Frequently Asked Questions
General
- Who is RMS?
- What makes RMS unique?
- How does the RMS name impact the collection process?
- Is RMS a member of the agency section of the Commercial Law League?
- Does RMS have specific industry expertise?
- Do you provide references?
- Can I visit your collection centers?
Claim Placement
- Do you acknowledge receipt of claim referrals? How?
- Can RMS work with my IT department to automate the placement process?
- Do you accept accounts without phone numbers?
- What documents do you require at time of referral?
- What is the largest account balance you will accept?
Recovery Process
- How long after a claim is placed before the debtor is contacted?
- Do you use a predictive dialer?
- How do you prioritize claims and decide on the best collection method?
- Can you call in my company's name, rather than using the RMS name?
- Will you add interest/collection charges to the account balance?
- How many collection attempts are made within the first 60 days?
- How do you distribute claims to your collectors?
- Can I have a dedicated collector assigned to my accounts?
- How many accounts do your collectors handle?
- How many calls do your collectors make in a day?
- Do your collectors call in the evening? On weekends?
- Do you handle consumer claims differently than commercial claims?
- How do you decide when to use letters or calls or both?
- How do your collectors handle disputed files?
- Do you accept payment plans? What is the maximum length of the plan you approve before you request your customer's feedback?
- How are debtor complaints handled?
- How do you handle merchandise returns?
- How long does it typically take to work an account?
- How do you determine when to close a claim as uncollectible?
- What is your overall recovery performance?
Attorney Service
- How long do you work an account before attorney service is recommended?
- Will someone notify me prior to sending my account to an attorney?
- How do you determine the most appropriate attorney firm to handle a claim?
- Can I select attorneys to handle my accounts in attorney service?
- What expenses are required for attorney service?
- How is RMS involved once a claim is forwarded to an attorney?
- Can I place claims into your attorney service program if I don't intend to file suit?
Customer Care
- Is it possible to have only one contact person at RMS?
- How do I know whom to call when I have questions?
- Can RMS develop a customized action plan tailored to my receivable management needs?
- How do you know if you are doing a good job?
Staff
- What is the tenure of your staff?
- What types of training requirements/programs do you have?
- Are your associates eligible to earn commission based on performance?
- Do you practice diversity in your hiring practices? How?
- Are all your collectors trained regarding the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act?
- Does your collection staff have industry specific training?
- How do you evaluate collector performance?
- How are your collectors compensated?
Administrative
- How secure are your systems and e-mail communications?
- Do you have a disaster recovery plan in place?
- What financial controls do you have in place?
- What type of Insurance coverage do you carry?
- Where are you licensed?
- How long does it take for RMS to remit collected funds?
- How frequently can I get remittances on dollars collected by RMS?
- How does RMS handle NSF checks?
- What happens if you remit payment to a customer and your collection subsequently comes back NSF?
- Can RMS deduct payments made to customers from remittance checks rather than billing customers for these amounts?
- Are there any fees if an account is withdrawn?
- What happens if the debtor pays your customer instead of RMS?
- What is the best way for my company to report direct payments?
Products & Services
- What services does RMS offer?
- What are the rates for your collection services?
- Can you handle my foreign accounts? If so, are the rates different between foreign and domestic accounts?
- Do you handle consumer business?
- What happens to a claim if a debtor files bankruptcy? Will you file the Proof of Claim?
- Are there types of claims you won't handle?
- When I place a claim with RMS is this reflected on the debtor's RMS report?
- Do you report to credit bureaus?
- What skip tracing tools do you have?
- Do you accept credit card payments?
- How can I learn more about Receivable Management Services?
Q: Who is RMS?
We are the world's leading commercial collection agency and offer a complete range of receivable management services including First and Third-Party Collections, Letter Writing Services, Attorney Services, Bankruptcy Services, Deduction Management Services, Education Services, and more.
To learn more, visit our website at www.rmshk.com
Q: What makes RMS unique?
RMS is the only receivable management service with full access to the collection power of the world- renowned database of businesses across the globe.
TopQ: How does the RMS name impact the collection process?
The RMS name, one of the most-recognized brands in the world and a name synonymous with “credit”, enhances the credibility and integrity of our customers, and contributes to faster and improved recovery performance.
TopQ: Is RMS a member of the agency section of the Commercial Law League?
Yes; Receivable Management Services is a member in good standing of the agency section of the Commercial Law League of America.
TopQ: Does RMS have specific industry expertise?
