On Monday, we announced the winners in our 9th annual Best Places to Work in Collections program. After a rigorous evaluation process managed by the independent firm Best Companies Group, 36 companies met the threshold to be named a “Best Place to Work in Collections” in 2016. Best Companies Group manages Best Places to Work programs in 24 states, 9 regions, and 14 industries, as well as 12 programs across Africa, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

To be judged, companies participate in a two-part survey program. First, employers provide information on workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. Then, employees complete a survey that measures employee experience. The combined scores (employee opinion is weighted more heavily) determine the top companies and final rankings.

Winners are divided into three categories, by size: small (15-49 employees), medium (50-149 employees), and large (150+ employees).

Click here to see all 36 winners and profiles, in ranked order.

The first-place winner in the Medium Companies category is InvestiNet, LLC from Greenville, SC.

A creditor recovery operation led by President Brice
Smith, InvestiNet employs 57 people (51% female, 49% male) and is growing
steadily, creating 9 new positions last year. InvestiNet specializes in the “recovery
of non-performing judgments,” saying “our unmatched investigation and legal
enforcement network allows us to unlock the hidden value in debt buyers’ and
issuers’ dormant judgment inventory” leading to “superior performance and
customer service.”

InvestiNet makes an effort to reward their employees for
a job well done. The company offers every employee an annual bonus, and offers
employees semi-annual profit sharing. They also reward good work by “always”
taking time to “celebrate when company/client goals are reached or surpassed”
through games, lunch celebrations, new items for the office, or showing
gratitude in other ways.

InvestiNet encourages their employees to get involved in
the Greenville community, saying “the company encourages donating to all local
and national charities, and each time will match all employee’s donations.”

InvestiNet cites a casual and
flexible work environment as the main aspect of their office culture that
employees love. The company finds many ways to demonstrate their commitment to
a good work-life balance – one instance is that they, as a rule, close the
office at 4:00 p.m. on Fridays. You can also see this culture in the words of
one InvestiNet employee – “rarely are there days in the office with no dog!”

For 2017, the Best Places to Work in Collections program will become Best Call Centers to Work for

The program will celebrate excellence among call center work environments in care, collections, and outsourcing. In addition to collection firms, creditor and business process outsourcing (BPO) companies will be eligible to participate.

Best Places to Work winners use their award as an important recruiting tool. Plus, winning sends a great message to clients and potential clients about the strength of your operations. Even those who don’t come out on top have can receive extremely valuable information — candid feedback from employees, and a road map for improvement.

Winners in the 2017 program will be recognized during an awards dinner at the next insideARM First Party Summit, in May 2017. 

Click here to let us know you are interested in participating. We will make sure you are aware when registration opens (about a month from now).

SAN FRANCISCO, California – LiveVox Inc., a leading provider of cloud contact center solutions, announced that LiveVox CEO, Louis Summe, and Senior Operations Consultant, Jim Lynch, will join Radius Global Solutions COO, Steven Leckerman, to discuss how cloud is changing the way first party servicers establish their competitive advantages at the 2016 First Party Summit taking place this week in Itasca, Illinois.

On the panel, Dusty Whitesell, Chief Evangelist states, “The challenges faced by the first party industry become more and more acute as regulatory bodies continue to increase pressure for more oversight and limitations. The ability to address those pressures and still perform is key to remaining competitive. Cloud is helping contact centers achieve this balance by lowering the cost of leveraging innovation with plug-and-play technology. Providing greater access to technology is creating an environment where new competitive advantages are being discovered and employed.”

LiveVox is a leader in providing risk mitigation tools that simultaneously address key compliance concerns while optimizing performance efficiencies.  LiveVox’s Business Intelligence Tool and Phone Dial Attempt Supervisor (PDAS) are prime examples of how LiveVox is providing contact centers with a competitive advantage in a changing regulatory environment through innovation. To learn more, contact us at info@livevox.com

About the event:

PANEL: Using Technology and Data to Meet Regulatory and Client Demands –               Leading to Smarter Dialing and Simplified Relationship Management

DATE/TIME: Wednesday, October 19^th, 2016 at 8:30am – 9:40am CT

PANELISTS:

o    Louis Summe, Chief Executive Officer, LiveVox, Inc.

o    Steven Leckerman, COO, Radius Global Solutions, LLC

o    Jim Lynch, Senior Operations Consultant, LiveVox, Inc.

About LiveVox, Inc.

