American Profit Recovery President Jeff DiMatteo shares letter to consumers with fellow members.
3/19/2020 16:00
ACA International and its members are working in tandem to navigate the swiftly changing environment caused by COVID-19 pandemic. To give you some insight as to how other members are dealing with the crisis, ACA’s Communications team invites its members to share ideas, responses, or successful communications strategies rolled out in your office for ACA Daily. Here’s a letter Jeff DiMatteo, president of American Profit Recovery in Franklin, Mass., posted on his company’s website and social media channels. Enjoy! And, send your stories to [email protected].
Important Message from The Leadership of American Profit Recovery
We understand you are receiving countless emails regarding the COVID-19/Coronavirus crisis but we feel it is necessary to relay to you what our commitment is to you, to consumers, and what we are keeping an eye on in the collection industry day to day.
We fully understand that beyond the health and safety of the public, the COVID-19 crisis has quickly become an economic emergency unmatched in our current memory.
Dignity and Respect Always:
First, if you know us, you understand that our philosophy has always been one of treating everyone with dignity and respect. Regardless of the situation in front of us, our professional team always strives to create a respectful and kind dialogue with your customers. That has never changed, and it continues right now. We will always speak to your customer with the understanding and care they deserve.
We also work diligently to create a resolution to the debt and not just collect the debt. That involves assessing each situation individually and determining a way to get that customer back on track. We come up with a host of solutions including payment plans and other ways to help that consumer. That too continues to be the way we work with your customers. We never knowingly put any consumer in a position to not take care of their own personal and family necessities.
Moving Forward
Contact with Consumers:
We continue to work on behalf of your business. We feel open communication with consumers continues to be vital, even in these times, however, we are approaching each and every contact we have with your customers with an even higher awareness of the current situation. We are assessing our strategy several times each day and every single American Profit employee is fully aware of the delicate nature of each and every contact we make. We understand a consumer may in this environment, get upset much more quickly and we are prepared to put those consumers at ease. We do not want to add to the stress any family is experiencing right now. That would not be in the best interest of anyone. In some cases, we may determine that a payment is not viable at this time.
The Collection Industry:
We are closely monitoring federal and state legislation as it pertains to the collection industry. We have almost daily contact and briefings with ACA International the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals (ACA) about ideas and proposed legislation pertaining to the collection industry and the current crisis. As this crisis is quickly making an impact on the economy, there are many proposals that may affect all types of industries and businesses.
Our colleagues at ACA International as well as all our regional Collectors’ Associations have built working relationships with legislators across the country both at the federal and state level and are currently discussing ways to help both business and the consumer through this crisis.
Next Steps:
As you might imagine, by the time you read this, circumstances may change. For now, our commitment to you is as it has always been-to help your business stay in business. To any consumer we come in contact with, to treat them as our neighbor, a member of our community and to do what we can in our capacity to help them through this crisis.
If you have any questions about your individual situation with our services, please contact your customer service professional. We are ready to discuss any concerns you have about moving forward.
From all of us at American Profit Recovery, be well, stay safe and please check in with your neighbors and friends. More to come…
Members of ACA are encouraged to and welcome to use a version of this letter for their own outreach. Remember, ACA is here for you. Regular updates and resources on COVID-19 are posted on our acainternational.org home page or contact Member Services at [email protected] or 800-269-1607.
For more information on how the ACA Licensing staff can assist with your licensing needs, please contact us at [email protected] or call (952) 926-6547.