We are “all in” when advocating for the collection industry

Since the founding of American Profit Recovery and the day we opened our doors, we have always wanted to do what was right. That includes how we can work in the best interest of the clients that hire us, the consumers that are struggling with their finances, and the overall health and effectiveness of the collection industry.

We have always wanted to do our part.

The best collection agencies not only help clients that are struggling with cash flow and late payments, but they also advocate for what is right.

We were recently recognized by ACA International-the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals and presented with the ACA All in Award. This award is presented to agencies that have shown increased interest in advocating for the debt collection industry at both the state and federal levels.

No government or elected official can be educated on every issue that lies in front of them. And that is definitely the case when it comes to debt collections. Legislators need to be constantly educated and informed about the industry, the importance of debt collections to the business world and the economy as well as how important a debt collector can be for someone struggling with their finances.

Our team here in American Profit Recovery has been actively engaged in discussions at both the state and federal levels for many years now. We get involved wherever we can to make sure debt collections is fair and equitable for all parties involved. We lend our voice and our experience to important discussions at all levels of government.

Recently one of our collection managers and veteran team members Greg Meyer was appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan to serve on the Michigan collection practices board. He’ll have an active role in shaping future policies that affect both business and consumer, as well as how collection agencies are licensed and regulated.

Our leadership here is actively involved in the New England Collectors Association as well as the Michigan Collectors Association. We continue to be involved because we must shape the industry in a way that is fair to both businesses as well as consumers.

We fully recognize that debt collections can be an easy target for elected officials. We believe much of that has to do with their lack of knowledge of how the industry works as well as how a professional collector can actually help a consumer that is struggling with increasing financial obligations.

By being involved in policy discussions and actively seeking out every opportunity to meet with legislators and other government officials, we can continue to shape the debt collection industry in a way that benefits both consumers and businesses.

This has never been more important than weathering the storm of the pandemic of COVID-19. It seemed every state enacted various regulations on debt collections to protect consumers. While this was vitally important, of equal importance was our ability to communicate with those consumers to actually help them navigate a situation never seen in recent history.

By communicating with consumers especially during COVID-19, we were able to have meaningful discussions with consumers that will benefit them in the long term.

We articulated this repeatedly to elected officials. Communication was key to keeping consumers on track. And it was also critical to saving the life of the businesses we represent.

The debt collection industry is an absolutely critical part of our economy and we cannot afford to stay silent on important issues.

We don’t get involved for the awards, but it is nice to know that our efforts have been recognized by the industry as a whole. When the leadership of American Profit Recovery gets involved and speaks up, we collectively help others in the industry. Yes, we might be competing for the same customers but we are all better off by getting involved and showing just how important this industry is to the overall economy.