Does anyone know of a good collections agency that handles items for our industry? I found another thread here discussing it, but it did not have a lot of detail or anecdotal experience within it. Amount to be collected is between 2500 and 4000 US dollars. Ideally, I'd like to hear from someone who has experience of an agency with a good rate of return (those who work for such agencies are welcome to include their firms' names as well if the collection rate is good). Replies here or PMs will be fine, whichever you prefer.

Thanks.

We use Dunn & Bradstreet for collections AND also make sure a company has a good Duns record before extending terms.

I hope this helps.

Originally posted by BarrySDCA
We use Dunn & Bradstreet for collections AND also make sure a company has a good Duns record before extending terms.

I hope this helps.

They are terrible for small collections. I don't even think they try for the amounts in *our* industry.

Annette, for that amount I would look at www.access-receivables.com/. We used them very successfully for about a year before we switched to our current. They collect on anything. Our average ticket was $45.00. We got about a 20% return overall. Not bad considering we were just taking it as a lose before.

The only complaint is that they do not report anything under $100 to creditors. Many scum-bag deliquents know this and won't care they are being collected on.

Anything under $100 they do 50/50 sharing. But when you throw in a collections fee of $20 - $25 per account, it covers it.

Thanks. This is actually a single account. Would you still recommend them for that type of collection or would you recommend your current?

Originally posted by Annette
Thanks. This is actually a single account. Would you still recommend them for that type of collection or would you recommend your current?

Sorry, I thought it was a total from numerous accounts.

No, I wouldn't use them. Depending on where you are at and that customer is at, I would take them to small claims court. If that won't work due to distance (if the debt is in a cool place, fly out and take a vacation. While there, go to court :)), then I would just find any collector that can report them for you. If you have got nowhere trying, then a collector won't have much luck either.

Well, there is a foot in the door with a bad check, so at least the question of acknowledging the debt is there and it also gives a good stepping stone to penalties from their own statutory area. A real PITA, this is. Thanks for your input, I'll pass it along.

And what is this vacation thing of which you speak? Surely some mythical object that has no place in the hosting world. :laugh:

I have been in the collection business www.nationwidedebtrecovery.com www.windebt.com www.swcredit.com for better than 30 years.

Fo one account of that size you are better off finding an agency that specializes in Commercial accounts. Stay away from the big ones cuz your account will get lost in the sauce -- and be careful of the real small ones as they may collect your account -- but not remit it to you.

in Australia the most common ptactice for recovering small debts (under $ US 50) is to sell the debt to an agency which specialises in collecting small debts
they actually take people to claims courts for $US 10

If people know how the system works, a non-payer will know all a collections agency will do is just harrass and that is about it, unless there are some real $$$ involved.

If you need to collect a lot of money - I work with this company -

www.gsbcollect.com

JDT

I think I'll take a look at some of these :)