Job Role Description

Credit > Collections Specialist

Salary National Average

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39770.0000 47890.0000 54530.0000

Change from Previous Year:

+4%

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Candidate Supply: 1,649 Job Openings: 15,869

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Short Description:

A Collections Specialist is responsible for contacting individuals or businesses with overdue payments, outstanding debts, or delinquent accounts. Their duties include negotiating repayment plans, resolving payment issues, and providing information on financial options to help clients meet their obligations. Collections Specialist must adhere to ethical and legal practices, document all interactions accurately, and strive to maintain positive customer relationships while recovering outstanding amounts. Strong communication skills, empathy, and persistence are crucial for success in this role, as Collections Specialist work to recover funds while preserving customer goodwill. 

Duties / Responsibilities:

    • Arrange for debt repayment or establish repayment schedules based on customers' financial situations.
    • Locate and notify customers of delinquent accounts by mail, telephone, or personal visits to solicit payment.
    • Advise customers of necessary actions and strategies for debt repayment.
    • Persuade customers to pay amounts due on credit accounts, damage claims, non-payable checks, or to return merchandise.
    • Confer with customers by telephone or in-person to determine reasons for overdue payments and to review the terms of sales, service, or credit contracts.
    • Locate and monitor overdue accounts using computers and a variety of automated systems.
    • Answer customer questions regarding problems with their accounts.
    • Record information about the financial status of customers and the status of collection efforts.
    • Trace delinquent customers to new addresses by inquiring at post offices, telephone companies, credit bureaus, or through the questioning of neighbors.
    • Sort and file correspondence, and perform miscellaneous clerical duties such as answering correspondence and writing reports.

 

Skills / Requirements / Qualifications

    • Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
    • Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
    • Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
    • Persuasion — Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
    • Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
    • Negotiation — Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
    • Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
    • Coordination — Adjusting actions concerning others' actions.
    • Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the audience's needs.
    • Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits

 

Job Zones

    • Title: Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
    • Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
    • Related Experience: Some previous work-related skills, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
    • Job Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
    • Job Zone Examples: These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include sheet metal workers, forest fire fighters, customer service representatives, physical therapist aides, salespersons (retail), and tellers.
    • Specific Vocational Preparation in years:  3 months to 1 year preparation (4.0 to < 6.0)

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