Yes. We focus our services to meet unique industry needs. A full range of receivable management services is available to clients in nearly every industry including, but not limited to:
- Insurance (workers compensation, life, health, and property/casualty)
- Telecommunications
- Transportation
- Manufacturing
- Business Services
- Directory Advertising
Our team of professional Collectors has a broad base of experience in collecting for customers in virtually every industry.
TopQ: Do you provide references?
Yes. At your request, we will be pleased to provide you with customer references who will be happy to discuss their experiences with our services.
TopQ: Can I visit your collection centers?
Yes. We encourage our customers and prospects to visit our collection centers in order to meet our associates, see our state-of-the art technology in action and experience the high level of professionalism and dedication that underlies all our endeavors.
TopQ: Do you acknowledge receipt of claim referrals? How?
Yes. Whether we acknowledge receipt of claim referrals, and if so how, depends primarily upon the expectations and preferences of our customer. Ordinarily, we acknowledge claim referrals in writing, either by individual item or through batch acknowledgment, but we can tailor our acknowledgment process in a wide variety of formats to best suit our customer's requirements.
TopQ: Can RMS work with my IT department to automate the placement process?
Yes. We have a highly-trained and experienced staff of Information Technology specialists whose primary function is to work directly with our customer’s I/T Department to automate not only the placement process, but also the regular exchange of information following account referral to support payment advice, account balance adjustment, audit and reconciliation processes, and performance reporting.
TopQ: Do you accept accounts without phone numbers?
Yes. Our experience tells us that most accounts placed for collection are recovered or resolved through telephone intervention. Accordingly, while we do accept accounts without telephone numbers, the absence of telephone numbers may impact the speed of recovery and overall recovery performance. We routinely match accounts without telephone numbers against an external vendor's database, and utilize our in-house skip-tracing specialists, in an effort to identify missing or invalid telephone numbers. For those accounts without identified telephone numbers, we will provide collection fulfillment through letter demands in an effort to maximize recovery potential.
TopQ: What documents do you require at time of referral?
While we generally do not require any documents at the time of referral, speed of recovery and overall recovery performance is greatly aided by complete information and documentation at the time of referral, setting forth the basis for the claim, the identity of the individual or entity responsible for payment, and the history of any previous collection attempts. In order to include interest and collection charges after referral, we require documentation that the debtor has properly executed a valid written agreement providing for such charges, to ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations.
TopQ: What is the largest account balance you will accept?
Our customers regularly entrust us with responsibility for recovery of multi-million dollar accounts in addition to accounts with three, four, and five figure balances. We do not put a “ceiling” on large claim size.
TopQ: How long after a claim is placed before the debtor is contacted?
Generally within 24 hours. Absent special circumstances, claims are entered into our proprietary mainframe collection database (Catalyst) the day of receipt, and the debtor is contacted by letter demand and/or by outbound telephone collection attempts within twenty-four business hours after entry. For substantial account balances, we offer a “high-speed” service to support outbound telephone collection attempts within hours of our receipt of the claim. On consumer accounts, to promote compliance with the FDCPA, our initial debtor contact (within twenty-four business hours after claim entry) is through a letter demand, followed by outbound telephone collection attempts no sooner than fifteen days, and up to thirty days, after the written demand.
TopQ: Do you use a predictive dialer?
Yes, depending on the claim. A predictive dialer is a generic reference to bundled hardware, software, and associate resources, designed to leverage state-of-the-art collection and telephony technology to achieve maximum outbound call efficiencies. A predictive dialer automates telephone call attempts based upon established parameters, (commonly known as “campaigns”), and automates claim record notation in the event of no contact. As a result, collector resources are utilized only for live interaction with debtors, ensuring maximum telephone productivity. RMS leverages predictive dialers for accounts likely to benefit from more frequent outbound collection attempts – generally, consumer accounts and accounts with marginal recovery potential (primarily small-balance accounts) – accounts which many other receivable management vendors and collection agencies often ignore altogether or fulfill through letter demands only.
TopQ: How do you prioritize claims and decide on the best collection method?
We prioritize claims and differentiate treatment patterns based on a wide range of factors. We partner closely with our customers at the inception of the relationship to understand our customers’ expectations, and then to establish effective collection treatment protocols and to align resources appropriately to exceed those expectations. In addition to the size of the account balance, we leverage our proprietary Recovery Score™, which predicts the probability of recovery based upon numerous account characteristics and creditor-debtor demographics, to identify those accounts which have the greatest potential of recovery, and therefore the greatest likelihood of speeding cash flow to the customer.
