Americollect’s Utilities Advantages:

Skip Tracking (a.k.a. finding a non-payer's address or phone number):
According to Lexis Nexus, “35 percent of delinquent debtors move annually, and half of all accounts received for collections require some form of skip-tracing.”

We call our streamlined process of finding a skip, Skip Tracking. We have two advantages over our competitors. The first advantage is our belief that even though debtors cannot be found today, that does not mean we will never find them. We continue to attempt to find the debtor four or five times after their first skip. Our second advantage is our technology used in batch processing accounts for skips. We export skipped debtor’s information from our collection system, and within a few hours, we receive the results back from our data suppliers. The new information is then uploaded into the debtor file. Batch processing allows us to put more “out-bound phone contacts” into the account because we are not spending our time manually skipping accounts. To learn more about our Skip Tracking process, Click Here.

Small Balance Collections:
Many agencies place a minimum amount of work events into accounts under $200. One letter, one phone call, and placing the account on the credit bureau is an under-worked account. With the use of our predictive dialer, Americollect attempts multiple phone calls. We combine all of our other collection accounts from healthcare, utilities, bad checks, and cellular to create a well-known non-payer. Combining accounts allows us to put more work events into accounts.

Legal:
At Americollect we upfront all court cost and attorney fees. We only charge our clients an increased contingency fee if we successfully collect an account. We are very familiar with taking judgments, placing garnishments, and obtaining liens to increase collections. Americollect uses legal action as a last line of defense to protect our clients against non-payers who have the means to pay.

Utility Fairness Policy:
Americollect believes it is only fair to collect commission on accounts that we have helped to collect. If a disconnected consumer of yours comes back for new service and you collect the dollar amount owed, we will cancel the account back to you at no charge, unless we have taken legal action on your behalf.

Growth:
Current president Kenlyn T. Gretz purchased AMERICOLLECT in 1999 after 11 years of working as the company’s collection manager. Starting with 12 employees, Kenlyn aggressively grew AMERICOLLECT, consistently adding between 4 and 8 employees per year. AMERICOLLECT has been recognized as a growing corporation in Wisconsin, winning two awards: In 2004, the Manitowoc Chamber of Commerce named AMERICOLLECT its Small Business of the Year, in 2008, Corporate Report magazine, along with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh awarded AMERICOLLECT with the Small Business Success Story for Solid Growth, and in 2009, Inc. Magazine name AMERICOLLECT as one of the United States 5000 fastest growing companies. In December 2007, AMERICOLLECT opened a new 8,400 square-foot facility, allowing AMERICOLLECT to grow to 95 team members. In addition to allowing AMERICOLLECT future growth, the facility was built with the newest technology, creating a highly efficient work environment for our employees. AMERICOLLECT utilizes a secure entrance and tracking systems, VOIP telephone system capability, internal secure wireless access points, and redundant IT networking. To learn more about our technology Click Here.

Credit Bureau:
Americollect lists accounts that we feel are true and accurate on three major credit bureaus:

• TransUnion
• Experian
• Equifax

We list accounts that are above $10 to Experian and Equifax, and accounts above $50 to TransUnion. Our procedure is that after 30 days, accounts can be listed on the non-payer’s credit file. Extensions are given regularly to non-payers who work out payment arrangements. Our goal is not to put a bad mark on their credit file, but a paid-in-full on your ledger.

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Other Services Offered:
Two Agency Swap - Many large utilities we talk to would like to use a second placement agency but think it is too much work. Americollect has the solution: a Two Agency Swap. In a Two Agency Swap, two different agencies accept primary placements. After nine to twelve months, Americollect and the other agency electronically swap the accounts that are not making payments. Americollect changes the agency code in the electronic file we build for you to upload, or we can login to your system and change the code for you.

Second Placements - Our second placement program uses our Skip Tracking (a.k.a. finding a non-payer's address or phone number) technology to find the non-payer and assets. After six to twelve months, primary agencies normally give up on accounts and wait for the Credit Bureau to collect. Often, a non-payer will be back on his or her feet, and it is just a matter of finding him or her to receive payment-in-full. Historically we have collected 7.9% of second placements. This is a great way for you to “test drive” our collection process. To learn more about our Skip Tracking process, Click Here.

Payment Monitoring - Many utilities do not have the staff, time, or systems to monitor the payment plans they have set up. Our payment monitoring program does exactly that - it monitors the payment arrangements you have. We notify your non-payer when they skip a payment with customizable options for phone calls and letters. We make the calls in your name to the paying consumer.

Early-Out Program - When you have budget cuts and staff reduction, Americollect can act as your assistant to add the finishing touch on accounts that are not quite ready for full collection. With the early-out program we work your accounts as an agent of your facility and not as a collection service. We use your letterhead and make phone attempts in your name. Americollect will work with you to develop letters and telephone scripts. Americollect helps you improve your effectiveness, reduce your overhead, and increase your cash flow by using our economy-of-scale for phone calls and letter attempts.

Pre-Collect Service - When a non-payer pays-in-full on our first notice, it can be an annoyance to our clients. That is why we offer Pre-Collect Service. We send out a letter in Americollect’s name before we start full collections. It is a simple, inexpensive, and highly effective approach to reduce your accounts receivables while increasing your cash flow for those easy to collect accounts.

Mail Return Service - If Skip Tracking (a.k.a. finding a non-payer's address or phone number) is not your strong point let Americollect help. Our Mail Return Service will use our Skip Tracking resources to search skipped non-payers. You can either forward us your mail returns or an electronic file of your accounts. To learn more about our Skip Tracking process, Click Here.

NCOA - National Change of Address is a program that we develop monhtly and provide free of charge to our clients. Each month, we email a listing from NCOA of all accounts that have changed address.

Training - Americollect offers a variety of training seminars that teach utilities to improve in-house collections. Onsite training is available to your staff free of charge or if you prefer you can have your staff train at Americollect. The seminars can be as long or as short as you need. To see a list of seminars please contact us at the information below.

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To discuss Americollect’s professional, compassionate collections please call or email us at 1-800-838-0100 or sales@americollect.com.