Top 10 resolutions for credit managers: goals to drive success in 2025

It’s no secret that B2B credit management is a forward-thinking career. From building customer relationships and mitigating risk to forecasting business and economic trends, credit managers are focused on shaping the future. By setting goals and creating a plan to achieve them, credit professionals can secure their department’s long-term success.

The new year brings renewed optimism and motivation to achieve credit department goals. To ring in 2025, we’ve compiled your top resolutions and will share your tips on how to achieve them.

#1 Adopt technology tools

From computers to artificial intelligence (AI), technology has transformed the credit management field and improved productivity by eliminating repetitive tasks. D’Ann Johnson, CCE, corporate credit and contracts manager at A-Core Concrete Cutting, Inc. (Salt Lake City, UT), is working to automate more of the credit and AR tasks in her department. “We’re looking to use AI to help process credit applications and implement a new ERP system to eliminate time spent on manual credit tasks,” she said. “This leaves credit managers more opportunity for growth, education and expansion, even if it’s outside of their current job position.”

#2 Work on leadership skills

Effective leaders provide a clear vision and direction for the credit department that not only protects the company’s financial interests but also supports long-term growth and positive customer relationships. With well-developed skills, leaders will not only help meet departmental goals but also improve collaboration. “I want to develop my communication, decision-making and emotional intelligence skills,” said Ashley Kusiolek, AR specialist at Trinity Logistics (Seaford, DE). “I plan to develop these skills by listening to and collaborating with my team more and adjusting my approach to certain situations.”

#3 Improve customer relationships

An essential aspect of B2B credit management is building and maintaining strong customer relationships. This not only helps mitigate risk but enhances communication and boosts customer retention. “It’s important to continually reinforce with my team the balance between proactively reaching out to customers—ensuring they have everything they need—and crossing into harassment,” said Johnson. “This involves having conversations about when frequent follow-ups become counterproductive, especially if the customer is repeating the same information daily and frustration builds on both sides.”

#4 Earn a designation

No matter your industry, continued education is key to career fulfillment and success. With a designation from NACM’s six-level Professional Certification Program, credit professionals can boost their expertise, enhance their credibility and sharpen their skills to thrive in the B2B credit field. “I plan to enroll in NACM’s Graduate School of Credit and Financial Management (GSCFM) and pass the Certified Credit Executive (CCE) exam,” said Misty Menashe, CBA, credit and collections supervisor at LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. (Portland, OR). “I would like to see each team member earn or think about earning a certification or identify micro-learning sessions they would like to complete in their professional career.”

#5 Focus on team development

A credit department’s success is often a reflection of its team’s capabilities. Investing in team development—through training, mentorship and collaborative opportunities—ensures that credit professionals are equipped to handle challenges and adapt to changes in the industry. “My goal for 2025 is to create a more cohesive and empowered team,” one credit manager said. “This involves scheduling regular team meetings to discuss challenges, celebrate successes and share best practices, as well as offering training opportunities tailored to individual needs.”

#6 Lower DSO

Measuring days sales outstanding (DSO) remains a long-standing benchmark for senior management because it measures the number of days it takes to turn sales into cash—despite many credit professionals not being a fan of it because of its biases and flaws. It remains one of the top priorities for credit managers to accomplish in 2025. “We plan to clean up and lower our DSO,” said Julissa DeLeon, credit lead at Wholesale Electric Supply Co. of Houston, Inc. (Houston, TX). “If we’re not meeting those goals, we’re going to have to find other ways to mitigate risk, especially when we have a lot of different reasons as to why customers may not pay, whether it be an issue that started at the beginning of the sale, or the customer is facing economic hardship or cash flow issues.”

#7 Lower bad debt

Lowering bad debt is fundamental in B2B credit because it improves cash flow, enhances profitability, strengthens customer relationships and contributes to overall stability and growth. It reflects sound financial management and positions the company for long-term success. “We use bad debt as a percentage of supply sales to set our bad debt goals each year,” said Dallas Kleiboeker, CBA, retail credit and membership manager at MFA Incorporated (Columbia, MO). “It’s easy to determine where you are when it comes to managing bad debt when there’s a consistent figure that you can evaluate each month.”

#8 Reorganize the credit department

Reorganizing the credit department is another common resolution among credit managers. Whether through hiring new staff, implementing new technology or updating credit policies, restructuring departmental operations can enhance workflow and drive long-term success.

#9 Work on cross-department collaboration

Close collaboration with other staff members in your company enhances communication, speeds up decision-making, improves problem-solving and strengthens risk management. Additionally, credit professionals can foster a more engaged, cohesive team that can quickly adapt to challenges. “Our department recently went through another transition that involved a team member leaving the company and the position not being refilled,” Kleiboeker said. “In situations like these, improved communication and teamwork are essential to make sure nothing slips through the cracks and tasks are redistributed in a sustainable fashion for all team members.”