“COMPANY under fire for debt collection”- The Australian 01/10/2020
“Parents ‘hounded’ by COMPANY debt collectors”- The Daily Advertiser 23/02/2021
“DEBT THREAT SHAME” - Geelong Advertiser 27/05/2020
These are actual newspaper headlines where, businesses through their debt collection, have had a hit to their reputations. In a HBR* article the writers say that, “businesses with strong positive reputations are perceived as providing more value, which often allows them to charge a premium. Their customers are more loyal and buy broader ranges of products and services.” Reputation is EVERYTHING!
So how does Access Mercantile protect your brand and reputation while debt collecting?
Keeping consumer interactions on positive footing can be particularly tough for debt collectors. In a delinquency, borrowers rarely think of themselves as “customers,” let alone consider a successful resolution—paying back money—as a positive experience.
It starts with vision.
Customer Focused Vision
At Access Mercantile we place the customer at the center of our integrated credit ecosystem. Our people are the backbone of our success. Our team’s approaches to collections, is to treat each case on its individual merits. Our team, many of whom, have years of experience and a wealth of knowledge find ways of achieving an outcome. Supported by our senior leaders, along with a flat structure allows our team to be agile and take swift action, the faster we can act, the greater the chance of recovery. Our highly skilled and trained workforce abides by stringent quality and compliance guidelines to preserve our own reputation as well as our clients.
Respect
Delivering a poor customer experience (CX) within collections wastes valuable resources and budgets on acquisition only for them to take their business elsewhere next time around. You want to know when entrusting your customers in the hands of Access Mercantile, that they will always be treated with respect. We are all human and we all have debt, there is no room for judgement when we interact with customers. The reality is every customer in delinquency has unique circumstances and preferences. Taking a one-size-fits-all approach ignores these very principles and creates a poor customer experience.
Customer Communication
Communication is the key, so having an open dialogue with your customer is important. The way in which debt is communicated, and the approach, is critical. We have found that maintaining engagement with the customer results in a better collection rate. That’s why, when we are dealing with a customer, our language is one of open engagement.
Compliance & Quality
Access Mercantile has a strong commitment to best practice compliance. Our Integrated Management System [IMS], reinforces our ability to ensure all our staff are proficient at their job for compliance, policy and performance reasons. In addition to the above, all employees are trained in core company policies that extend from operational policy requirements through to adherence to legislation and policies associated with our IMS that cover ISO 27001 and ISO9001 specific process and policies.
Access Mercantile applies Customer Focused Vision, Respect, Customer Communication, Compliance & Quality to help protect your brand and reputation which is reflected in each interaction with customers which result in collections outcomes and customer engagement.
*Harvard Business Review Magazine Feb 2007: Reputation and It’s Risks
About Access Mercantile Services
Experts in the credit management ecosystem, Access Mercantile Services have knowledgeable, dedicated and specialised resources to ensure we keep your customer engaged and protect your brand. With a fully integrated end to end credit management model, underpinned by innovation and technology, we act quickly and with agility to deliver a high success rate for your business. With teams across Australia and New Zealand, we can reach your customer no matter where they are. Access Mercantile is ISO accredited, fully compliant and industry affiliated. www.accessmercantile.com.au