collector mentor announced today that industry veteran Rozanne M. Andersen has joined the publication’s editorial advisory board.

“We are very excited to have Rozanne’s experience and insight on the board,” said Gary Jensen, editor for collector mentor. “Rozanne is a strong supporter of ethical collection practices and we are honored to have her critique each issue prior to reaching the hands of our readers.”

Andersen is chief compliance officer and vice president of government affairs with Ontario Systems based in Muncie, Indiana. Andersen is a licensed attorney with more than 15 years of experience in the credit and collection industry. She is a recognized authority on industry compliance matters and legislative affairs. Prior to joining Ontario Systems, Andersen was with ACA International since 2000, where she held several positions including General Counsel and CEO. She is a graduate of the William Mitchell College of Law.

Andersen will join current editorial advisory board members Bill Brockman, government collection specialist at GE Healthcare; Matthew Campbell, director of operations at Remit Corporation; Ronald S. Canter, Esq., of The Law Offices of Ronald S. Canter; author Michelle Dunn; Carol Freeland, president at Acts Plus; David Glezerman, assistant vice president and bursar at Temple University; Gary Kinne, president of Asset Recovery, Inc.; Bryan Leib, vice president of operations, Leib Solutions; John McNamara, chief marketing officer, LiveVox; Gina McNaughton, partner, The McNaughton Group; industry consultant Debra Schulze; and Matt Twitty, customer care manager at Advantage Travel.

I will be speaking on the topic of “interpersonal influence” at the Ohio Receivables Management Association’s annual conference being held September 15-16, 2011, in Mt. Sterling, Ohio.

 Presentation Topic: Interpersonal Influence Inventory

Date: September 15, 2011

Time: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Sponsor: Ohio Receivables Management Association

Venue: Dear Creak Lodge & Conference Center

Registration Info: Click here to register.

I will be speaking on the topic of “negotiating styles” at the Government Revenue Collection Association’s annual conference being held September 7-9, 2011, in St.Louis, Missouri.

 Presentation Topic: Unlocking the Hidden Power of Your Negotiating Style

Date: September 8, 2011

Time: Part 1 – 2:05pm - 3pm | Part 2 – 3:15pm – 4:30pm

Sponsor: Government Revenue Collection Association

Venue: Hilton at the Ballpark

Registration Info: Click here to register.

A good coach can make or break a team. This is true in athletics and on the collection floor. This week’s video highlights some of the greatest coaches in sports history. Have a pen and paper handy. You’ll want to take notes.

Question: How are corporate coaches similar to athletic coaches? How are they different?

Teamwork. We all talk about it. We know we need it. But is our team this good?

Question: How do you keep your team performing at its best?

We are pleased to announce our newest Virtual Learning Lab™: Listen Up! – Improving Collection Results With Effective Listening Skills.

This is a 180-minute assessment-based online learning event aimed at helping collectors improve their collection results by gaining a deeper understanding of effective listening skills.

Listening is one of the main duties of a collector. It is through effective listening that a collector can gain the information needed to negotiate most successfully. But, while we like to think of ourselves as good listeners, research suggests that practically everyone can benefit from improved listening skills.

Listen Up! is intended to help participants increase their awareness of behaviors that contribute to and detract from effective listening, in addition to providing practical advice within an easy-to-understand framework.

DATE/TIME

Part 1: August 26, 2011 | 11:00 am – 12:30 pm CT

Part 2: August 26, 2011 | 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm CT

Can’t stay for the entire class? Don’t sweat it. The class will be available online for 30 days following the event.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

In this program attendees will learn about internal and external listening barriers, review challenging listening experiences, and explore three dimensions of listening. Armed with this knowledge individuals will be in a better position to improve their communication and negotiating skills.

ABOUT THE ASSESSMENT

Through a 30-question self-assessment individuals will identify the extent to which they practice behaviors that are associated with effective listening, as well as the extent to which they practice behaviors that contribute to a break down in listening. The assessment measures behavior in three areas:

1. Staying Focused
2. Capturing the Message
3. Helping the Speaker.

Each participant will receive a full-color interpretive report with supporting charts, additional details, and reflection exercises. If desired, the participant’s manager may also receive a copy of the results.

REGISTRATION DETAILS 

Cost for the 180-minute class is $157 per site and includes an assessment for one participant. Additional participant assessments are available for $25 each. 

Registration for each class closes 24 hours prior to the event. We look forward to seeing you there! 

You may register your team by downloading and returning a completed registration form.  

