Debt Recovery

Are you trying to shortlist a Collection Agency by looking at their Google reviews or Yelp rating? According to inc.com – 88% of customers read an online review, influencing their buying decision. But, a single bad review can undo the value of 40 good customer experiences.

Those online review methodologies work well for restaurants and doctors, but the same criteria does not work well for the Debt Collections industry.

• Most negative reviews are left by debtors who hate debt collectors anyway. That is because the Collection Agency recovered some money from them, which they were not planning to pay.
• Some disgruntled employees who could not adapt to the pressure of being a Debt Collector leave a negative review about the job or the workplace. Maybe they could not make enough money as a debt collector and left a negative online Google review.
• Many clients submit highly disputed debts to a collection agency and expect that those debts will somehow be magically recovered. If a debt is highly disputed or too old, even a collection agency may not be able to recover those. No collection agency will recover 100% of the debts assigned.
• Satisfied people are often thankless. Not many clients who get good returns take the pain to leave a review for a Collections Agency on Google or Yelp. No one wants to publically announce online that they use the services of a collection agency. Some clients leave positive reviews because their Collection Agency Rep requested them to do so. Dissatisfied customers are more vocal, and so are the debtors.
• Competitors may intentionally try to plant fake negative reviews to sink the business of their rivals.
• Many businesses, including collection agencies, often hire “Reputation management firms” and professional marketing firms to ensure good online ratings, which has almost nothing to do with the real recovery rates of that collection agency. They attempt to game the online review system.

Need a Good Collection Agency? Serving Doctors & Businesses Nationwide ➧ Contact us  Higher Recovery Rates: Top-Notch Customer Service Still looking for a 5-star rating on BBB and Google. Let us help you!

We are not saying there is no way to gauge a collection agency, but due to the nature of the job they perform, they simply cannot be evaluated by general public reviews.

Many people from the accounts receivable industry crack jokes by saying that it is quite possible that a Collection Agency with horrible ratings on Google could be the best one (since it recovered so much money, it landed up annoying too many people). We are not recommending you use this judgment criterion either.

Many agencies that are rated higher on Google do so by requesting their employees, friends and only satisfied customers to leave 5-star reviews and thereby artificially raise their ratings. Unlike sites like Amazon,  where we have a “Verified Buyer” tag next to a review, generic online reviews like those on Google/Yelp have no way to know whether the reviewer has even used a service or if the reviewer is a debtor, employee or someone else. Therefore these reviews are subjected to manipulation.

Some agencies simply push their ratings higher to take advantage of Search Engine Optimization. However, some agencies are genuinely rated higher, but we are talking very broadly. Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings are a lot more reliable.

The right way to gauge a collection agency is by their recovery rates, product offerings, adherence to the debt collection laws, and the experience of their management and staff.

The medical industry uses Collection Agencies a lot. May you have a friend who is a doctor, he can recommend a good collection agency.

References:
www.inc.com/andrew-thomas/the-hidden-ratio-that-could-make-or-break-your-company.html

Minimizing the accounts receivable has become extremely important for the Car Rental industry. Chargebacks, vehicle damages, fuel charges, tire damage, one-way drop-off, and parking tickets are common issues that rental car companies face.

Online ride-sharing services already present enormous growth challenges for the industry. Therefore losing money to unpaid bills further impacts the cash flow.

Need a collection agency with experience in your industry? Contact us

Car rental companies like Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz, and Avis have been fiercely competing with Uber, Lyft, and Turo, which are genuine businesses but probably have an unfair business advantage due to low operating costs and taxes.

Leaving money uncollected from past-due accounts is like leaving money on the table. An effective accounts receivable strategy is vital to survive, and Debt Collection Agencies play a critical role in recovering outstanding debt for car rental companies.

Statistics indicate that accounts over 60-90 days past due should be promptly transferred to a collection agency for a better recovery. Collection Agencies can recover money most effectively with their vast pool of resources and partnerships. They will efficiently collect money from lease breaks, repossessions, damages, and credit card chargebacks.

Collection Letters Service

Upfront cost for 5 Collection Letters is about $15 per account. Debtors pay directly to you, no other fees. Low-cost option. Good for accounts less than 120 days past due.

Collection Calls Service

Contingency fee only. No upfront or other fees. Agency gets paid a portion of the money they recover.  No recovery-No fees. Best for accounts over 120 days. A debt collector calls debtor many times. If everything fails, a possible Legal Suit is recommended by the attorney.

Equipped with advanced Skip Tracing services and a collection staff that recovers money all year long, they utilize services like Collection letters, Collection calls and Legal suits. They follow a multi-step approach to recover money from people who have defaulted on their payments.

