
- Team liaison for escalation of colleague complaints and queries to higher management in monthly meetings in order to increase morale and create a better working environment
- Nominated by my peers for a Credit Management Award for ‘best performer’ in 2010
Skills
- Cash collection
- Account reconciliation
- Debt recovery
- Financial reporting
- Microsoft Excel
- Communication skills
- Team collaboration
- Conflict resolution
Education
Newman College of Higher Education, Birmingham
Studied for BH Hons in History and Education Studies obtaining a 2:1
The Queen Katherine School, Kendal, Cumbria
A-levels obtained – History, English Language & Biology
12 x GCSE’s A – C Grade
Timeline
Public Sector Credit Controller
Avison Young
11.2016 - Current
Treasury Assistant
Midland Heart
09.2016 - 11.2016
Project Role – Credit Control Department
GVA
06.2016 - 09.2016
Credit Controller
Nicocigs (PMI – International)
02.2016 - 05.2016
Commercial Debt Advisor
Severn Trent Water
10.2010 - 05.2015
Credit Management Team Specialist, Enforcements & Aged Debt
Severn Trent Water
02.2007 - 10.2010