Accounts with marginal recovery potential (primarily small-balance accounts) are typically fulfilled in a predictive dialer environment to leverage state-of-the-art collection and telephony technology to increase the frequency and efficiency of outbound collection attempts. Accounts with moderate recovery potential are typically fulfilled by assigned collectors in a portfolio environment to ensure proper focus and continuity of collection processes. Accounts with substantial recovery potential are typically assigned to the portfolios of our most senior collectors to leverage their specialized skills and expertise.
Q: Can you call in my company's name, rather than using the RMS name?
Yes. RMS offers comprehensive receivable management solutions throughout the entire accounts receivable continuum. Our world-class Outsourcing facilities provide early-stage receivable management and collection services in the name of our customer. In the Third-Party environment, compliance with state and federal regulations requires that we call in our name, as the collection agent for our customer, which enables us to leverage the RMS brand in the recovery process.
TopQ: Will you add interest/collection charges to the account balance?
Yes. In order to ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, we will add interest and collection charges to account balances only if our customer can document that the debtor has properly executed a valid written agreement providing for such charges. We may also require a statement from our customer that the interest and collection charges are otherwise lawful in the jurisdictions where enforcement is sought.
TopQ: How many collection attempts are made within the first 60 days?
It depends. The number and frequency of collection attempts depend, in large measure, upon our customer’s expectations, the degree of intervention required by the nature and recovery potential of the account, and the response received to prior collection attempts. Accounts that refuse or avoid response to collection attempts may receive up to 10 calls, supported by one letter demand for every two call attempts. Accounts with substantial recovery potential may receive as many as 20 or more collection attempts within the first 60 days in service.
TopQ: How do you distribute claims to your collectors?
Our collectors are segmented into teams, generally oriented around specific customer or industry segments. Within each collection team, collectors are assigned claims based on account balance, within comparatively narrow ranges, to ensure proper focus on all claims within the collector’s portfolio.
The assignment process is largely automated, to promote efficiency and to facilitate even claim distribution among all collectors within the team.
Q: Can I have a dedicated collector assigned to my accounts?
Our goal is to exceed the expectations of our customers. We partner closely with our customers to establish recovery processes and align resources appropriately to achieve that end. Experience tells us, however, that – as a general rule – recovery performance on a customer’s accounts is not maximized by having fulfillment for the customer’s entire portfolio dependent upon one collector. On the other hand, for many customers – one Customer Care Representative will be dedicated as the customer's single point of contact.
TopQ: How many accounts do your collectors handle?
On average, collectors with assigned portfolios have an active inventory of between 200 and 350 accounts. Collector inventories vary widely based upon our customer’s expectations and requirements, the nature of the intervention required, and the size of the account balances comprising the collector’s portfolio. (Smaller account balances typically involve less intervention and therefore support larger inventories, while larger account balances typically involve greater intervention and therefore require smaller inventories.)
TopQ: How many calls do your collectors make in a day?
Our collectors' daily outbound telephone call attempts vary widely, depending primarily upon the average account balance comprising the collector’s portfolio or queue. Smaller account balances typically involve less intervention and therefore support higher call volumes, while larger account balances typically involve greater intervention and therefore require lower call volumes. On average, our collectors providing fulfillment in a portfolio environment handle approximately 100 calls per day, while our collectors providing fulfillment in a predictive dialer environment handle as many as 200 calls per day.
TopQ: Do your collectors call in the evening? On weekends?
Our collector hours vary by servicing location, but range from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday, and we find most viable business concerns are accessible during those periods. For consumer accounts, and accounts with marginal recovery potential which may benefit from more frequent outbound collection attempts, our predictive dialer team is generally also active on most Saturdays. We do not make outbound collection attempts on Sunday or recognized Holidays.
TopQ: Do you handle consumer claims differently than commercial claims?
Yes. All letter demands and other written communications, for both commercial and consumer applications, are fully compliant with the FDCPA and state statutes and regulations. When in doubt, we treat an account as a consumer account. We differentiate treatment for consumer accounts in three primary respects. First, to ensure compliance with the FDCPA, we do not initiate outbound call attempts on consumer accounts for a minimum of fifteen days, and up to thirty days, after our initial written letter demand. Second, again to ensure compliance with the FDCPA, our collectors verbally inform consumer debtors of the “mini-Miranda” notification during telephone contact. Third, to increase the probability of telephone contact, we target a higher frequency of outbound call attempts on consumer accounts during evening hours and on Saturdays.
TopQ: How do you decide when to use letters or calls or both?