Collection agencies collect money empathetically and diplomatically by following federal and state collection laws. This will give you much-needed money for growth and transforming your fleet to EV’s as the times change.

Overdue accounts receivable for the Laundry and Dry Cleaning Service industries is an ongoing problem. Hiring an in-house person to deal with accounts receivable, even with prior experience in the collections industry is still not all that effective because collections are still being done under the name of your laundry company instead of a professional collection agency.

Fact: Customers are incredibly concerned when recovery is initiated under the name of a debt collection agency. They were not so serious when recovery was being made using your own Company’s own name.

Contact us for your professional debt collection needs.

Additionally, collection agencies enroll for expensive “Scrub services” for “Change of Address“, “Bankruptcy” and “Litigious Customer” checks. Enrolling in these services for a standard entity like a Laundry Company is not practical because these Scrubs are too expensive per account. Collection agencies buy these subscription services, and these scrubs are cheaper for them.

Creating internal aging reports, monitoring accounts for delinquency, and follow-up with overdue invoices works well for the first 90 days. Beyond that, there is no point in pursuing recovery under your own name. If a client has not paid in 90 days, what is the possibility that they will pay any time soon ( or ever)? Extremely low!

Collection agencies are licensed and bonded, so if a counter-lawsuit arises, their insurance policy almost always covers lawyer fees and damages filed by the client. They keep their staff up to date with constant changes in collection laws, something which an in-house employee of a laundry company cannot keep up with because he works pretty much in solitude.

Delinquent customers are fearful of an account getting transferred to a Collections Agency. They are concerned that their account could be reported to a credit reporting agency and possibly be transferred for a legal suit. For accounts with higher balances, a collection agency will likely forward the account to one of their national network of attorneys to file a lawsuit.

You cannot win a football match by hiring a single player; you need a full team with varying roles to achieve the desired results. A Collections Agency works as a team, with each debt collection department playing a different role.

In short, an in-house staff has little chance to compete with the recovery rate that a collections agency can achieve. If you include the salary of your in-house employee, printing costs, benefits, mailing, follow-up and all the hidden costs, a collection agency turns out to be a lot cheaper and more effective choice.

Collection Demands Service

The upfront cost for 5 Collection Letters is about $15 per account. Debtors pay directly to you, no other fees. Low cost option. Good for accounts less than 120 days past due.

Collection Calls Service

Contingency fee only. No upfront or other fees. Agency gets paid a portion of the money they recover.  No recovery-No fees. Best for accounts over 120 days. A debt collector calls debtor many times. If everything fails, a possible Legal Suit is recommended by the attorney.

Collections agencies have been recovering money for their clients for decades. Almost no one can beat their efficiency and cost of collecting the debt.

Check here: Cost of hiring a collections agency

Pharmacy Bill Recovery: Protecting Your 3% Margin

In independent pharmacy, the math has changed. With PBM reimbursements often dipping below acquisition cost (NADAC) and retroactive DIR fees squeezing cash flow, the days of “letting it slide” are over.

The hard truth: If your net profit margin is hovering around 1.8% to 3%, you must fill approximately $2,700 worth of prescriptions just to offset a single $50 uncollected co-pay.

You cannot afford to be the community bank. Whether it is uncollected patient deductibles for high-cost specialty meds or a Nursing Home that is 90 days late on their “house account,” you need a recovery partner who understands the unique financial ecosystem of a pharmacy.

The “PBM Audit” Shield: Why You Must Collect

Most owners view collections as “revenue recovery.” You must view it as Audit Defense.

PBM contracts and federal Anti-Kickback statutes generally prohibit the “routine waiver of co-pays.” If an auditor sees a pattern of uncollected balances on your books, they can accuse you of offering illegal inducements to patients.

• The Threat: The PBM can claw back the entire reimbursement (the full cost of the drug), not just the uncollected $20 co-pay. On a specialty Rheumatoid Arthritis medication, a waived co-pay could trigger a $3,000 recoupment.

• The Solution: Assigning these debts to a collection agency creates an irrefutable paper trail. It proves to the auditor that you made a “commercially reasonable effort” to collect, protecting your full reimbursement.

The 3 Hidden Revenue Leaks in Pharmacy

Your “Accounts Receivable” likely hides three specific types of debt. A general collection agency treats them all the same, but a pharmacy specialist knows the difference:

1. The “LTC” & Facility Trap (B2B Debt)

If you service Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities, Group Homes, or Hospices, you likely bill them monthly on “net-30” terms.

