Collection Officers at Careers Verified

Job Description

• The candidate will attempt to collect payment on overdue bills by informing customers of their debt and their various options for repayment.
• When agreeable payment terms are not reached, collections officers take further action in order to collect payment on debts.
• Candidates will typically work in call center and office environments during daytime, evening, and weekend work shifts, both full- and part-time hours.
• The candidate will report to a direct manager or supervisor as assigned and work as part of a large team of collections officers.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Collections officers are hired by many types of businesses that serve a large customer base and by collections agencies, but job duties do not vary much from company to company.

Core responsibilities for collections officers include:
Make Calls to Clients:

• The candidate will attempt to locate and contact clients, primarily over the phone, in order to talk with them about their debts.
• This includes calling customers at home, at work, and on their cellular phones.
• Negotiate Payment Schedules:
• The candidate will speak to customers to negotiate payment plans and payment schedules that suit their current financial situation while still satisfying the debt.

Advise Customers:

• The candidate will advise customers on their various payment options. If no payment agreement can be reached, collections officers inform customers of further actions that may be taken to collect overdue debts.

Maintain Customer Files:

• The candidate will keep customer files updated, recording times and dates that contact has been made and noting information that customers have received about their debt.

Prepare Statements:

• The candidate will prepare statements to be given to credit departments and banks when customers fail to meet their payment agreements or when no payment agreement can be made.
• When customers fail to meet their payment obligations and fail to make payment agreements, collections officers write letters to credit agencies, insurance companies, lawyers, and customers’ employers to collect debt without the customer’s aid.

Answer Phones:

• The candidate will answer incoming calls from customers and other individuals.

Requirements

• Candidates should possess a Bachelor’s Degree qualification with 1 – 2 years work experience.