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| Collections representative image: unsplash.com |
After earning a BA in education from Arizona State University, Andrew Hopely worked with AmeriCorps as a community service representative. At AmeriCorps, he taught various subjects such as math and music. Andrew Hopely currently serves Discover Card where he works as collections representative.
The primary responsibility of a collections representative is to obtain payment of past due accounts. Some collection representatives work directly for the business that is owed money, but the majority of collection representatives are hired by third party collection agencies.
Here are the most common tasks a collections representative performs.
A collections representative contacts individuals or businesses with past due accounts by making phone calls, sending letters and emails, and making a personal visit. When a delinquent client tries to avoid the collections representative, he or she may obtain contact information from online sources such as social media, or by talking to the client’s neighbors.
During the initial contact, the collections representative thoroughly explains the circumstances of the past due account and the potential consequences if it remains unpaid. The collections representative will exhaust all possible means to settle the unpaid accounts without resorting to legal action. Options for the client include developing a payment plan or referring the client to a debt counselor.
Follow-up engagements may be necessary, so the collections representative documents his or her attempts to contact the client and the results of these efforts. The representative records the negotiated plan and regularly reports the progress of the delinquent account with the creditor.
If collections according to the negotiated plan are not satisfied, the collections representative may propose a more serious course of action, such as repossession of the item, disconnection of service, or referral of the case to a lawyer.