• The Risk: When facility ownership changes or an administrator quits, your $15,000 monthly invoice often falls into a black hole.

• The Fix: This is Commercial Debt, not consumer debt. It requires an agency that knows how to pierce the corporate veil and demand payment from the facility’s CFO, not the patient.

2. Specialty Medication Deductibles

You dispensed a $4,000 Hepatitis C drug. The insurance covered $3,000. The patient owes a $1,000 deductible.

• The Scenario: You set up a compassionate payment plan. The patient pays the first installment and then stops answering calls.

• The Reality: You have already paid the wholesaler. That $1,000 loss wipes out the profit of your next 500 routine scripts. These high-balance accounts must be prioritized immediately.

3. DME (Durable Medical Equipment) “Rentals”

If you rent hospital beds, nebulizers, or crutches, you face a unique problem: The equipment is gone, and the payments stopped.

• The Fix: An agency can recover the fair market value of the unreturned equipment, ensuring you aren’t left with a depreciating asset and zero revenue.

Compounding Pharmacies: The “Refill” Trap

Compounding pharmacies face a specific hazard: The Custom Med. Unlike a generic pill you can return to the shelf, a compounded cream is a sunk cost ($80-$150 in labor/materials) the moment it is made.

• The Danger: Patients often order a refill before paying for the previous month. If you ship batch #2 without collecting on batch #1, you are compounding your losses.

• The Strategy: Implement a strict “Collections Hold” policy. Let the agency chase the old debt while you require “Credit Card on File” for all future fills.

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Pharmacies want a collection agency that:

To protect your community reputation while enforcing your bottom line, you need a partner that checks these specific boxes:

• Understands HIPAA is Non-Negotiable: A data breach is more expensive than the debt. Your agency must be SOC 2 Type II certified and understand exactly what “Minimum Necessary Information” means when talking to a debtor.

• Can Handle “Soft” vs. “Hard” Collections:

  • Soft Approach: For the elderly patient who simply forgot her $30 bill. (Diplomatic reminders, preserving the relationship).

  • Hard Approach: For the Nursing Home administrator ignoring a $12,000 invoice. (Legal demands, credit reporting, corporate pressure).

• Offers “Fixed-Fee” Pre-Collection: You shouldn’t pay 30% to collect a fresh debt. Look for agencies offering flat-fee letters (e.g., $15/account) for debts under 120 days old.

• Knows the “Part D” Donut Hole: Agents should be trained to explain why a patient owes money (e.g., “Mrs. Jones, you hit your coverage gap, which is why this bill is higher than usual”). Educated patients are more likely to pay.

• Integrates with Modern PMS: Whether you use PioneerRx, McKesson, or Micro Merchant, the agency should accept digital file uploads to save your techs from manual data entry.

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Stop Turning Techs into Debt Collectors

Your technicians are trained to navigate insurance adjudications and fill prescriptions accurately. They are not trained to have conflict-heavy financial arguments.

Forcing your front-line staff to chase bad debt leads to two things:

1. Staff Burnout: It is a morale killer to ask care-focused staff to play “bad cop.”

2. The “Nice Guy” Write-Off: Techs will naturally “let it slide” to avoid awkwardness at the counter.

Outsourcing creates a healthy separation. Your staff remains the “healthcare heroes,” while the agency handles the uncomfortable financial enforcement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can we deny refills if a patient is in collections?

A: This depends on state laws and the type of medication. Generally, you cannot deny emergency life-sustaining medication, but you can refuse to dispense purely elective meds or convert the patient to “Cash on Delivery” (COD) status until the balance is resolved.

Q: What about unpaid “House Accounts”?

A: The average independent pharmacy writes off 1.5% of total revenue annually due to unpaid house accounts. If a “loyal” customer hasn’t paid in 90 days, the loyalty is gone. Assigning it to an agency allows you to say, “I’m sorry, our accountant automatically moves old accounts,” diverting the anger away from you.

Q: Is it worth collecting a $40 co-pay?

A: On its own? Maybe not. But in aggregate? Absolutely. If you have 100 unpaid co-pays of $40, that is $4,000 in pure profit lost. Most agencies allow you to “batch” these small debts together for efficient processing.

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Stop filling prescriptions for free.

Serving Pharmacies Nationwide Need a Collection Agency? Contact Us

 

Every year millions of Americans utilize a variety of rehabilitation therapy services. Rehab centers and physiotherapists are vital in keeping our citizens healthy and self-reliant.

