Credit account management method suitable for logistics system and logistics system

Abstract

The invention provides a credit account management method suitable for a logistics system and the logistics system, and the method comprises the steps: evaluating the credit condition of a customer, and creating a virtual credit account for the customer; after an order submitted by an online system is received, the system automatically calculates the amount of the order, and performs fund deduction according to the following priority logic: if the recharge balance in the credit account is greater than the amount of the order, the fund is directly deducted from the balance; if the balance is insufficient, judging whether the amount of the order with the balance deducted can be covered by the remaining credit line or not; if yes, the system carries out accounting deduction from the credit line; if not, the system automatically prompts the customer that the balance and the credit line are both insufficient, and the ordering process is stopped; and before a parcel collection instruction is sent out and after parcel collection, the system confirms the credit state of the customer again, and if the use limit of the credit account of the customer exceeds the early warning threshold value or the customer is marked as a default customer, the process is interrupted.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of logistics service, in particular to a credit account management method suitable for a logistics system and the logistics system. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the continuous expansion of global e-commerce and the rapid development of local instant delivery services, the reconciliation and settlement of the logistics industry are also more complicated. Especially in the market environment where small and medium-sized enterprises are rapidly rising and the order structure is increasingly fragmented, the demand for balancing between liquidity and performance efficiency of enterprises has significantly increased.

[0003] In the development process of local piece business in South Africa, the main types of customers include e-commerce platform merchants, self-operated logistics customers, bulk shipping enterprises and other forms. Different types of customers have significant differences in business scale, performance ability and credit stability. In addition, the social security environment in South Africa is relatively complex, and there are high-risk delivery obstacles in some areas, which further increases the difficulty of logistics settlement management.

[0004] At present, the traditional pre-recharge and advance payment mode( Figure 1 ) can reduce the risk of bad debts to a certain extent, but it also significantly compresses the customer's capital turnover space, puts a lot of pressure on customers with tight capital liquidity, limits the flexibility of their shipments, and limits the business growth of both customers and logistics companies. While using the post-payment period system( Figure 2 ), it is more convenient and flexible to use, but it puts higher requirements on the operation and financial team: manual follow-up of the account period, checking of the account, handling of abnormal reconciliation, low overall coordination efficiency, and a series of problems such as shipment interruption and account delay, which may even affect the continuity and controllability of the entire performance process. If the customer is overdue for payment or maliciously defaults, the goods will be stacked in the warehouse, in addition to the cost of the later manual follow-up team, it also increases the cost of early transportation and warehousing, which may result in substantial revenue loss.

[0005] Especially in recent years, under the background of rapid expansion of customer order scale in South Africa and explosive growth of daily shipment volume, the traditional single payment mode is prone to process jamming, frequent human intervention, low customer service and financial collaboration efficiency, and other systemic problems in the order flow process. At the same time, there is a serious problem of opacity in the credit information of South African customers. On the one hand, since South Africa has not yet established a unified and standardized enterprise and individual real-name system, the information of the registered subject of the enterprise is incomplete and frequently changed, and some customers even place orders under the identity of temporary individuals or informal organizations. In the face of the situation that customer credit information is not transparent and performance ability is difficult to assess, logistics service providers find it difficult to expand their business while ensuring controllable risks.

[0006] Therefore, how to reduce the frequency of manual intervention, improve the automation degree of accounting processing, and improve the resilience and scale of local logistics operation is the focus of attention of those skilled in the art. SUMMARY

[0007] The purpose of the present application is to provide a credit account management method and a logistics system suitable for a logistics system, which can reduce the frequency of manual intervention and improve the automation degree of accounting processing.

