Collections & Credit Risk articles from September 2004

Collections & Credit Risk archives from September 2004

Financial Concerns Mount: Shifting Sands.
September 1, 2004... Rising interest rates and a sharp drop in new job creation are prompting concerns about the economy - and more specifically about the effect on consumer spending and consumers ability to repay debt. That debt load now totals more than $2...

Letters To The Editor.(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2004... Better Results To the Editor: We have seen significant improvement compared to last year in terms of collecting from commercial customers in a first-party environment. The same stalls and objections are there, but they have been...

Survey Results.(Survey on rise in short-term interest rates)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Here's how visitors to Credit & Collections World, Collections & Credit Risk's website, voted on this month's Instant Survey: The Federal Reserve recently raised short-term interest rates for the first time in four years to 1.25%, with Fed...

Phishing Lures Checking Account Users.(Fair and Accurate Credit Reporting Act)(ACA International's plans and management )
September 1, 2004... A spike in Internet users victimized by e-mail scams should be a wake-up call for consumers, says Gartner Inc., an Internet research firm. Such scams often inadvertently grant criminals access to personal account data. A Gartner report...

What's New.
September 1, 2004... FDCPA Training Video Set for Release A training video highlighting potential pitfalls in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is available this month, with Manuel Newburger - considered a national expert on the subject - leading viewers...

West Corp. to Buy Worldwide Asset.
September 1, 2004... West Corp., an Omaha, Neb.-based provider of outsourced communications solutions, plans to buy Worldwide Asset Management, National Asset Management Enterprises Inc., and some affiliates for $178 million. Worldwide, based in Marietta, Ga., buys...

VMS Makes a Quiet Entrance: Automated voice messaging systems can improve productivity and help curb operating costs, but doubts about long-term effectiveness are keeping the technology from moving into the mainstream. Where does VMS fit into the grand scheme?
September 1, 2004... Cell phones, e-mail, and pagers all have played a part in improving communications and commerce - mostly by freeing consumers from the traditional landline telephone. Consumers can apply for a credit card, mortgage, or a manufacturer's...

Opportunity Knocks: In the M&A world these days, more buyers than sellers are knocking on doors - looking to make a deal.
September 1, 2004... A steady stream of suitors is knocking on the door in the credit and collections market this year. Whether they are private equity investors, companies wanting to make their first foray into the space, or former industry executives waiting in...

Credit Insurance's Popularity On the Rise: More U.S. firms are turning to credit insurers to help defend against being sacked by defaulted accounts receivables. What's behind the change in strategy?
September 1, 2004... Two years ago, Berger Bros. Co., Feasterville, Pa., manufacturers of roof drainage systems, received unwelcome news. A customer had filed for bankruptcy. "It was completely unexpected," says Roberta Brown, collections manager. "We had been...

Some Credit Insurance Do's and Don'ts.(rules.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... If you're considering credit insurance, here are five recommendations: 1. Don't wait until the last minute to try to buy credit insurance. "Credit insurance should be a proactive purchase, in that you have coverage in place before a...

Holistic Collections: To improve their firm's financial well-being, company executives need to adopt a big-picture view of collections - identifying and remedying problems early in the quote-to-cash cycle and automating a consistent collections strategy.
September 1, 2004... With more than $1 trillion in receivables on the books of the 1,000 largest U.S. companies, an increasing number of businesses are turning to holistic collections management. Here's why. For most companies, too much working capital is tied...

Privacy & Security in the Spotlight: With new privacy regulations and a rise in identity theft, call centers are boosting efforts to prevent security leaks. What new technology is helping them protect customer data and follow the rules?
September 1, 2004... With the focus of the financial services world fixed on privacy and security issues, collections call centers are facing more pressure to add technology to protect consumer information and data. The rise in identity theft along with several...

Call Center Software & Predictive Dialers.(Directory)
September 1, 2004... Company Advanced Call Center Technologies Access! Corp. Amcat APAC Customer Services Argent Technologies Inc. Blue Pumpkin Call One Inc. Calltrol Corp. Castel Corp. CenterForce Technologies ...