WHAT’S A VIRTUAL LEARNING LAB™?

Great question! We like to think of our Virtual Learning Labs™ as webinars on steroids. Our Virtual Learning Labs™ are an intensive learning experience that includes pre-work, self-assessments, in-session quizzes, polls, and Q&A, as well as post-session testing. Individuals scoring 90% or better on the 20-question test are eligible to receive a certificate of completion.

By Jerilyn Smith | Focal Point Strategies Inc.

Let’s face the facts: the ARM industry is in turmoil. Scams, deception, and greed have brought attention to our industry, resulting in stronger legislation by multiple federal agencies. In turn, it makes it nearly impossible for us to do our jobs and to keep our doors open. What do we do to correct the situation? What can we, as managers and/or executives, do to prove to our government, clients, and consumers that not all participants in the ARM industry are “the bad guys”? 

 This post will look at three ways we can remedy the situation: (1) teaching consumer financial responsibility; (2) abiding by any and all compliance measures; and, (3) creating partnerships. Management must serve as the change-agents and adopt these attitudes within their own organizations. 

Take the time to teach the consumer about financial responsibility

Financial responsibility is probably the biggest takeaway we have from our current economic situation. Many, though, are still in the dark about what financial responsibility is. Consumers are often overwhelmed, with little idea of what their next steps should be, or what resources are available to them to help get them back on their feet and on the road to a more secure financial future. 

Phrases such as “What can we do to help” or “Realistically, how much can you afford towards this balance on a monthly basis” can help bring down the guard of the consumer by getting to the source of their concern and showing that there is a solution. Working with the consumer will more often result in the consumer paying the debt rather than working against them. 

Compliance, Compliance, Compliance
Management must strengthen compliance guidelines for collectors. In our organization, a new collector must pass a Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) entrance test. If the applicant fails this test, he will not be extended an employment offer. Furthermore, every six months we test our collectors on the FDCPA to ensure they are staying abreast of changes within the law.

To give an example of why compliance is so important: in 2009, the FTC published an Annual Report regarding FDCPA complaints (www.ftc.gov/os/2010/04/P104802fdcpa2010annrpt.pdf). The total amount of complaints received by the FTC in 2009 between third-party debt collectors and in-house collectors totaled 119,364. 

Additionally, when working with third-party collectors, it is a good idea to review the internal AR policies of your clients to avoid inheriting a legal problem. Take the time to sit and train your collectors every few months on new laws and/or amendments that exist in the ARM industry. Make fun activities that reward the collectors for not only obtaining the knowledge on their own but for retaining the information.

Create partnerships
Finally, there should be partnering of various organizations to positively promote the ARM industry. For example, a colleague of mine owns a financial services firm and recently asked me to speak to his group on the “Dos and Don’ts of Collection Agenices”. This kind of collaboration shows that ARM professionals want to ensure that consumers know their rights. It allows us to get in front of and redirect the negative images of us in the media. 

We also all have a social responsibility to our community. There are ARM organizations that engage in philanthropic efforts. For example, J.C. Christensen and Associates, a business unit of Array Services Group, committed to donate $100,000 to the St. Cloud Hospital’s Women & Children’s Center in 2010. Array Services Group also has a corporate citizenship program which focuses on community service, healthcare, and education (www.arraysg.com/news_detail_st_cloud_hospital_donation.php). 

These three ideas aren’t the end of the conversation – but they are a good start for all agencies who want to change the perception of the ARM industry in the public and in their own organizations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jerilyn Smith has worked at various organizations as a collector over the past 13 years. Due to her success in collections, she has trained other collectors and businesses. In 2009, she founded her own collection agency, Focal Point Strategies, Inc.

Award-winning author, and collector mentor Editorial Advisory Board member, Michelle Dunn, recently let us know that she has a free ebook up for grabs. The ebook, Effective Collections: A Proactive Approach to Credit Management, can be downloaded at http://www.updatefrom.com/wcg/1105/in_the_toolbox.asp free of charge for a limited time.

The book is perfect for small business owners and anyone else who is interested in gaining a better understanding of the credit cycle.

Red staplers, Jump to Conclusions, The Bob’s, and ah, yes, that pesky memo…

The week’s clip comes courtesy of the 1999 classic, Office Space.

Question: As an employee, have you ever found yourself in a similiar situation?

This week’s video contains a scene from the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid. In this scene, Jackie Chan (aka Mr. Han) teaches his young student an important lesson about focus.

Question: What do you think Mr. Han means when he says, “Your focus needs more focus?”