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application provides a credit account management method suitable for a logistics system, comprising:

[0009] Evaluating the credit status of the customer, creating a virtual credit account for the customer, and synchronously setting a credit limit and a warning threshold, wherein the virtual account can be cashed;

[0010] After receiving the order submitted by the online system, the system automatically calculates the order amount and deducts the funds according to the following priority logic: if the balance of the credit account is greater than the order amount, the balance is directly deducted; if the balance is insufficient, it is judged whether the order amount after deduction of the balance can be covered by the remaining credit limit; if covered, the system deducts the credit limit; if still insufficient, the system automatically prompts the customer that both the balance and the credit limit are insufficient, and the ordering process is suspended;

[0011] Before the pickup instruction is issued, the system again confirms the credit status of the customer, if the credit limit of the customer's credit account has exceeded the warning threshold at this time or the customer is marked as a "default customer", the pickup operation is automatically frozen;

[0012] Before the delivery instruction is issued after the pickup, the system again confirms the credit status of the customer, if the credit limit of the customer's credit account has exceeded the warning threshold at this time or the customer is marked as a "default customer", the delivery instruction is suspended.

[0013] In an optional solution, the method for evaluating the credit status of the customer comprises: using qualitative analysis software, referring to multi-dimensional data information, generating an analysis report, and evaluating the credit status of the customer according to the analysis report.

[0014] In an optional solution, the warning threshold comprises a first threshold and a second threshold, the first threshold is A% of the credit limit used, and the second threshold is B% of the credit limit used, wherein A>B, when the warning threshold reaches the first threshold or the second threshold, the customer and the company team are notified; when the limit reaches the first threshold, the ordering process is suspended.

[0015] In an optional solution, the method further comprises: automatically counting the credit limit used by the customer within a predetermined period, generating an account statement, and sending the account statement to the customer through the system or email.

[0016] In an optional solution, the method further comprises: if the overdue bill of the customer is not processed, triggering a BD collection reminder automatically; if the customer has not paid for a long time, starting a default processing mechanism.

[0017] In an optional solution, the method further comprises: after receiving the payment of the customer, preferentially making up the arrears of the credit account to restore the availability of the credit limit of the customer;

[0018] If the credit account repayment is completely cleared, the system automatically switches to the deduction logic of preferentially charging the balance and finally charging the credit limit.

[0019] In an optional solution, the method further comprises: the system performs periodic credit health checks based on the order frequency of the customer, the use of the credit account of the customer and the repayment timeliness, dynamically updates the credit portrait of the customer and adds labels.

[0020] In an optional solution, the method further comprises: a relevant person adjusts the credit limit of the credit account of the customer according to the updated credit portrait and labels of the customer.

[0021] In an optional solution, the label of the “defaulting customer” is manually added by an operator.

[0022] The application also provides a logistics system, which adopts the method of embodiment 1 to manage the credit account, and the logistics system comprises:

[0023] A virtual credit account module is configured to create a virtual credit account for a customer and synchronously set a credit limit and a warning threshold;

[0024] A judgment module is configured to judge whether the balance of the credit account of the customer is greater than the order amount after the customer places an order, and if so, directly deducts the order amount from the balance; if the balance is insufficient, judges whether the order amount after deducting the balance can be covered by the remaining credit limit; if so, deducts the order amount from the credit limit;

[0025] An order termination module is configured to terminate the order placing process when the judgment result of the judgment module is that the order amount is greater than the sum of the balance and the remaining credit limit.

[0026] A first confirmation module is configured to confirm the credit status of the customer before the pickup instruction is issued, and if the use limit of the credit account of the customer has exceeded the warning threshold or the customer is labeled as a “defaulting customer” at this time, the pickup operation is automatically frozen.

[0027] A second confirmation module is configured to finally confirm the credit status of the customer again before the delivery instruction is issued after the pickup, and if the use limit of the credit account of the customer has exceeded the warning threshold or the customer is labeled as a “defaulting customer” at this time, the delivery instruction is suspended.

[0028] The application has the following beneficial effects:

[0029] The present application sets customer credit limit, dynamic deduction mechanism and credit status confirmation at the key nodes of logistics, realizes real-time linkage and intelligent response, reduces the frequency of manual intervention, improves the automation and intelligent level of the settlement process, and fundamentally improves the resilience and scale capacity of local piece logistics operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0030] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present application will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the figures, and in which:

[0031] Figure 1 A flowchart of the conventional pre-recharge and advance payment mode in the prior art.

[0032] Figure 2 A flowchart of the post-billing period system in the prior art.