We partner closely with our customers at the inception of the relationship to understand our customers’ expectations, and then to establish effective collection treatment protocols and to align resources appropriately to exceed those expectations. As a general rule, we leverage both letter demands and outbound call attempts on all accounts referred for collection, except account balances less than $100 and accounts without ascertainable telephone numbers, which are generally fulfilled through letter demands. (We do have a team of collectors dedicated to fulfillment of inbound calls generated from letter demands on account balances which are not in outbound call processes.)
TopQ: How do your collectors handle disputed files?
We'll handle them as per your instructions. Our collectors have the training, skill and expertise to overcome common debtor disputes. In the event our collector is unable to overcome a debtor’s dispute, the collector will (1) obtain the details of the dispute, including any paperwork reasonably necessary to document or support the dispute; (2) demand immediate payment of the undisputed portion of the account; (3) obtain a firm offer from the debtor to compromise the disputed portion of the account; (4) notate the dispute resolution activity to the electronic claim record; and (5) refer the dispute, accompanying documentation and any offer of compromise to our customer for review.
TopQ: Do you accept payment plans? What is the maximum length of the plan you approve before you request your customer's feedback?
Our goal is immediate recovery, in full. Whether we accept payment arrangements and, if so, over what time frame, depends entirely upon our customer's expectations and authorization.
Experience tells us that our customers' interests are generally well served if we can recover an account in full within 90 days of referral. Accordingly, absent instructions to the contrary, we generally accept payment arrangements up to three months before requesting our customer's feedback.
Q: How are debtor complaints handled?
All debtor complaints are immediately referred to a supervisor or manager for investigation and response. All complaints are logged to the electronic claim record through resolution. On those rare occasions when a debtor complaint is determined to reflect inappropriate communication or conduct on the part of the assigned collector, the complaint is noted to the collector's personnel file, and appropriate performance improvement or disciplinary measures are implemented.
TopQ: How do you handle merchandise returns?
How we handle merchandise returns depends primarily upon our customer's expectations and instructions. If our customer is willing to accept merchandise returns in lieu of payment, and the debtor refuses to submit payment in lieu of a merchandise return, our collector will follow the customer’s instructions for accomplishing the return, including obtaining authorized restocking fees, necessary RMA's, and proofs of delivery if required. Standard fees apply to merchandise returns.
TopQ: How long does it typically take to work an account?
On average, we resolve accounts in the personal collections phase within 70 to 80 days. We resolve many accounts much earlier while other accounts – such as those subject to authorized payment arrangements – are in process for longer periods. The length of time required to bring an account to resolution depends upon a variety of factors, most notably the treatment matrix established to fulfill our customers’ expectations and the speed of our customers’ response when necessary to move the process forward. Accounts proceeding to attorney service are likely to be in process an additional 60 days, and accounts proceeding to litigation are likely to be in process for up to a year or more.
TopQ: How do you determine when to close a claim as uncollectible?
We leverage the experience of our collectors to make the initial judgment that further collection attempts on an account are unlikely to result in recovery or resolution. The collector’s activity is then reviewed by a collections supervisor, manager, or Final Demand Specialist to determine whether additional collection attempts are warranted.
If so, the account is returned to the Collector for additional recovery processes, or referred to the Final Demand Specialist to escalate the recovery process. Upon determination by collection management or the Final Demand Specialist that further collection attempts on the account are unlikely to result in recovery or resolution, the account is referred to the customer's RMS Customer Care Representative for further review. Depending upon the treatment protocols established with the customer, the Customer Care Representative may initiate additional recovery processes on the account, refer the account to Attorney Services, close the claim as uncollectible, or consult with the customer for further direction.
Q: What is your overall recovery performance?
Our recovery performance varies widely based upon the recovery potential of the accounts referred for collection. The recovery potential of an account is dependent upon numerous factors, including the nature of the account, the age at which the account is referred for collection, the dollar amount of the account, the level of collection activity undertaken prior to referral, etc.
TopQ: How long do you work an account before attorney service is recommended?
It depends on the progress we're making. We leverage the experience of our Collectors and our Customer Care team to quickly identify accounts that will require attorney intervention to resolve, often because of an insurmountable dispute or financial circumstances. For debtors who ignore or avoid collector intervention, we typically continue primary recovery processes for a period of sixty days before referral to our Final Demand Specialist prior to recommendation for attorney service.
TopQ: Will someone notify me prior to sending my account to an attorney?