LiveVox is a leading provider of cloud contact center solutions for enterprise operations.  Through a patented PCI-certified cloud platform and redundant IP/MPLS mesh, it delivers true multi-tenant, highly scalable and burstable contact center solutions such as ACD, Dialer, IVR, centralized call recording, business analytics and compliance suite. LiveVox enables fast deployment of contact center solutions from the cloud, while offering customers full control to manage their day-to-day business requirements in a cost-efficient way. For more information, visit http://www.livevox.com.

The report of Colorado’s sunset review of
its Fair Debt Collection Practices Act have been published.

Section 24-34-104(5)(a), Colorado Revised Statutes,
directs the Department of Regulatory Agencies to:

• Conduct an analysis of the performance of each division, board, or
  agency or each function scheduled for termination; and
• Submit a report and supporting materials to the office of
  legislative legal services no later than October 15 of the year preceding
  the date established for termination.

The main question
being asked in the sunset review of Colorado’s FDCPA is: “Is there a need
for the regulation provided under Article 14 of Title 12, C.R.S.”

Per the report, the review committee is arguing that
Colorado’s FDCPA should be continued for 11 more years, until the next sunset
review in 2028. “The licensing of collection agencies provides financial
protections for clients of collection agencies.” In this case, Colorado is
defining “client” as “consumers.” 

The other recommendations are:

• Define what is expected of a individual who purchases, sells, or
  attempts to collect on purchased debt.
• Repeal the phrase “arising out of a transaction” from
  CFDCPA’s definition of “debt.”
• Clarify that the statute of limitations in CFDCPA enforcement is
  four years.
• Sunset the Collection Agency Board
• Allow consumers who have a monetary judgment against a collection
  agency, access to surety bond funds.
• The Administrator should track license disqualifications based on
  criminal history.

The full report can be downloaded here.

insideARM Perspective

This is part of a recent ongoing trend involving local review of various laws affecting the ARM industry.

• California amended its requirements for debt collectors who receive consumer claims of identity theft.
• New York released new proposed data security rules for financial services companies.
• Massachusetts regulators are considering changes to the debt collection laws on the books there.

On Monday, we announced the winners in our 9^th
annual Best Places to Work in Collections program. After a rigorous evaluation
process managed by the independent firm Best Companies Group, 36 companies met
the threshold to be named a “Best Place to Work in Collections” in 2016. Best
Companies Group manages Best Places to Work programs in 24 states, 9 regions,
and 14 industries, as well as 12 programs across Africa, Canada, and the United
Kingdom.

To be judged, companies participate in a two-part survey
program. First, employers provide information on workplace policies, practices,
philosophy, systems and demographics. Then, employees complete a survey that
measures employee experience. The combined scores (employee opinion is weighted
more heavily) determine the top companies and final rankings.

Winners are divided into three categories, by size: small
(15-49 employees), medium (50-149 employees), and large (150+ employees).

Click here to see all 36 winners and profiles, in ranked order.

The first-place
winner in the Large Companies category is Williams & Fudge, Inc.
from Rock Hill, SC.

 A collection
agency led by CEO Bob Perrin, Williams & Fudge employs 328 people (59%
female, 41% male) and is growing at a fast rate, creating 76 new positions last
year. Williams & Fudge was founded in 1986 “with the purpose of serving the
higher education community by aiding colleges and universities in the recovery
of education-related receivables.”

The company is dedicated to being an Equal Opportunity
Employer, with 66% of current employees classified as minorities. When asked
about the subject, Williams & Fudge says “we utilize inclusion and
engagement practices every day” and that their approach is “key to the
day-to-day operations and success of our organization.” Additionally, W&F
employs several members of the disabled community and takes a variety of steps to
ensure an ideal working environment, saying “it is a core mission of the owners
to help people that might be considered less fortunate.”

W&F states that their “top incentive program” is “the
ability to make great commission for our collectors.” Their tiered pay
structure allows top collectors to make more than $100,000+ per year. On average,
exempt W&F employees make $73,500 per year.

Williams & Fudge encourages their employees to get
involved in the Rock Hill community. In 2015, employees donated over 1,000
volunteer hours to organizations like the local school district, the Red Cross,
YMCA, Chamber of Commerce, and other local charities and churches.

The company also puts a priority on the health of its
employees. W&F offers treadmill workstations, standing workstations, and
exercise balls to sit on so that employees can stay active while working.
Additionally, the company offers a gym membership reimbursement program and a “Fresh
Fruit Friday” program where fruit is delivered to every employee’s desk.