[0033] Figure 3 A flowchart of the credit account management method suitable for the logistics system in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The present application will be further described with reference to the drawings and specific embodiments. According to the following description and drawings, the advantages and features of the present application will be more apparent. However, it should be noted that the concept of the technical solution of the present application can be implemented in various forms and is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein. The drawings are very simplified and use non-precise proportions, only for the purpose of conveniently and clearly assisting the description of the embodiments of the present application.

[0035] It should be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "on", "adjacent", "connected to", or "coupled to" another element or layer, it can be directly on, adjacent, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers can be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on", "directly adjacent", "directly connected to", or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, then there are no intervening elements or layers present. It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc. can be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another element, component, region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present application.

[0036] Spatially relative terms, such as "beneath", "below", "lower", "under", "above", "upper" and the like, can be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use and / or operation in addition to the orientations depicted in the figures. For example, if a device in the figures is inverted, then a dependent element or feature described as "below" or "beneath" another element or feature would then be oriented "above" and "over" the other element or feature. Thus, the exemplary term "below" can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device can be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

[0037] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present application. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising", when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0038] Embodiment 1

[0039] With reference to Figure 3 The present embodiment provides a credit account management method suitable for a logistics system, comprising:

[0040] Evaluating the credit status of a customer, creating a virtual credit account for the customer, and synchronously setting a credit limit and a warning threshold, the virtual account being capable of cash top-up;

[0041] After receiving an order submitted by an online system, the system automatically calculates the order amount and deducts the funds according to the following priority logic: if the top-up balance in the credit account is greater than the order amount, the balance is directly deducted; if the balance is insufficient, it is determined whether the order amount after deduction of the balance can be covered by the remaining credit limit; if covered, the system accounts and deducts from the credit limit; if still insufficient, the system automatically prompts the customer that both the balance and the credit limit are insufficient, and the ordering process is suspended;

[0042] Before the pickup instruction is issued, the system again confirms the credit status of the customer, if the credit account usage limit of the customer has exceeded the warning threshold at this time or the customer is marked as a "defaulting customer", the pickup operation is automatically frozen and an operation warning is pushed;

[0043] After the order is received, the system will again confirm the credit status of the customer before the order is shipped. If the customer's credit account has exceeded the pre-set threshold or the customer is marked as a "default customer", the shipping order will be suspended and an artificial review process will be initiated.

[0044] Specifically, the key implementation process of the present embodiment includes the following five aspects:

[0045] I. B-end customer credit account creation and quota configuration

[0046] 1. Business representatives (BD) screen B-end customers and invite them to enter the system.

[0047] 2. BD and finance jointly assess the credit status of the customer. The method of assessing the credit status of the customer includes: using qualitative analysis software (for example: Nvivo), referring to multi-dimensional data information (including but not limited to historical cooperation records, media exposure, potential litigation risks and other factors), generating an analysis report, and BD and finance assessing the credit status of the customer according to the analysis report, setting the initial credit limit of the customer and the risk level.

[0048] 3. Complete the entry after signing the cooperation agreement with the customer. The agreement includes: credit limit (such as: can be advanced 300,000 South African rand), warning threshold (such as sending a warning when the credit limit usage rate reaches 80%), billing cycle, settlement method and default clause, etc.

[0049] 4. Create a unique virtual credit account for the customer on the company's system according to the agreement, and set related parameters at the same time, including the above-mentioned credit limit warning threshold, billing cycle, billing frequency and settlement method, etc. The customer can also make cash deposits to the credit account, and has both credit limit and deposit balance. The two exist independently, and the amount of the deposit will not expand the total credit limit in the case of unused credit limit; if the credit limit has been used, the deposit will be used to supplement the credit account first.

[0050] II. Order processing and intelligent deduction mechanism

[0051] 1. After the B-end customer submits an order from the online system, the system automatically calculates the price of each order according to the content of the goods and the distance.