If requested. In order to promote speed of service and process efficiencies, we recommend the attorney referral process be incorporated into the overall collection treatment protocol we establish with our customer at the inception of the relationship. Accordingly, we find most of our customers prefer notification only at the time of referral to attorney service, but we routinely accommodate those customers who do request notification prior to referral to attorney service.
TopQ: How do you determine the most appropriate attorney firm to handle a claim?
RMS has more experience forwarding commercial accounts to attorneys than any other Third-Party provider. Over the course of our 160-year history, we have partnered with attorneys throughout the country and around the world to build a global network of attorneys who concentrate or limit their practice to the collection and litigation of delinquent accounts on a contingent-fee basis. We were first in the industry to release a “request for proposal” to qualifying law firms throughout the United States, to select the most experienced, capable, and technologically advanced attorneys to service our customers’ accounts. With attorney relationships in every zip code of the country, and in nearly every country in the world, we typically select an attorney firm from our network whose practice is geographically closest to the debtor’s locale. For substantial account balances, or particularly unusual account circumstances, we will consult with an attorney by telephone prior to referral to pre-qualify the attorney firm's readiness to handle the account.
TopQ: Can I select attorneys to handle my accounts in attorney service?
Yes. We welcome our customer's input throughout the recovery process, including the selection of attorneys to handle accounts requiring legal intervention. If RMS will be expected to manage the attorney service process during legal intervention, we will work with our customer to ensure the selected attorney’s compensation expectations are consistent with our underlying referral agreement with the customer. As a general rule, legal intervention is successful only through attorneys in the immediate vicinity of the debtor’s locale – in most instances, our customers find we have successfully leveraged our experience and business scale to identify the most capable attorney firms with the most reasonable compensation structures.
TopQ: What expenses are required for attorney service?
There are no expenses required for referral of an account to attorney service, other than the contingent fees assessed upon recovery, pursuant to the terms of the underlying referral agreement with our customer. In the event legal proceedings are recommended, however, attorneys will typically require a court cost advancement and may require a non-contingent suit fee retainer. If the debtor files a counter-proceeding, additional expenses may be required to defend the counter-proceeding.
(1) Court costs represent those sums a litigant is required to pay a court clerk (for filing a complaint and other legal papers) and a sheriff or process server (for personal service of legal papers on other litigants). Most court costs are recoverable from a debtor, provided of course the customer prevails and recovers the underlying claim. If the claim proves uncollectible, the attorney will refund unexpended court cost advancements. The amount of court costs required varies widely depending upon the amount of the claim, the nature of the legal proceedings, and the local jurisdiction – but, typically, range from about $150 to about $500, as an initial advancement.
(2) If legal proceedings are necessary, most attorneys also charge a contingent “suit fee”, generally expressed as a separate percentage (usually 10%) of any recovery, in addition to RMS contingent fees for attorney service. In many instances, particularly where the account balance is substantial or the account is highly disputed such that the attorney can anticipate frequent or lengthy court appearances, the attorney will request a portion of the contingent suit fee (usually one-half) be advanced as a retainer. In the event there is no recovery on the claim, the attorney will be entitled to retain the suit fee (hence, the term “non-contingent”). In the event there is a recovery on the claim, the non-contingent suit fee is credited against the attorney’s contingent suit fee.
The amount of the non-contingent suit fee retainer will vary widely depending upon the amount of the claim and the attorney selected. RMS has partnered closely with the attorneys in our network to reduce the incidence and amount of non-contingent suit fee requests.
(3) Occasionally, usually as a retaliatory measure, a debtor may respond to legal proceedings by filing a countersuit or counterclaim. The filing of a counter-proceeding constitutes a separate legal proceeding, independent of the initial legal proceeding, and must be defended. Our customer is always free to retain separate counsel to defend a counter-proceeding, or may authorize the original attorney to defend the counter-proceeding. In either event, attorneys generally charge an hourly fee for defense work, and may request a separate fee retainer to be advanced against such hourly defense fees.
TopQ: How is RMS involved once a claim is forwarded to an attorney?
Once a claim is forwarded to attorney service, our Customer Care Representatives and our Attorney File Specialists actively oversee the entire process through recovery or resolution. We consult with our customer regarding the legal process and offer recommendations for further action. We monitor the legal proceedings closely with the attorney to ensure regular and prompt follow-through. We manage the communication and information exchange process, responding to the attorney directly where possible and otherwise facilitating appropriate response from our customer. We assist our customer to complete necessary forms to move the process forward. We ensure all advancements are accounted for and all recoveries are remitted in accordance with the established compensation agreements. We engage in continual attorney performance management to ensure we maintain a network comprised of the highest caliber of service-oriented attorneys at the most affordable price. In short, RMS fulfills all of the ancillary functions inherent to a legal process and an attorney relationship, allowing our customer to concentrate on other priorities.
