The collector - who is it? Collector work

In connection with the recent increase in non-payment of monetary obligations of the population and legal entities to creditors in the media and personal conversations, the word “collector” is increasingly found.

Profession obliges

The name collector itself introduces many into a stupor. The image of a professional is associated with a muscular wide-shouldered fighter, with a club in his hands, dark glasses and the absence of any remorse. Does this description of reality correspond, in fact, the collector - who is it: a bouncer or a subtle psychologist? Is it possible to resist it? We bring to your attention the answers to all these and many other questions.

The concept of “collector” is deciphered in our case as an official organization or a separate specialist who collects debts or negotiates between the lender and the debtor to repay the loan. A collection firm by any means (in most cases they are still legal or circumlegal) should convince to return debts. The philistine view of the criminal present of the collector is not true. Their working tool is mainly a telephone, in addition to the computer database of customers.

the main objective

The first collection companies in our country began to appear in 2004. At first, their methods were really aggressive. Today, answering the question of who the collector is, who is this, we can safely answer that, first of all, this is a financial consultant. The main duty of this specialist is not just to bother with calls, but to form for a person a certain economic solution to his problem. The collector should explain to the borrower the scheme of repayment and repayment of the debt, plan the budget and help to find the possibility of allocating funds to pay the lender's account. The specialist’s task, in fact, is not that bailiffs should come to his “ward”, debts must be repaid in the pretrial order.

HR issue

When hiring, collection agencies give priority (and this is understandable) to former law enforcement officers, military officers in the reserve, bailiffs, lawyers or employees of identical recovery services in banks. Many candidates have experience in search work, as well as skills that allow not only to quickly find the debtor, but also to conduct professional explanatory work with him. Quickly, clearly, without unnecessary emotions. Also, the main requirement that a collection company places on candidates is the availability of higher education. In most cases, it should be economic, financial or legal. At the same time, you can often come across a collector-psychologist or teacher. However, many agencies recruit people without higher education, but with deep knowledge of psychology or exhibiting good communication skills.

Skills

In addition to the fact that a person applying for a job as a collector must be persistent, flexible and well versed in the psychology of the debtor, he must have a serious supply of computer knowledge and be able to handle various databases. This may be information contained in banks, insurance companies, the central address bureau, utilities, telephone networks, credit history bureaus, etc.

The collector must be able to organize access and work with data. Who understands this and understands the specifics of these tasks, becomes a real contender for the post. In international companies, a candidate may be required to speak a foreign language. Also, given that collectors communicate with people who are often “cornered,” and they have to listen to threats and outright insults addressed to them, tears, supplications and moans, such work is, of course, stressful in nature, and the person performing it, must have endurance and stress resistance. Even despite the fact that collectors are taught to communicate with customers according to the prescribed scenarios, each situation is unique in its own way, and the reaction of a person on the other end of the wire can be unpredictable. In addition, each candidate should know that the work of the collector is dynamic. This is not just phone calls. Often you have to travel to meet with customers in their territory, and it may be located in the regions.

Ways to resolve issues

It is logical that collection agencies receive cash rewards for their work. In most cases, these are good amounts. It all depends on the amount of debt. There are three ways to resolve issues with debtors. The first is when a creditor offers a collection company a percentage of the amount for a job successfully done. Depending on the degree of difficulty, this may be 10-40%. The second is when a bank or company sells a kind of “debt portfolio” to a collection agency for an amount that is 5-15% lower than the cost of the debt itself. And in the third option, the creditor may not resort to the services of collectors, but try to independently deal with debtors through the court. The last option is for the most extreme case. It is no secret that bailiffs can pay debts of negligent borrowers for a very long time. Frequent delays in litigation are commonplace. Therefore, lenders prefer to shift their headache to collection bureaus.

Types of debtors

If the question of whether the collector is who it is is more or less clear, then not everyone knows who such a debtor is, what his psychotype is. The collection companies themselves, in order to separate borrowers who refuse to pay debts, have developed a special classification system. Each company may have its own, but most contain the following types:

1. Alarmist. This man is entangled in his own debts. To pay debts, he takes more and more loans, and the repayment terms are already unclear.
2. Mourner. He can deny the presence of debt for a long time, however, when he admits, he begins to “cry” that everyone around is to blame (creditors, lawyers, collectors), but not him.
3. Rationalist. With the presence of debt agrees. Closely follows the newly proposed repayment schedules.
4. Cheater. He intentionally deceives, not intending to repay the debt.

The work of the collector is to determine the type of borrower as quickly as possible and apply the most effective measures to it.

Working methods

Most debt collectors adhere to the letter of the law. The staff of the collection company has lawyers who are ready to clarify the legitimacy of certain actions. Basically, the debtors are under psychological pressure. Collector calls have the goal of forcing the deadbeat to make contact and repay the loan. But sometimes a set of legal means is insufficient. The so-called “black” collectors can go further than telephone threats. Often, particularly impudent debtors, confident in their impunity, shared stories about punctured tires or epoxy resin-filled door locks.

How to talk to collectors

If collectors persistently bother you, try to keep cool. To begin, invite them to provide documentary evidence that these representatives are authorized to demand a return of the debt. If collectors are threatening, explain that you are recording a conversation and intend to contact the police. Threats and especially penetration into the territory of private property can constitute a criminal offense. Do not be nervous and exercise restraint. Representatives of a collection agency can well recognize fear or insecurity. Remember that you can sue them.

In conclusion, I would like to add that debts still need to be paid. Let knowledge of the collectors be purely exploratory in nature.