Banks issue various loans to businesses and individuals in the form of mortgage loans, credit card balances, loans to small businesses, car loans, student loans, and other financial products. Banks also charge overdraft fees on accounts where the withdrawal exceeds the available balance. Customers are also liable to pay late fees if there is a delay in making payment on time.
A collection agency with experience in recovering money for financial institutions understands the importance of recovering maximum money for banks. Banks do not want to lose customers or risk their own reputation. Therefore, recovery needs to be done carefully, empathetically, and diplomatically.
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Banks sometimes send their customers’ accounts to collection agencies for several reasons:
- Debt Recovery: When a customer defaults on a loan or credit card payment, banks may find it challenging to recover the debt. Collection agencies specialize in debt recovery and have the expertise to pursue the outstanding amounts effectively.
- Focus on Core Business: By outsourcing the collection process, banks can focus on their core business activities, such as lending, investment services, and customer relationship management, instead of diverting resources to debt collection.
- Cost Efficiency: Debt collection can be resource-intensive. Employing an in-house team for collections might not be cost-effective for the bank. By outsourcing, they may achieve a more efficient cost structure as collection agencies often operate on a contingency basis, receiving a percentage of the recovered amount.
- Legal Compliance: Collection agencies are usually well-versed in local laws and regulations governing debt collection. This knowledge can be useful for banks to ensure that the collection process complies with legal requirements, minimizing the risk of lawsuits or regulatory penalties.
- Persistence and Expertise: Collection agencies typically have experienced personnel who are skilled in the art of persuasion and negotiation. Their persistence and specialized techniques may be more effective in recovering delinquent debts compared to a bank’s in-house team.
- Impact on Borrower’s Behavior: Sometimes, being approached by a collection agency can make the debtor more inclined to settle the debt, as they may perceive it as a more serious escalation compared to receiving reminders from the bank itself.
- Reporting to Credit Bureaus: Collection agencies may report delinquent accounts to credit bureaus, which can negatively impact a debtor’s credit score. This potential consequence might motivate some debtors to pay their debts.
- International Debt Collection: In cases where a debtor is in a different country, banks may not have the reach or expertise to pursue the debt across borders. Collection agencies that specialize in international debt collection can be useful in these circumstances.
Overdrawn checking accounts are generally frozen (or closed) after 45 days by banks. A series of post-charge-off demands can be sent to your client.
Most banks follow up on past-due accounts using in-house employees for the first few months. Some accounts get settled this way; however, hundreds of past-due accounts remain delinquent even after repeated in-house efforts. They must be assigned to a professional collection agency to recover money from these accounts. A collection agency will help you streamline your debt collection process and reduce costs.
Smaller value transactions, like the fees for an overdrawn checking account and credit card debt, are transferred to collection agencies after 60 to 90 days of non-payment. Big-ticket loans like mortgages and student loans are transferred after six months or more.