Unfortunately, billing is a complicated affair for Rehab centers because there is no uniform standard for how much private insurance will cover. The coverage is vastly different if a patient has a government-sponsored plan such as Medicare or Medicaid.

Moreover, the insurance coverage also varies from state to state, which determines deductibles, co-insurance, co-payments and other payments not covered by the patient’s insurance provider. Then there is a variation in the contractual agreements between various Rehab centers and insurance companies.

Rehab centers and physiotherapists expect payment right after the rendering of services or within 30 days of the billing date.

Need a Collection Agency for Rehab Centers and Physiotherapists: Contact Us

Even though rehab centers explain the billing process to their patients very clearly by providing a breakdown of what is covered by their insurance and what would be there out-of-pocket costs, many patients still cannot pay bills on time. The internal staff of the rehab centers is responsible for making reminder calls and sending repeat invoices by mail. Once a debt is 90 days past due, the efforts of in-house billing departments appear of no use.

The involvement of a professional debt collection agency is a game-changer. Patients are more likely to pay when a collection agency demands the payment versus when a rehab center tries to collect money by itself.

A debt collection agency assists rehab centers by making patients fulfill their obligations by establishing repayment plans, offering various payment options and explaining the consequences of not paying. They send recovery notices to the patient or the guarantor. Recovery efforts include collection calls and litigation if bills are still not cleared despite all the efforts.

Collection Letters Service

The upfront cost for 5 Collection Letters is about $15 per account. Debtors pay directly to you, no other fees. Low cost option. Good for accounts less than 120 days past due.

Collection Calls Service

Contingency fee only. No upfront or other fees. Agency gets paid a portion of money they recover.  No recovery-No fees. Best for accounts over 120 days. A debt collector calls debtor many times. If everything fails, a possible Legal Suit if recommended by the attorney.

The multi-step approach by collection agencies maximizes the chances of recovering money. Collections are performed diplomatically to preserve the relationship between the rehab center and the patient.

Check here: Cost of hiring a collections agency

Physiotherapy, psychiatry, de-addiction, sports & wellness, detoxification and rehabilitation centers must utilize the debt recovery services of a collection agency to recover money from clients who have not paid. They should avoid writing off that debt. Accounts receivable can restrict the cash flow and profitability of these wellness centers.

Contact us for your debt collection needs.

In the spa and salon industry, your brand is built on relaxation and trust. However, unpaid memberships, “no-show” fees, and bounced payments for high-end beauty packages can disrupt your cash flow.

You need a recovery partner that understands the “Velvet Hammer” approach: firm enough to get paid, but respectful enough to ensure your 5-star Yelp or Google rating stays intact.

Nexa provides a reputation-safe approach, equipped with all 50-state collections license, offering free credit reporting, free litigation, free bankruptcy scrubs, and zero onboarding fees. Secure – SOC 2 Type II & HIPAA compliant. Over 2,000 online reviews rate us 4.85 out of 5. We recover your funds without the “debt collector” drama.

Need a Collection Agency? Contact us

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Two Lanes to Restore Your Cash Flow

• Fixed-fee $15: Ideal for small balances like membership dues or service no-shows. You keep 100% of the money we recover.

• Contingency (20%–40%): No recovery, no fee. Best for larger medical spa balances or older accounts that require intensive skip tracing.

Why Spas and Salons Choose the Velvet Hammer

• Bilingual Outreach: We provide Spanish-speaking collectors to ensure clear communication with your entire client base.

• MedSpa Compliance: For medical spas, we are fully HIPAA compliant, ensuring patient privacy is protected during the recovery of cosmetic procedure fees.

• Credit Reporting: If a balance remains unpaid, we offer credit reporting (where permitted) to provide the necessary leverage to settle the account.

Red Flag Box: 3 Signs a Client is Avoiding Payment

1. The “Dissatisfied” Retrospective: They loved the service during the appointment but suddenly “found an issue” once the invoice arrived.

2. Card-on-File Failures: Recurring membership payments begin declining, and the client stops responding to your front desk.

3. The Chargeback Threat: Using credit card disputes as a way to avoid paying for services already rendered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you collect on “No-Show” fees?

Yes. If your intake forms clearly state your cancellation policy, we can professionally mediate those balances to ensure your time is compensated.

Will this hurt my local reputation?

No. We use a “concierge” style of communication. Most clients pay simply because a third party has stepped in to document the commitment, not because of aggressive tactics.

Do you handle Medical Spa (MedSpa) accounts?

Yes. We specialize in the unique regulatory needs of MedSpas, balancing debt recovery with the strict privacy standards required for medical aesthetic procedures.

Contact us for your debt collection needs.