Williams & Fudge cites
a family-friendly environment, flexible schedule, and great pay as benefits
they provide that their employees love. They also provide a “unique lounge that
includes ping pong, 6 large screen televisions, and arcade games” in addition
to providing activities that are fun for the whole family, community
volunteering opportunities, and an E4E Relief partnership to assist employees
when they need it.

For 2017, the Best Places to Work in Collections program will become Best Call Centers to Work for

The program will celebrate excellence among call center work environments in care, collections, and outsourcing. In addition to collection firms, creditor and business process outsourcing (BPO) companies will be eligible to participate.

Best Places to Work winners use their award as an important recruiting tool. Plus, winning sends a great message to clients and potential clients about the strength of your operations. Even those who don’t come out on top have can receive extremely valuable information — candid feedback from employees, and a road map for improvement.

Winners in the 2017 program will be recognized during an awards dinner at the next insideARM First Party Summit, in May 2017. 

Click here to let us know you are interested in participating. We will make sure you are aware when registration opens (about a month from now).

CEDAR
FALLS, Iowa – October 18, 2016 – Harley Wilson, Vice
President of Healthcare Operations for CBE Companies (CBE) will speak at InsideARM’s
2^nd Annual First Party Summit Wednesday, October 19 in Chicago.  

Wilson will join Sherry Nirenberg, Associate Director, Hospital Billing
Services at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), in presenting
how to apply intent-based leadership to exceed client expectations and increase
retention.

In 2015, Wilson led his team to greater success by implementing an
intent-based leadership philosophy inspired by David Marquet’s writings. The
approach inspires employees to take ownership and greater accountability in
problem solving and actions to improve performance for clients like UAMS.

About CBE Companies

Founded in 1933, CBE
Companies is a global
provider of outsourced call center services focused on connecting people to
solutions. The company specializes in receivables management and customer care
services. This narrow focus has enabled the company to be an expert in every
aspect of the business. From a one-of-a-kind culture immersion
approach to a proven ramp process, CBE’s focused expertise saves its partners
money and enables them to focus on their core business.

CBE approaches every business relationship
as a strategic partnership. The company shares in its partners’ successes and
failures and strives to create more of the former and less of the latter. CBE
firmly believes transparency and communication are the cornerstones in the
foundation for success. The company’s approach to a strategic partnership
begins with open communication; this assures CBE partners that the team
handling their business is committed to delivering customer insights, ideas and
new ways to accomplish goals.

With more than 1,200 people in six locations
globally, CBE Companies can deliver the right solution in the right
location(s) for your ever-changing business needs. Its corporate headquarters
is located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, with two facilities in Waterloo, Iowa, and
additional facilities in Overland Park, Kansas; New Braunfels, Texas and
Manila, Philippines. The organization is consistently recognized as
a local Employer of Choice. It has also been recognized by Workplace Dynamics as
one of Iowa’s Top
Workplaces. For more information about CBE Companies,
please visit www.cbecompanies.com or call 888-386-0273.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit will hear
oral arguments on Wednesday in the case of ACA
International, et al. v. the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and United States of America.

ACA International will be asking the court to review the FCC’s
July
2015 Declaratory Ruling on the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in
order to determine whether the FCC acted reasonably in regulating the way
companies call consumers.

ACA and its joint petitioners in the case, such as Portfolio
Recovery Associates and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, argue
that the FCC’s order “rewrote the TCPA,” “jeopardizes desirable communications
that Congress never intended to ban,” and “encourage[s] massive TCPA class actions
seeking crippling statutory damages.”

According to the Order
on Time for Oral Arguments, each side will get 20 minutes to make their
case to the court.

insideARM Perspective

This case is sure to develop more in the coming months. Be sure to keep checking back with insideARM for the latest developments on this case.

insideARM maintains a free TCPA resources page to provide the ARM community a destination for timely and topical information on the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (“TCPA”). This page is generously supported by LexisNexis. See the page here or find it in our main navigation bar from any page on insideARM.

The cornerstone of the page is a chart of significant TCPA cases. Click on the link in the chart for the complete text of the decision. Where insideARM has already published a story on the case, we provide a link. Case information and analysis is provided by the Bedard Law Group.

Many organizations are changing their approach to bad debt
recovery and accelerating collection efforts through early intervention
practices. Here I talk about treatment strategies and timelines, customer
experience and the value prop for early intervention.

