The National
Association of Credit Management (NACM) has been active
in the formation and servicing of industry credit groups
since 1896. NACM Southwest, one of thirty affiliates of
NACM, has over thirty local, regional and national groups.
Through active
involvement in one or more of NACM Southwest's credit
groups, members can gain greater knowledge about specific
industries or companies. The purpose of exchanging information
is to help group members segregate fact from opinions
or fiction so that they individually may be able to make
a competent and realistic credit decision on a customer's
account.
All NACM Southwest
industry credit groups are conducted in accordance with
the "Antitrust Guide for NACM Group Members" published
by the National Association of Credit Management.
The general
objectives and purpose of NACM Credit groups are clearly
defined within the scope of lawful conduct. Each member
must make certain that the specific discussions, programs,
and agendas of any group activity serve the legitimate
and legal purposes for which the group is organized. This
is achieved through an exchange of credit information
with members in one or more of the following ways:
Business
Credit Reports: Reports are prepared using information
furnished by group members. This data is compiled by NACM
Southwest and distributed at group meetings. Each of these
reports is custom-designed to ensure that the information
fulfills the needs of each group.
Round
Table Discussion: A member desiring information
about a particular company may bring that company's name
to the meeting. Members then provide information about
the specific companies and give verbal feedback. Members
may ask about as many companies as necessary.
Group
Discussion List: These are a regular feature
of numerous NACM Southwest industry groups. Members regularly
submit a list of their accounts for discussion. NACM Southwest
then collates a single, comprehensive, group
discussion list which is distributed to group members
for discussion at the next meeting.