TopQ: Can I place claims into your attorney service program if I don't intend to file suit?
Yes. We encourage our customers to refer claims to our attorney service program, even if the customer does not intend to file suit. Many of our customers recognize that litigation is not appropriate for every account balance or for every claim circumstance. On the other hand, our experience tells us that many debtors who refuse to respond to our primary collection processes will respond to demands from an attorney located in their own “backyard”. Accordingly, we have worked with the attorneys in our network to design a highly efficient “Non-Litigation” attorney service process.
We leverage the same attorney relationships we utilize for litigation processes, but we inform the attorney upon referral that our customer will not authorize suit. The attorney employs written and verbal demands in an effort to recover or resolve the account without legal process. If the attorney generates a recovery-related response – payment, promise to pay, settlement offer, etc. – the attorney will pursue the account to recovery or resolution. If the attorney’s demands do not generate a recovery-related response, generally within forty-five days of referral, we will close and return the account. Approximately one-half of all recoveries in our attorney service process are realized through our “Non-Litigation” process.
Q: Is it possible to have only one contact person at RMS?
Yes. RMS can provide our customers with a single point of contact who is responsible to the customer for establishing a processing platform for reporting, remittance procedures, collection file management, attorney service file management, and acts as the liaison between the collection team and the customer.
TopQ: How do I know whom to call when I have questions?
A Customer Care Representative is available to our customers as a primary contact. Additionally, the sales representative and management are always available to respond to our customers.
TopQ: Can RMS develop a customized action plan tailored to my receivable management needs?
Yes, RMS provides a variety of service and collection plans that have been developed over our 160 years of experience. Special servicing requirements will be evaluated based on customer needs.
TopQ: How do you know if you are doing a good job?
We constantly measure and monitor our performance against strict standards developed by both our customers and us and utilize customer satisfaction surveys to further assess our performance. Our proprietary Recovery Score and SmartStream reporting capabilities provide us with exceptional resources to evaluate the quality and outcome of our services.
TopQ: What is the tenure of your staff?
Tenure of staff varies from office to office and is dependent upon factors such as how long the office has been established. With the exception of our most recently hired associates who have been retained to support the growth of our business, a large number of our staff in certain offices have been with our organization for over 10 years.
TopQ: What types of training requirements/programs do you have?
RMS associates are required to participate in a regimen of training modules to assist in the development of their personal and business skills for their area of responsibility. Training programs include Listening Skills, FDCPA, Telephone Techniques, Collector Workstation, Negotiation and Dispute Resolution, Customer Care, and understanding RMS Business Information Reports.
Additional training is provided through the annual Performance Feedback process. Feedback discussions include the following basic elements: Establishment of Goals, Documentation of Results, Quarterly Review Planning Towards Goal Achievement, and Self-Development Needs Analysis.
TopQ: Are your associates eligible to earn commission based on performance?
Yes. Each of our associates from Collectors through Administrative Staff have the opportunity to earn commissions based on their individual and collective contributions to the satisfaction of our customers and the level of our results.
TopQ: Do you practice diversity in your hiring practices? How?
Yes. We are dedicated to promoting diversity in all aspects of our human resources management, including our hiring practices. Diversity among our workforce is highly encouraged and every associate is valued for her or his unique attributes.
TopQ: Are all your collectors trained regarding the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act?
Yes. All of our collectors are provided with comprehensive FDCPA training by our Training and Development Department supplemented by continuing education provided by our legal staff. Compliance with the FDCPA, and with all other local, state and federal statutes and regulations, is regularly monitored by local collection management.
TopQ: Does your collection staff have industry specific training?
Yes. Our collection staff is among the most tenured and experienced in the industry. To supplement comprehensive initial and annual training of collectors by our Training and Development Department, we train industry-specific teams depending on customer need.
TopQ: How do you evaluate collector performance?
All collector activity that supports achievement of recovery performance is tracked and reported daily, monthly, quarterly and annually – including dollars collected versus assigned objective, recovery rate as a percentage of accounts assigned, number of telephone calls made and received, time on the telephone, delinquency rates, average age of inventory, urgent payments generated (checks-by-phone and overnight courier), post-dated checks generated as a percentage of dollars collected, completeness of claim notation, and overall file handling. Collector compensation – including monthly bonus and annual merit increases – and collector development – including promotion and performance improvement measures – are tied directly to performance.
