It’s all in the details…

Success in any endeavor comes from paying attention to the details. Collections is no different. Collectors who do all the small things right are the ones who enjoy the most success. These small things are part of the countless decisions that collectors make on a daily basis. Sometimes, a decision as simple as when (and when not) to make a call can be the difference between collecting the account or not.

My best recommendation to our clients, in order to help achieve the best possible recovery, is to provide as much detailed information as possible when placing an account in collections. Knowing if a consumer named “Robert” goes by “Bob” or “Rob” can make all the difference in being able to get that consumer on the phone.

Often times, even the smallest piece of information can make the biggest impact on whether or not an account is collected. Consumers do not always remember the details of a particular debt, and being able to provide them with a small detail may help jog their memory on a collection call. For example, let’s say that a consumer questions why a medical bill is owed when they have insurance. If a client has provided us with the fact that the past-due amount is the consumer’s co-payment, we can possibly avoid a dispute situation and talk instead about how to resolve the debt.

You can imagine that no consumer wants to admit they have knowingly avoided paying a debt when they are called by a debt collector. Therefore, their initial response to us will often be a lack of awareness about the bill. If we can address that issue head-on with a small piece of information, we can focus on doing what we do best. That is, helping consumers find a way to pay their just debt.