The Customer Service Assistant - Collections is responsible for mitigating and recovering loss associated with delinquent and finalized accounts. Under general supervision, the Customer Service Assistant - Collections will develop and maintain relationships with delinquent customers, update and maintain customer contact information, utilize effective strategies for contacting customers, establishing payment arrangements, and collecting on bad debt, compile information needed to collect on delinquent accounts, recommend and initiate legal proceedings and enforce judgements on the same, perform regular operational and administrative duties, including the daily processing of the accounts; compile statistics and reports, liaise with external parties on work matters, and perform other duties as required.
Maintain health, safety and environmental standards by:
Ensuring compliance with all safety policies and procedures,
Ensuring compliance with all environmental and health standards, and
Completing all the required HSE training.
Maintain customer service excellence by:
Establishing respectful relationships with clients to obtain information and encourage compliance with agreements and payment terms.
Responding to general customer inquiries, providing written responses and escalating to management as situations require.
Objectively conducting means tests of a customer’s financial position, determining ability to repay, and outlining the same in payment plan structures that align with established company guidelines.
Educating customers on the billing process, on reading and interpreting bills, and on legal obligations and penalties associated with bad debt.
Support operational efficiencies by:
Establishing and maintaining accurate customer records and databases.
Performing administrative duties that include daily processing of accounts.
Compiling statistics and reports for management review.
Achieve financial objectives by:
Reviewing accounts receivables balance to determine which accounts require investigative action and collection activities.
Demonstrating diplomacy and resourcefulness in data collection and contacting delinquent clients.
Negotiating and tracking agreements and payment terms within established company guidelines.
Performing collections duties, including those associated with payment plan delinquencies.
Implementing innovative strategies at all stages of the collection process, including adopting best practices in locating debtors.
Determining when collection efforts have become futile and initiate legal action accordingly.
Gathering, documenting and presenting information in support of claims for outstanding debt in civil proceedings to obtain liens and abstracts of judgment.
Appearing in court to bear witness in legal collections efforts.
Enforcing compliance with court ordered judgments related to the terms of bad debt collection.
Ensures achievement of departmental goals and targets related to bad debt collection.
Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications and participating in professional societies, job rotations, and cross training.
Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
The Customer Service Assistant - Collections will have a earned a college degree in accounting, finance, or law or have at least three years’ experience in collections or administration. He/she will be self- motivated, organized, diplomatic, firm, able to multi-task, and able to assess the nuances of situations, make decisions that align with established company policies. Additionally, he/she will have knowledge of computer programs used for monitoring payment schedules, efficient in data analytics, have exceptional oral and written communication and interpersonal skills in developing and maintain relationships with customers and external stakeholders, and be able to learn and apply government codes.