[0052] 2. The system deducts funds according to the following priority logic:

[0053] If the balance in the customer's account is greater than the order amount, the system will deduct the balance directly;

[0054] If the balance is not enough, the system will determine whether the order amount after deduction of the balance can be covered by the remaining credit limit;

[0055] If it is covered, the system will deduct the credit limit;

[0056] If still insufficient, the system automatically prompts the customer that both the balance and credit limit are insufficient, and the order placement process is suspended, and the bill is sent to the customer after the customer's remittance to continue the performance.

[0057] 3. After each order is completed, the system automatically proceeds to the subsequent processes such as order placement success → pickup → delivery, until the order performance is completed.

[0058] III. Credit limit early warning and linkage reminder mechanism

[0059] 1. When the customer's credit account cumulative usage limit reaches the set early warning threshold (such as the usage rate exceeds 80%), the system will automatically notify the customer and the internal operation and financial team through email / sms.

[0060] 2. The reminder content includes the current credit usage, remaining limit, etc., to facilitate the operation side to intervene in advance to determine whether to increase the limit or restrict order placement.

[0061] IV. Automatic billing process

[0062] 1. The system automatically calculates the cumulative use of credit limit within the period according to the preset billing rhythm of the cooperation agreement and generates a bill. If the customer has multiple credit orders, the system can combine the receivables to generate a unified bill, improving the efficiency of financial operations.

[0063] 2. The system automatically sends the bill to the customer through the system or email, and can also notify the company's financial personnel at the same time.

[0064] 3. If the customer's bill is not processed due to overdue (not long), the BD collection reminder will be automatically triggered; if the customer has not repaid for a long time, the default handling mechanism will be started.

[0065] V. Priority credit account replenishment mechanism for remittance

[0066] 1. After the customer receives the bill, the system will prioritize the credit account repayment and restore the credit limit availability after confirming the bank transfer payment.

[0067] 2. If the credit account remittance is completely cleared, the system automatically switches to the balance priority and credit bottom-up deduction logic to ensure the smooth progress of subsequent order processes.

[0068] 3、System supports setting multiple credit limit warning thresholds (e.g. 50%, 80%, 95%) for each customer credit account. The specific threshold is configured according to the cooperation agreement signed by BD and the customer. When the customer's credit limit usage reaches each warning line, the system will automatically send a reminder email to the customer's designated contact, reminding them to pay attention to the remaining credit and pay back in time. The warning threshold can also be set to two, the first threshold is that the credit limit is used A%, and the second threshold is that the credit limit is used B%, where A > B. When the warning threshold reaches the first threshold or the second threshold, the customer and the company team are notified; when the credit limit reaches the first threshold, the order placement process is suspended. If the customer completes all repayments before the credit limit usage reaches the highest warning line (95%), the system will automatically mark the account as a "high credit" customer and send a prompt email to the corresponding BD and financial director, suggesting whether to assess whether to increase the customer's credit limit; on the contrary, if the customer uses the credit limit to the final warning line (e.g. 95%) and still does not pay back in time, the customer will be marked as a "default high risk" customer, and the system will notify the relevant BD and risk control personnel to follow up on the credit limit reduction process; if the customer is overdue and has not repaid for more than the specified period (e.g. 2 months), the system will start the risk warning process and send a reminder to the BD to assess whether to suspend the service; if the overdue period exceeds the serious threshold (e.g. 3 months), it will be handed over to the legal department to start the default handling process.

[0069] In this embodiment, the adjustment of credit limit must be manually reviewed and confirmed before it takes effect, ensuring that the risk is controllable and the judgment is based on evidence. In this embodiment, the "default customer" label is manually added by the operator. When the BD judges that the customer's repayment probability is low, the credit account of the customer can be labeled as "default customer" on the system at any time.

[0070] In the practice of South African business, there are often delays, postponements, and fragmented payments in customer payment rhythm. This embodiment introduces a "balance first, credit last" dual-track mechanism in the fund deduction logic: when the B-end customer places an order, the system will preferentially use the account balance for payment; when the balance is insufficient, the credit limit will be automatically enabled to complete the remaining payment, ensuring that the order is not interrupted. After the customer's payment is credited, the system automatically replenishes the credit account arrears limit, forming a clear and controllable account loop. This mechanism not only improves the flexibility of customer delivery funds, but also prevents long-term occupation of credit limits through the "repayment to credit" rule to control the risk of account period.

