Don’t expect anything to go “back to normal” post COVID, and what defines as “post” still remains to be seen. Some experts say that it may be 2022 before we can safely resume old activities in some semblance as they once were. The pandemic has left its mark, not only on our physical behaviors, but our financial ones as well. In these continuing uncertain times, debts rise, layoffs continue, and there is a consistent economic downturn for many businesses. Many entities are overwhelmed with the daily tasks associated with trying to make up for lost time during the shutdown and by trying to throw collection efforts into that mix only makes your employees less productive with other tasks.

When I was 14, I started my first job as a telemarketer for a photography company. That started decades of a career in sales and marketing. My longest stint was 20 years as the National Sales and Marketing Manager for a multi-billion-dollar manufacturing company, so you can imagine that the transition to understanding the mechanics of the debt collection industry was worlds away from what I was accustomed to. The difference is that I’m not selling products anymore, I’m selling a service. I am still learning this industry every day, but the thing that puzzles me most is the mysterious disappearing client. Let me explain.

Research has revealed the potential for a global crisis such as COVID-19 to lead to chaos in the realm of economy. The impact on your customers is evident in an increased level of delayed or defaulted payments, deficiency in liquid assets, and even the bankruptcy of their businesses. These challenges are part of what make debt collection unexcused from the major disruptions to the business sector. However, we have learned that there are many ways to minimize the likelihood of your business’s cash flow deteriorating as a result of COVID-19.

Let’s talk about some of the most common responses we get when calling on new prospects. Now, before you give up on this topic from the very beginning, stick with me; it’ll be worth it. Then ask yourself this question about debt collections - are you doing it wrong?

Many Americans will receive a tax return this year. While some may be tempted to put a down payment on a new car or renovate a kitchen or bathroom, they really should use that money to pay down their debt. Tax time is the best time for businesses to utilize an experienced collection agency to turn their bad debt into bottom-line revenue.

You’ve started a new practice. Maybe you’re a seasoned doctor or other medical professional, or perhaps you’re fresh out of med school and your residency. Either way, congratulations! You’ve made an important step in your career and you now have a new practice you can call your own.

1. Using a collection agency is too expensive.
   The benefits of using a collection agency far outweigh the costs associated with them, as long as you are working with an agency that has a high recovery rate. Companies that spend months and sometimes years trying to collect on old accounts are often just spinning their wheels. Agencies with long histories of success can collect quicker and easier than you ever thought possible, turning your aged receivables into bottom-line revenue.
2. Collection agencies only work on very old accounts.
   Collection activity goes through many phases. Outsourcing receivables, for instance, is the process of using a collection agency partner to do a “soft-touch” method of collections that may simply be calling a client on day 31 and giving them a gentle reminder that their bill is due. This outsourcing activity may last 30, 60, 90 days or longer until it is moved into a more traditional collections process that involves letters, more frequent phone calls, texts, emails, voicemails, and other collection efforts. From there, agencies will work with their clients to score and sort bad debt, and eventually move on to litigation, if necessary.
3. A collection agency will just upset my customers, or my patients, and I’ll get a bad reputation.
   Threats and abusive language is prohibited by federal law, and any agency engaging in such activity will face severe consequences. The best agencies recognize that they are ultimately the face of the business they represent, and as that agent, they should be conscientious of the fact that the customer or patient will associate their activity with the businesses they serve. It does not behoove a collection agency to damage relationships with the customers of their clients.
4. Collection agencies do not want to work with a small business.
   Many collection agencies such as Account Resolution Team, understand the value of small businesses and the positive impact that they have on our communities. Our economy thrives on small and large businesses. Collection agencies that embrace their small business partners have deeper relationships with the businesses that they serve in those same communities.
5. All collection agencies are the same.
   In reality, collection agencies vary as much as any business in any industry, just as no two doctor’s offices, restaurants, or banks are exactly the same. Some agencies charge monthly fees, others are contingency-only. What is most important though, is that you choose an agency that has a longstanding history of success and very high recovery rates.
6. Collection agencies cannot find clients that change their address and phone number multiple times.
   While this is certainly true with some agencies, it isn’t a fact for those of us with the latest innovations in technology. Account Resolution Team was instrumental in the development of the leading debt collection software in North America.
7. When it comes to collection agencies, meaner is better.
   Showing empathy, validating fears, providing support, and building trust have not always been core objectives for many collection agents. For this reason, consumers often respond to collections communications negatively as they are already on-guard before the framework of the solution can be established. Account Resolution Team understands this level of heightened human need and takes steps to promote kindness during the collections process.
8. It is not worth the time it takes to get a collection agency all of my accounts.
   This is the prime reason that technology plays a critical role in the adaptation of late accounts into a system. For Account Resolution Team, gone are the days when mass uploads required manual entry into a system. By utilizing state-of-the-art technology, accounts can be loaded immediately into the system, streamlining the process that begins collecting accounts to turn aged receivables into bottom-line revenue.

For more information on how Account Resolution Team can help YOU get your money, call 423-586-7613 or visit www.accountresolutionteam.com

If you’re in a product or service industry, you’ve likely faced a time when you realized your bad debt was catching up with you. At this point, you may have considered the use of a collection's agency. Maybe you were even scared to take the leap of faith? These fears may be the reason you’re missing out on the revenue that your business needs, negatively impacting your day-to-day business. In fact, a lack of funds can affect employee retention, lead to freezing critical marketing activities, and in extreme cases, can ultimately result in closing your doors permanently.

Large hospital systems usually have in-house collections departments, or they contract with an agency once a year. When the efforts of those agents fall to the wayside because a debt is deemed unrecoverable, a second placement agent is brought in to try and recover the debt.

According to Investopedia.com, recovery rate is defined as the extent to which principal and accrued interest on defaulted debt can be recovered, expressed as a percentage of face value.