The accounts receivable landscape is ever changing. Changes have
been more dramatic in recent years led largely by new Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)
regulations and guidelines.  Even with these
changes, the goals of reducing delinquency and maximizing recovery have never
been more important. Critical metrics, such as charge-off percentages and days
sales outstanding (DSO), can have huge impacts on the bottom line.

Many organizations are changing their approach to bad debt
recovery. Forward-thinking accounts receivable (AR) teams are doing away with
traditional models (both internal and external) with the end goal of maximizing
performance on bad debt.  AR managers are
working in concert with collection partners on non-traditional initiatives
geared to combat current market challenges. Companies are taking a hard look at
collection timelines and evaluating the decision to accelerate collection
efforts utilizing early intervention practices. 

Accelerating the timelines for collection outreach programs usually
enhances the customer engagement experience and improves customer satisfaction
as well.  Most consumers appreciate
courtesy outreach notifications as reminders to current or slightly delinquent
payment obligations. Consumers would rather be contacted by the credit grantor
regarding an obligation versus being contacted by a third-party collections
entity. In fact, early intervention often results in resolution preventing
negative information on the customer’s credit history.

Historically, companies have established minimal internal procedures
for collection of delinquent revenue, including dunning and low intensity
outreach campaigns. Beyond initial internal efforts, it is common practice to
have periods (30 to 120 days) where no treatment activity is being conducted.
Essentially, delinquent accounts are often housed with little or no treatment
until they are forwarded to collection agencies at some point along the
timeline.

In many cases, the consumer has not paid the obligation due to oversight or
lack of understanding the past due obligation. Most customers appreciate a
concerted effort from both parties to sort out the obligation without waiting
months to be contacted regarding the debt.

We’ve all seen the graphs demonstrating recovery rates decreasing as
debt age increases. These numbers change somewhat by industry vertical and
footprint, but generally hold true. On average, the likelihood of recovering
bad debt decreases by 10% for each additional 30 days of delinquency.

So why delay your bad debt recovery processes? I developed this
Q&A over the years in response to my conversations with customers and industry
leaders. Perhaps it is useful for you …

Q. Is a comprehensive
treatment strategy for active and inactive customers necessary?

A. Yes, unless you are performing these services internally. Early
intervention has a positive effect on revenue, and utilization of control group
methodology can demonstrate true lift after expenses.

Q. What is
the best timeline to start treatment?

A. Many partners are deploying treatment on active customers 5 to
7 days beyond the delinquent date. The majority of early stage programs for
inactive customers begin 1 to 5 days after final notice date.

Q. Is
there a value proposition to an early intervention strategy?

A. Historically, most early intervention programs yield
significant lift.  This lift can be
accomplished through detailed account segmentation, utilization of credit
history to determine treatment strategy by risk segment, and development of
control group methodology to measure true net lift performance.

Q. Why spend
financial and intellectual resources to recover what is going to pay anyway?

A. Many of your customers will pay without treatment. However a
significant percentage will not pay without being contacted. Develop a program
designed to accelerate payment on good paying customers. Account segmentation can
be used to identify and increase collections from higher risk customers.
Measure lift over a subset of untreated customers to draw conclusions on the
value of accelerating the timeline.

Q. Will
the customer experience be impacted negatively?

A. No, in fact the opposite often occurs. Customers appreciate
courtesy reminders. The key is to perform the work (even if it is outsourced)
in the name of the credit grantor. Customers would much rather be contacted by
the credit grantor instead of the first contact being from a third-party
collection agency.

The market is ripe for new collection
strategies. There are many programs being performed today that demonstrate 5% to
10% recovery lift by accelerating the timeline for treatment. These early intervention initiatives also enhance positive customer engagement and increase customer satisfaction. Increased collection percentages can mean millions of additional dollars
recovered versus traditional timelines. 
Early intervention initiatives that are data driven, utilize
segmentation strategy, and are courtesy oriented, will move the needle on
recovery.

CEDAR FALLS,
Iowa – LocateSmarter, a data and analytics company, today released
its new manual search product, LocateSmarter Online. The cloud-based platform gives accounts
receivable companies access to up-to-date consumer information that increases
contact rates and reduces risk.

Prior to the
release of LocateSmarter Online, the company offered batch skip tracing
products, a data management platform and analytics professional services. The
new manual search product will provide companies with additional data points,
as well as a full suite of skip tracing products and services.

“By expanding
our product offerings to include both batch and manual skip tracing solutions,
we are better positioned to meet our clients’ individual needs,” said Tyler Benson, LocateSmarter Product Manager. “Whether
a company is searching for a single individual or trying to obtain updated data
points on thousands of consumers, we can help.”