[0071] Considering the uneven stability of local customers in South Africa and the large fluctuations in payment behavior, this embodiment provides a flexible and hierarchical, automatic response credit risk control mechanism that supports fine-grained management of different customer risk characteristics:

[0072] 1、Multiple warning thresholds

[0073] Allow each client account to set multiple credit limit alert thresholds (e.g. 50%, 80%, 100%), which can be personalized according to the cooperation agreement signed with the client. When the client's credit usage reaches any threshold, the system will automatically send reminder emails and / or SMS to the client himself, the corresponding BD, operations and financial personnel, ensuring that key parties are aware of the risk in real time.

[0074] 2. Periodic checks

[0075] The system will conduct periodic credit health checks based on key indicators such as the client's order frequency, credit limit usage, and repayment timeliness, to determine whether the current credit usage is reasonable, whether there are overdue repayments, and whether there are early repayments. It will also dynamically update the client's credit profile and add tags based on historical performance. Subsequent BD and finance can adjust the cooperation agreement based on the new profile and tags.

[0076] 3. Flexible adjustment of limits or strategies

[0077] When a client repeatedly reaches the high alert line (e.g. 95%) and still fails to repay on time, the system will automatically mark it as a "high-risk default" client after sending multiple reminders, and trigger the subsequent risk control process: including freezing the order permission, initiating manual review intervention, or suggesting adjusting the credit limit strategy; Conversely, if the client frequently repays early and never triggers a high-risk alert, the system will also mark it as a "high-credit" client and push a credit limit increase recommendation to the BD and finance. Finally, the limit adjustment must be confirmed by manual review before implementation, ensuring that the strategy is flexible while also being risk-controllable.

[0078] This mechanism effectively links the system's credit judgment with actual operational actions, achieving a complete closed loop from "prevention", "intervention" to "evaluation", significantly enhancing the flexibility and risk resistance of the overall operation.

[0079] The embodiment confirms the credit status of the customer before and after the collection, in order to avoid the loss caused by the system mistakenly placing an order successfully when the order amount exceeds the sum of the recharge balance and the credit account balance due to the system bug. The BD can mark the "defaulting customer" on the system at any time, and the credit account is confirmed whether it is marked as "defaulting customer" before collection and before delivery, which can minimize the loss of human resources. If the BD has marked "defaulting customer" before collection, but only judges whether it is marked as "defaulting customer" before delivery, it wastes the human and material resources of collection. Therefore, the embodiment confirms the credit status of the customer at each key node of logistics to minimize the risk. This mechanism is particularly suitable for the environment of South African market customer credit information opacity and large volatility of performance, effectively connecting the financial, operation and system links, realizing the real-time coupling and reaction of the fund status and the logistics node, and avoiding the lag risk control mode of "taking a step first and then supplementing the risk control". Through this node-level and state-driven credit linkage strategy, the system not only improves the order flow efficiency, but also greatly reduces the space for artificial judgment and human intervention, providing bottom support for the automation, controllability and scalability of local piece logistics operation.

[0080] Embodiment 2

[0081] The embodiment provides a logistics system adopting the method for credit account management in embodiment 1, and the logistics system comprises:

[0082] a virtual credit account module configured to create a virtual credit account for a customer and synchronously set a credit limit and a warning threshold;

[0083] a judgment module configured to judge whether the recharge balance in the credit account of the customer is greater than the order amount after the customer places an order, and directly deduct the order amount from the balance when the recharge balance is greater than the order amount; if the balance is insufficient, judge whether the order amount after deducting the balance can be covered by the remaining credit limit; if covered, account and deduct from the credit limit;

[0084] an order termination module configured to terminate the order placing process when the judgment result of the judgment module is that the order amount is greater than the sum of the balance and the remaining credit limit;

[0085] a first confirmation module configured to confirm the credit status of the customer before the collection instruction is issued, and automatically freeze the collection operation if the usage limit of the credit account of the customer exceeds the warning threshold or the customer is marked as "defaulting customer";

[0086] a second confirmation module configured to finally confirm the credit status of the customer again before the delivery after the collection, and suspend the delivery instruction if the usage limit of the credit account of the customer exceeds the warning threshold or the customer is marked as "defaulting customer".

