We listen-plain and simple

For my upcoming summer vacation, my family and I are going back to my hometown to visit some family and see some sights.  In planning the trip, I’m reminded of when I started my career there over 20 years ago.  A career that has taken me from New York to California, and ultimately Michigan.  A whole lot has changed in my life over the span of my career, and a lot has changed about the Collection Industry as well.

It still astonishes me that we were able to be efficient at our jobs back then without the internet.  In fact, I remember a time when the office had only one computer, and that was a big deal!  Technology aside, I think the greatest changes have come from our industry’s willingness to adapt with the times.  The collection industry had evolved into being more consumer-focused, and it has only made it a better profession.

Here at American Profit Recovery, we embrace that approach.  Our goal is to focus on how we can help consumers.  No consumer who is behind on his/her bills needs a total stranger reminding them of their uncomfortable and embarrassing situation while shaming them in the process.  However, when a professional at American Profit Recovery who is kind, respectful, and friendly calls with a mindset that they are interested in helping, the experience for the consumer is altogether different.  That is the approach we take here at American Profit Recovery on every call.

As a manager, a big part of my job is to listen to collector calls, and I am always proud to hear when a consumer sincerely thanks one of our collectors for helping them resolve their past due debt.  Our collection specialists take the time to assess the consumer’s situation, and then come up with a plan to help them resolve the debt.  It is not just about “being nice.”  It is also about actively listening, asking questions, and empathizing with consumers.  If you think about it, whether someone’s worries are financial, personal, or work-related, all anyone really needs is for someone to listen.

For a consumer who owes a debt, a call from a debt collector can elicit all kinds of emotions.  Often times, fear can be expressed with anger.  They don’t really fear the debt collector.  What they fear is that the debt collector won’t care or understand their situation.  They fear that the collector only cares about getting paid now, and that they won’t understand that this bill is not the only one that they are behind on.  When one of our collection professionals is on that type of call, we communicate early on that we understand that they may not have the ability to pay right now, and that’s okay.  We can still help.

It is that type of understanding, along with our respectful approach that makes the consumer’s experience with American Profit Recovery a pleasant one.