LocateSmarter
Online has been in beta testing for the past few months. During this phase, the
company solicited feedback in an effort to enhance their product and customize
it for end users. There has been an overwhelmingly positive response regarding
the platform’s user interface. Several users noted that the system has a “clean
layout” and is “easy-to-use.”

“The user
interface and customer experience are what make LocateSmarter Online a superior
solution,” Benson commented. “Data needs to be easy to locate, accurate and
cost-effective. LocateSmarter Online’s UI ensures the collector’s time is spent
where it matters most – recovering payment – not weeding through irrelevant
data points.”

Benson also
commented about the added benefits of using LocateSmarter for both batch and
manual skip tracing.

“As concerns surrounding
regulatory compliance and data security rise, the time and expense of vendor
management also increases. By providing the industry with a full suite of skip
tracing products and services, our clients can centralize their data acquisition
efforts and simplify the vendor management process.”  

LocateSmarter
Online offers searches such as contact information, court records, assets,
businesses and more. For a complete list of available searches or to
participate in a 7-day trial, please visit www.locatesmarteronline.com or call 888-254-5501.

About
LocateSmarter®
LocateSmarter, LLC, a subsidiary of CBE Companies, was formed in 2012 with a mission to
deliver next generation, cloud-based skip trace solutions for accounts
receivable management and collection purposes. The company offers batch skip
tracing products, a manual search platform, and analytics professional
services.

LocateSmarter
has been recognized as an Employer of Choice and received the 2016 Top Collection Product Award. These awards can be attributed to LocateSmarter’s
key values:

• Data Quality – Increasing regulatory compliance
  and operational efficiency by focusing on accuracy and customization
• Data Transparency/Analytics – Providing measurable data so
  businesses can make educated decisions about their skip tracing strategies
• Agility – Ensuring that businesses are able
  to quickly adapt and customize their products/processes in order to comply with
  government regulations and client requirements
• Efficient Vendor Management – Simplifying vendor management with
  a full suite of innovative data and compliance solutions, centralized billing,
  dedicated support and more

For more
information on LocateSmarter and its products, please visit www.locatesmarter.com or call 888-254-5501. 

WILMINGTON, Del. – Phillips &
Cohen Associates, Ltd., the global leader in deceased account management, has
been awarded a 2016 Top Workplaces honor by The News Journal. The Top
Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey
administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that
specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement.

“The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity
contest and oftentimes, people assume it’s all about fancy perks and benefits.”
says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics. “But to be a Top Workplace,
organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who
better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every
day—the employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most
important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how
it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together.
Claffey adds, “Without this sense of connection, an organization doesn’t have a
shot at being named a Top Workplace.”

This is the seventh consecutive year that Phillips
& Cohen Associates, Ltd. has been named as a top Delaware workplace.  Phillips & Cohen has been repeatedly recognized
both domestically and Internationally as a top employer and innovative financial
services provider; however, being named  among
the top employers in Delaware is especially gratifying.  Matthew Phillips, Co-Chairman/CEO commented, “Being
voted a top workplace in Delaware is rewarding for both the Company and our
employees.  It’s good to know that our
staff continues to see the Company in such a positive light.  We take pride in being a top financial
services provider, and equal pride in being the employer-of-choice in
Wilmington and the surrounding communities.”

About Phillips & Cohen Associates, Ltd.

Phillips
& Cohen Associates, Ltd. is a full service accounts receivable management
company providing customized services to creditors in a variety of specialized
market segments.  Phillips & Cohen Associates, Ltd is headquartered in
Wilmington, DE, with additional offices in Colorado, Florida, and New Jersey,
as well as international offices in the UK, Canada, and Australia.  For
more information about Phillips & Cohen Associates visit www.phillips-cohen.com.
PCA provides Equal Employment
Opportunity for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, gender,
age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran
status, genetic information and any other basis protected by federal, state or
local laws.

About WorkplaceDynamics, LLC

Headquartered in Exton, PA,
WorkplaceDynamics specializes in employee feedback surveys and workplace
improvement. This year alone, more than two million employees in over 6,000
organizations will participate in the Top Workplaces™ campaign—a program it
conducts in partnership with more than 40 prestigious media partners across the
United States. Workplace Dynamics also provides consulting services to improve
employee engagement and organizational health. WorkplaceDynamics is a founding
B Corporation member, a coalition of organizations that are leading a global
movement to redefine success in business by offering a positive vision of a
better way to do business.