TopQ: How are your collectors compensated?
Base salary with performance based commission. Our collectors are paid a salary for the hours of service performed each week. In addition, every collector has the opportunity to earn a monthly commission, calculated as a percentage of the dollars collected during the month. The rate of commission earned is based upon the collector’s performance to assigned objectives. Our collectors have an additional monthly bonus opportunity based upon the collective achievement of their immediate or intermediate teammates to assigned objectives.
Our total collector compensation package, including salary, commission and benefits, is among the most competitive in the industry.
Q: How secure are your systems and e-mail communications?
RMS employs many levels of security within the Catalyst Receivables System
- All employees have unique access codes (LOGON IDs) with system enforced rotation of passwords.
- Each LOGON ID is associated with a unique set of functional responsibilities.
- Database update capability is thus restricted to those having specific functional responsibility.
- The application enforces update security based on claim “ownership” as it progresses through the collection treatment process.
- Given that the Network is fully secure behind a firewall, all of the above security measures also apply to our e-mail system. In specific customer situations we have also used encrypted messaging or digital certificates where appropriate.
Q: Do you have a disaster recovery plan in place?
Yes. RMS has a full disaster recovery plan that is capable of restoring the operating system, applications, database files and critical customer services within a 48-72 hour period in the event of a centralized disaster.
TopQ: What financial controls do you have in place?
All remittances are processed by our administrative and financial staff under management supervision…debtor payments are not routed through our sales, collections or customer care associates.
All funds received are processed and deposited daily into a Customer Trust Fund Account.
TopQ: What type of Insurance coverage do you carry?
We carry a full range of P&C (property and casualty) insurance including:
- Liability
- Crime & Fidelity
- Errors & Omissions
- Worker's Compensation (as required by law)
Q: Where are you licensed?
RMS maintains licenses in all United States and Canadian jurisdictions that require licensing of collection agencies. (We operate in Hong Kong as well, but Hong Kong does not currently require special licensing of collection agencies).
TopQ: How long does it take for RMS to remit collected funds?
Typically, RMS holds collected funds 17 days to allow checks to clear; this eliminates many situations requiring us to bill our customers for returned checks.
TopQ: How frequently can I get remittances on dollars collected by RMS?
Our remittance cycles include daily, weekly, or monthly remittances, dependent upon the number of transactions and dollars involved and customer needs. For daily remittances, a separate check is issued for every claim collected. For weekly and monthly remittances, one check per week or month is issued along with a listing of all claims collected during the weekly or monthly cycle.
TopQ: How does RMS handle NSF checks?
Our bank will notify us as soon as the check is returned and sends us a debit advice along with the check. We immediately initiate appropriate collection action against the debtor. Our typical “holding period” of 17 days before we remit to our customers often eliminates the need to bill back our customers for NSF checks.
TopQ: What happens if you remit payment to a customer and your collection subsequently comes back NSF?
Despite our typical “holding period” of 17 days before we remit to our customers, occasionally, our bank returns checks after we have remitted to our customers. In these situations, we bill our customers for the amount we remitted to them. In all cases, we take immediate action to recover the amount of the returned check (and often additional funds) from the debtor.
TopQ: Can RMS deduct payments made to customers from remittance checks rather than billing customers for these amounts?
Yes. For customers who receive a weekly or monthly remittance (not daily remittance) from RMS, we can adjust the amount of our remittance check to deduct any fees for payments made directly to our customers on claims they have placed with us.
TopQ: Are there any fees if an account is withdrawn?
Usually. Whether fees are assessed when an account is withdrawn depends primarily upon the circumstances under which the account is withdrawn. Immediately upon referral of an account, we fully dedicate our information, technology and associate resources to fulfillment of our customer’s expectations with respect to that account. We understand that compensation for our efforts is entirely contingent upon our successful recovery or resolution of the account, and for that reason sometimes our best efforts are not compensated. On the other hand, if – through no service failure on our part – an account is withdrawn prematurely after we have made meaningful progress toward recovery or resolution, we are effectively deprived of the opportunity to earn compensation for our efforts. Should an account be withdrawn under those circumstances, we will work with our customer to determine the most appropriate compensation for our efforts. At the same time, we recognize that systems, processes – and people – are not perfect, so mistakes can occur. Accordingly, we generally do not assess any fees for withdrawal of an account placed in error, if the account is withdrawn within a reasonable period of time.
TopQ: What happens if the debtor pays your customer instead of RMS?