[0087] The system also includes an account billing module, which automatically calculates the cumulative credit limit used by the customer within the preset period, generates an invoice, and sends it to the customer through the system or email. Based on the customer's account period settings and billing rules, an automatic billing list is generated after the customer's payment, reminding the financial team to issue invoices on time, recording payment progress and dynamically updating credit limits. For multi-order customers, the system can perform batch reconciliation and billing, effectively reducing manual calculation errors and operational pressure, and significantly improving financial efficiency and customer reconciliation experience.

[0088] The system gradually embeds real-time credit verification mechanisms at key nodes such as ordering, picking up, and delivering logistics fulfillment for B-end customers. Through systematic and parameterized configuration, dynamic decision control is achieved, ensuring that each order does not proceed to the next stage until the financial and credit conditions are met, improving the safety and stability of the entire chain fulfillment.

[0089] The system generates a virtual credit account based on customer credit evaluation results and dynamically links with the logistics fulfillment process, supporting automated processing and risk control throughout the entire process from ordering, payment, delivery, reconciliation to payment.

[0090] The above two embodiments dynamically set limits based on customer credit ratings and automatically link with the logistics fulfillment process, significantly improving the efficiency of local piece logistics business in high-uncertainty environments and the ability to control risks. Especially suitable for the South African market environment where customer credit information is not transparent, fulfillment varies significantly, and payment behavior is unstable, the system has the following significant effects:

[0091] Significantly improve fulfillment efficiency and adapt to instant delivery scenarios

[0092] The system supports real-time judgment of account balance and credit limit during the ordering process, enabling automatic decision-making and delivery release without the need for manual approval by financial personnel, effectively avoiding order backlog due to insufficient funds in traditional models. This mechanism is particularly important for logistics scenarios in South Africa where there are sudden orders and the need for rapid response, especially in remote or high-security risk areas, effectively reducing the risk of delivery interruption.

[0093] Relieve customer financial pressure and support rapid business start-up and expansion

[0094] For small and medium-sized customers in South Africa who are experiencing tight liquidity, the system can reduce their initial payment burden through account period strategies and improve their delivery flexibility. Through the credit account approach, logistics enterprises can expand their service coverage while controlling risks, helping customers quickly establish delivery capabilities in the South African market.

[0095] Reduce operational labor costs and address the problem of tight local labor resources

[0096] In the context of limited supply and high costs of operational management talent in some parts of South Africa, the system significantly reduces the frequency of intervention by customer service and financial personnel through automated balance verification, quota control, invoicing reminders and collection follow-up, reduces the reliance on human resources for business advancement, and improves overall unit efficiency and service consistency.

[0097] Improve risk warning and credit control capabilities, and enhance cross-departmental collaboration efficiency

[0098] To address issues such as large credit fluctuations and missing information for local South African customers, the system automatically triggers email / SMS notifications to customers and operations staff through preset thresholds, forming an early intervention mechanism. It also supports dynamic customer credit management and real-time credit limit adjustments, significantly enhancing the company's risk control response capabilities in an unstable market.

[0099] Improve accounting closed-loop efficiency and ensure continuity of logistics services

[0100] The system automatically matches incoming payments with outstanding balances on credit accounts, preventing long-term credit limit occupancy that could impact subsequent shipments. This ensures that customers can continue to place orders efficiently and fosters healthy capital flow for businesses. It is well-suited to addressing common payment delays and the "no payment without bill confirmation" situation in South Africa.

[0101] Adapting to South Africa's diverse customer structure and differences in fulfillment capabilities

[0102] This system supports the setting of differentiated parameters (such as credit cycle, quota model, invoice frequency, etc.) for different types of users, such as platform merchants, private brands, and bulk shipping customers. It can flexibly adapt to the operational reality of the South African logistics market, which has a complex customer structure, opaque information, and large business fluctuations. It can enhance the scalability and shock resistance of the overall fulfillment system and reduce the risk of operating losses.

