Monday, January 2, 2012

Bank Debt Collection: The Way To Advance Implementing Tested Scientific Tactics

By Nathan F Hollingsworth


The American Collectors Association has conducted a number of studies on banking, write-offs, and human behavioral science that have aided in a better understanding of bank debt collection. An overview of the results of these studies can help a bank achieve better results in debt collection.

Half of customers facing bank debt collection procedures choose not to pay their delinquent debt, despite having the ability to do so. What this means is that persistence is vital, since many customers who can pay eventually will.

Also, contacting these customers as soon as possible is important for multiple reasons. After 60 days of delinquency, the success of bank debt collection drops by 49%, meaning that this is the time when the most money is lost. In addition, consider that most customers with one delinquent account have multiple accounts in collection. Therefore, getting your unpaid account in the front of the line is essential to recovering payment.

The majority of debts collected do not come from collection calls. For collection agencies, the greatest success is found with letters. In fact, 80% of all accounts collected by debt collection firms are collected through letters.

In this, we see part of the human behavioral science studies proven. A perceived consequence for an action - or lack of action - is the best motivator. Bank debt collection attempts by phone are ignored because there is no perceived consequence. By contrast, when a phone or electric bill arrives in the mail, it is usually paid in a timely manner. The paper asking for payment is more readily attended.

Often, letters also avoid being too aggressive. According to bank debt collection processes where demands are high and there is a lack of willingness on the part of the collector to negotiate manageable payments, collection efforts are 15-30% less successful.

At the same time, consequences for failure to remit payment must be evident. Debt collection firms achieve greater success because they report default accounts to the credit bureau. If bank debt collection followed the same procedure, there would be a greater return on investment.

Understanding the science of bank debt collection helps to increase success in recovery of delinquent funds. The more you know about the way potential debtors think, the better your ability to keep funds coming in.




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