You notify us and we'll invoice you. The power of the RMS brand to improve speed of recovery and overall collection performance cannot be overstated. We frequently find debtors respond to our early-stage demands by remitting payment directly to our customer in an effort to avoid any actual or perceived consequence to their credit reputation. We frequently find debtors respond to our later-stage demands by remitting payment directly to our customer as a matter of real or feigned principle. In either event, absent express agreement to the contrary, our standard agreements provide that full contingent fees are earned on all recoveries following referral of an account, regardless of whether the payment is received by us or by our customer. Upon confirmation a payment has been received directly by our customer, we generally mail our customer an invoice for our contingent fees, with payment kindly due upon receipt.
TopQ: What is the best way for my company to report direct payments?
Whatever works best for you. Timely reporting of direct payments is critical to the integrity and efficiency of our recovery processes. Once a debtor has provided us with sufficient information or documentation to qualify a report of payment direct to our customer, we are effectively precluded from continuing recovery processes with respect to that portion of the account balance until our customer has confirmed or denied receipt of the payment. Accordingly, the best method for reporting direct payments is whatever method is most convenient to ensure prompt notification. Most of our customers report direct payments by telephone or by e-mail. For customers with large placement volumes, our I/T Department will work with our customer’s I/T resources to establish systems and processes to support electronic notification of direct payments, through daily or weekly file transmissions.
TopQ: What services does RMS offer?
Receivable Management Services is the largest B2B receivable management company in the world. With operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Hong Kong, RMS offers a full continuum of services: from Electronic Billing and First-Party collections (collecting under the customer’s name) through traditional Third-Party collections (collection under the RMS name) and Bankruptcy Services. Additional information about RMS is available at www.rmshk.com.
TopQ: What are the rates for your collection services?
The standard rates for commercial collection services are
- 25% on the first $3,000 collected
- 20% on the next $3,001 to $15,000 collected
- 15% on the amounts collected over $15,000
Minimum Fees & Rates
- 50% on collections of $200 or less
- A flat $100 on collections of $201 to $400
- 33 1/3% on collections when the oldest invoice is more than one year old
Q: Can you handle my foreign accounts? If so, are the rates different between foreign and domestic accounts?
Receivable Management Services maintains a worldwide network of collection offices to handle your foreign accounts. We can give you a physical presence in virtually every major center of global commerce. Rates vary by country; full details are available on our website,www.rmshk.com or through your sales representative.
When your accounts are collected, we forward payments directly to you no later than 21 days upon receipt and clearance of checks by the RMS office closest to your debtor. And all remittances are in U.S. dollars.
TopQ: Do you handle consumer business?
RMS handles consumer claims for many of our customers and has substantial expertise in this highly specialized collections segment. Our collectors receive special training to ensure complete compliance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
TopQ: What happens to a claim if a debtor files bankruptcy? Will you file the Proof of Claim?
RMS Bankruptcy Services is available to our customers (for an additional fee) to handle bankruptcy matters. When a bankruptcy is verified, the balance due and appropriate documentation are forwarded to Bankruptcy Services where a proof of claim is prepared and filed, special recovery efforts are initiated where appropriate, and the case is tracked and managed for the duration of the bankruptcy proceedings.
TopQ: Are there types of claims you won't handle?
RMS does not make a practice of handling claims for medical or nursing home services, collections for child support, alimony, etc. We collect solely on behalf of businesses.
TopQ: When I place a claim with RMS is this reflected on the debtor's RMS report?
Yes. Unless specifically requested, we will report your experience in the RMS database after allowing a short time period for resolution.
TopQ: Do you report to credit bureaus?
No, RMS does not typically report to any credit reporting agencies other than the D&B Business Information Report
TopQ: What skip tracing tools do you have?
All accounts placed for collection are validated and scored against the RMS credit database, with more than 12 million domestic business records. Accounts without telephone numbers are matched against external vendors’ databases. Our in-house skip-tracing specialists utilize internal resources, such as RMS Business Information Reports™ and the RMS DebtScan™ database, as well as Internet-based search engines in the public domain and web-based vendor relationships linked to federal, state, county and municipal public records information databases.
TopQ: Do you accept credit card payments?
Currently, RMS does not process debtor payments by credit card. We do, however, facilitate debtor payments by credit card for those customers who accept that form of payment.
TopQ: How can I learn more about Receivable Management Services?
Your local Sales Representative will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Our extensive website, at www.rmshk.com, is also available as an easy to navigate source of information about our organization.
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