How to prepare for a successful collection call.
1/20/2020 9:00
The beginning of the year is a symbolic clean slate and a time to set new goals. As ACA International continues to introduce members to our new Essentials education series highlighting fundamental collector skills and techniques, this month we’ll discuss aspects of personal and professional goals, reports Compliance Education Specialist Angela Czerlanis in the January issue of Collector magazine.
Czerlanis recommends considering a new approach to achieving success with SMART Goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound.
Here’s what it means:
• Specific goals pinpoint an action or result.
• Measurable means you can track your progress, usually with a number.
• Achievable and Relevant mean that the goals are realistic for the situation and suitable for your skill level and job role.
• Time-Bound means that there is a time limit on reaching the goal.
Every company has performance goals that are stated in numbers, such as:
• Total number of calls (per day/week/month).
• Calls resulting in right-party contacts (RPCs).
• Length of the call: Too short? Too long?
• Percentage of contacts that result in payment in full (PIF) or settlement in full (SIF).
• Key performance indicators (KPIs) that are used to track collector progress.
If you are ready for a KPI check-in, talk to your supervisor or leader about how to turn general goals into SMART goals.
Czerlanis also recommends planning each call, which helps you think and respond quickly, and will also remind you of the compliance tasks you must complete during a call.
Read more collection call tips, such as checking your compliance management system for necessary updates, in the January issue of Collector magazine.
For upcoming events and educational opportunities, visit ACA’s online events and education calendar.
Subscriptions to the Collector magazine digital edition and email notifications for each new issue are available for ACA International members by logging in to ACA International’s website here. Members and nonmembers can also purchase a print subscription. Nonmembers can create a guest profile on ACA’s website to subscribe to available publications.