[0103] The above description is only a description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention and does not limit the scope of the present invention. Any changes and modifications made by ordinary technicians in the field of the present invention based on the above disclosure shall fall within the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A credit account management method applicable to a logistics system, characterized in that: include: Assess the customer's credit status, create a virtual credit account for the customer, and simultaneously set a credit limit and warning threshold. The virtual account can be topped up with cash; After receiving an order submitted from the online system, the system automatically calculates the order amount and deducts funds according to the following priority logic: If the recharge balance in the credit account is greater than the order amount, the balance is directly deducted; if the balance is insufficient, the system determines whether the order amount after deducting the balance can be covered by the remaining credit line; if it can be covered, the system deducts the amount from the credit line; if it is still insufficient, the system automatically prompts the customer that both the balance and the credit line are insufficient, and the order process is terminated; Before issuing a pickup instruction, the system will reconfirm the customer's credit status. If the customer's credit account usage exceeds the warning threshold or the customer is marked as a "default customer," the pickup operation will be automatically frozen. After the package is collected and before it is shipped out, the system will once again conduct a final confirmation of the customer's credit status. If the customer's credit account usage has exceeded the warning threshold or the customer is marked as a "default customer", the shipping instruction will be suspended.

2. The credit account management method applicable to a logistics system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method for evaluating the credit status of a customer includes: using qualitative analysis software, referring to multi-dimensional data information, generating an analysis report, and evaluating the credit status of the customer based on the analysis report.

3. The credit account management method applicable to a logistics system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The warning threshold includes a first threshold and a second threshold, the first threshold is A% of the credit limit used, and the second threshold is B% of the credit limit used, where A>B. When the warning threshold reaches the first threshold or the second threshold, the customer and the company team are notified; when the limit reaches the first threshold, the order process is terminated.

4. The credit account management method applicable to a logistics system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method further includes: automatically counting the accumulated credit amount used by the customer in the period according to a preset period, generating a bill, and sending it to the customer through the system or email.

5. The credit account management method applicable to a logistics system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The method further includes: automatically triggering a BD collection reminder if the customer's overdue bill is not processed; and activating a default handling mechanism if the customer fails to repay for a long time.

6. The credit account management method applicable to a logistics system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method further includes: upon receiving payment from the customer, giving priority to paying the outstanding balance of the credit account to restore the credit line availability; If the credit account is fully paid off, the system will automatically switch to a deduction logic that prioritizes the recharge balance and uses the credit limit as a backup.

7. The credit account management method applicable to a logistics system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method also includes: the system performs periodic credit health checks based on the customer's order frequency, credit account usage, and collection time, dynamically updates the customer's credit profile, and adds tags.

8. The credit account management method applicable to a logistics system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The method also includes: relevant personnel adjusting the credit limit of the customer's credit account based on the updated customer credit profile and label.

9. The credit account management method applicable to a logistics system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The "defaulting customer" mark is manually added by the operator.

10. A logistics system, characterized in that: The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is used to manage credit accounts, wherein the logistics system comprises: Virtual credit account module, used to create virtual credit accounts for customers and simultaneously set credit limits and warning thresholds; The judgment module is used to determine whether the recharge balance in the customer's credit account is greater than the order amount after the customer places an order. If it is greater than the order amount, the balance is directly deducted from the balance; if the balance is insufficient, it is determined whether the order amount after deducting the balance can be covered by the remaining credit line; if it is covered, the credit line is deducted; The order termination module terminates the order process when the judgment module determines that the order amount is greater than the sum of the balance and the remaining credit limit; The initial confirmation module is used to confirm the customer's credit status before issuing a pickup instruction. If the customer's credit account usage exceeds the warning threshold or the customer is marked as a "default customer", the pickup operation will be automatically frozen; The reconfirmation module is used to conduct a final confirmation of the customer's credit status after the package is collected and before it is shipped. If the customer's credit account usage has exceeded the warning threshold or the customer is marked as a "default customer", the shipping instruction will be suspended.

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