Tome tells how to kindly collect what's owed.(The Orange County Register)

Here are some recent arrival on the entrepreneurial bookshelf:

"How to Collect Debts and Still Keep Your Customers" by David Sher and Martin Sher, Amacom, $24.95:

One of the most common problems facing business owners is getting the chronically late-paying customer to pay up. The authors' (they're brothers who own AmSher Receivables Management in Alabama) stated objective in writing this book is to show business owners "how to collect the most money, as fast as you can, net of expenses, while maintaining the goodwill of the debtor."

Many owners create their own credit problems, this book says, by relaxing credit criteria, ignoring their own credit policies, putting off the late-payment collection process, remaining ignorant of delinquencies and more.

The rest of the book is devoted to reducing bad debts and improving collection techniques. One chapter is entitled, "How to make collections fun." They suggest creating competition, keeping score, awarding prizes.

"Cyber Rules: Strategies for Excelling at E-business" by Thomas M. Siebel and Pat House, Currency/Doubleday, $27.50:

The scramble is on to understand and capitalize on the phenomenal influence of the Internet. The World Wide Web is transforming business. And it's in its infancy. The co-authors, Thomas M. Siebel and Pat House, have learned about e-business at Siebel Systems, an application software company.

Among their rules for doing business in cyberspace are: Private "infotainment" will give way to global enterprises. Internet pioneers will reshape their industries. The Net will move from communities to customerization. The sales and marketing landscape will be redrawn.

The main question about books on e-commerce is whether anything that takes a year to three years to write, edit, publish and distribute can be relevant in a sector changing as rapidly as Internet business.

"Managing Smart" by Lynne Milgram, Alan Spector and Matt Treger, Cashman Dudley, $26.95:

Modern managers are under pressure to cut costs, maximize productivity and boost profits. This book addresses 325 ways in which managers can achieve those results. These tips range from making ethical decisions to approaches to benchmarking to recognizing an employee's hidden costs.

Authors Lynne Milgram and Alan Spector are medical doctors who have worked in management positions. Matt Treger is a business consultant.

"Global Business" by Lawrence E. Koslow and Robert H. Scarlett, Cashman Dudley, $26.95:

The details of international business are so numerous that the faint of heart turn away. But the process isn't impossible. This book breaks down the process into 308 areas from understanding the compelling reasons for taking your business international to understanding the politics in foreign countries.

Some topics are broad, such as determining what to license. Others are narrow, such as freight forwarders and the Euro. The book is especially for smaller, family-owned companies.

Author Lawrence Koslow has worked in the international divisions of Fortune 500 companies and previously owned his own international consulting practice. Author Robert Scarlett is chairman of the board for Durex Products in Texas, where he previously was president of the international subsidiary.

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(Jan Norman writes about small businesses for The Orange County Register. Write her at The Orange County Register, P.O. Box 11626. Santa Ana, CA 92711; or email jannormanbiz(AT)earthlink.net)

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