COS is proud to announce that our Accounts Receivable team has been named Credit Team of the Year 2026 by the Australian Institute of Credit Management (AICM).
The national award recognises the performance, innovation and professionalism of the COS Accounts Receivable team and marks an important milestone in a transformation that has been several years in the making.
While strong credit management remains fundamental to the team’s role, the story behind this recognition extends well beyond collections.
From collections to commercial partnership
Over recent years, the COS Accounts Receivable team has evolved from a traditional collections function into a broader commercial partner to our customers and teams across the business.
The team works closely with Sales, Customer Service, Supply Chain, Finance, IT, Business Intelligence, Integration and Implementation to improve the end-to-end customer experience.
This includes supporting customer onboarding and credit assessments, improving billing accuracy, resolving queries more efficiently, developing customised reporting solutions and introducing easier ways for customers to manage and pay invoices.
Technology and automation have also played an important role in the transformation. Processes that once required significant manual effort have been streamlined, providing greater visibility, accuracy and efficiency while allowing the team to focus more of its time on customers and complex commercial needs.
What does this mean for COS customers?
For customers, great credit management should largely happen behind the scenes.
It means accurate billing, clear information, convenient payment options, responsive support when something needs to be resolved and reporting that can accommodate complex organisational requirements.
For many of our government, healthcare and enterprise customers, this also includes tailored expenditure reporting by cost centre, general ledger code, internal order number, fund centre or business unit.
By combining strong credit management with customer-focused processes, data and technology, the team helps COS protect sustainable cashflow while supporting long-term customer relationships and business growth.
Investing in the people behind the results
The transformation has been driven by the people within the team.
COS has continued to invest in learning and development, career progression and opportunities for team members to identify and lead improvements. Regular collaboration and continuous improvement have helped create a culture where ideas are encouraged and team members are empowered to make a difference.
Belinda Lyone, Co-CEO of COS, said:
“Great credit management isn’t simply about collecting payments. For our customers, it’s about making it easier to do business with COS by providing accurate information, responsive support, flexible solutions and resolving queries quickly when they arise.
I’m incredibly proud of how our Accounts Receivable team has transformed the role they play within COS. They work collaboratively across our business, embrace technology and continuously look for ways to improve the experience for our customers. Winning Credit Team of the Year is wonderful recognition of the people behind that work and everything they have achieved together.”
— Belinda Lyone, Co-CEO, COS
National recognition for the COS team
Being named AICM Credit Team of the Year recognises both the results the team delivers and the way those results are achieved through collaboration, innovation, customer focus and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Congratulations to the entire COS Accounts Receivable team on this outstanding national recognition.
It is an achievement the whole COS team can be proud of.
