Escanaba is a working town with a shoreline—freighters on Little Bay de Noc, trucks rolling the US-2/US-41 corridor, and invoices moving (or not moving) behind the scenes. When receivables stall, they don’t just sit… they freeze cash that should be paying payroll, parts, supplies, and the next job. And the worst part? Your best employees end up doing uncomfortable collections instead of the work you hired them for.
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.
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Pricing that fits real-world Escanaba workloads
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Fixed-fee $15 (you keep 100% of what’s collected)
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Contingency 20%–40% (no recovery, no fee)
We may also use email and text when appropriate. Involvement of a collection agency significantly improves recovery rate; the earlier you assign, the better recovery results are delivered—especially when the outreach stays amicable. If you want your team back on patient care, projects, billing, scheduling, and service delivery, start here:
The “port-city” truth: money doesn’t move without a clean manifest
Escanaba’s history is tied to shipping and industry—cargo moves because paperwork is tight and expectations are clear. Debt recovery works the same way. When your invoice is missing a key detail (approval, delivery proof, scope change, insurance EOB timing), the debtor uses that gap as a dock to tie up payment indefinitely.
Our partners—your Account Reconciliation Concierges—build the “manifest” fast: what’s owed, why it’s owed, what the debtor needs to finish payment, and what happens next if they don’t.
Red flag box: 3 Escanaba collection pitfalls that quietly drain cash
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“I’ll pay after the next shipment / paycheck / insurance cycle.” In a port-and-production region, delays often sound logical. Without a firm plan, they become permanent.
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Letting past-due accounts linger through busy seasons. When the schedule fills up (construction, service routes, clinic volume), follow-up becomes random… and recovery drops.
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Turning it into a fight. Arguing creates resistance. Resistance creates silence. Silence kills recovery.
Why cooperative mediation wins more money than pressure
You recover more by working with the debtor because most people prioritize who feels easiest and safest to pay first. If you’re the creditor who shames them, threatens them, or confuses them, you slide down the list behind rent, utilities, and whoever is “less stressful.”
Our Velvet Hammer approach is firm enough to secure payment, but respectful and soft enough to protect your 5-star reputation:
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We open with resolution options (pay-in-full with a deadline, short plan, settlement window) instead of accusations.
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We keep language calm, specific, and documented—so the debtor doesn’t feel cornered.
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We do a litigation scrub to avoid pushing accounts that look riskier to pursue or likely to escalate the wrong way.
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We protect you from rogue behavior: calls are recorded and randomly reviewed to reduce complaint risk and prevent “review-bomb” situations.
Recent recovery results (reputation-safe, realistic)
Medical recovery (patient balance) — $8,930 resolved without drama
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Step 1: USPS address check + bankruptcy check (mail was bouncing; patient had relocated near the M-35 corridor).
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Step 2: Concierge call focused on clarity: what insurance covered, what remained, and two payment-path options.
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Step 3: Patient chose a three-part plan with autopay. Balance cleared on schedule; no hostility, no public complaints.
Business recovery (B2B service invoice) — $14,460 recovered with relationship intact
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Step 1: We rebuilt the “paper trail” (authorization + completion notes + invoice timeline) and confirmed the right payables contact.
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Step 2: Mediation call: one firm due date, two choices—pay-in-full by deadline or short structured plan.
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Step 3: A partial payment landed quickly; the remainder followed via ACH under the agreed plan.
Two fast $5K–$15K recovery examples (concrete mini-scenarios)
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$6,240 dental/ortho balance: Patient fell behind after a schedule change and avoided the office. We used a respectful text/email sequence (when appropriate) offering two plan options. They chose a two-payment resolution and closed it out.
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$11,780 contractor/trades invoice: A scope tweak wasn’t reflected clearly on the final invoice. We aligned documentation, confirmed acceptance, and set a tight two-step plan tied to the customer’s incoming receivables.
Industries we serve (tailored to Escanaba’s mix)
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Healthcare & Medical: 100% HIPAA-compliant recovery for hospitals and specialty clinics, built to preserve patient relationships.
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Colleges & Universities: Tuition fee recovery, housing balances, and bursar accounts—firm collection that protects institutional reputation (including students commuting to Bay College’s Escanaba campus).
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Dental: Dental practices, orthodontics, specialty offices—patient-friendly recovery that still gets results.
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Restoration, pool, contractors: Diplomatic handling for storm/water restoration, pool projects, and general contracting disputes.
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K-12 Private & Charter Schools: Unpaid enrollment fees and textbook costs—sensitive outreach designed for family relationships.
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Accountants & CPA Firms: Recovery of professional service fees with net-30 logic and professional mediation.
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Banks & Credit Unions: Delinquent consumer loans, overdrawn accounts, and deficiency balances. We utilize aggressive garnishment laws to secure repayment on high-risk portfolios.
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Construction & Trades: HVAC, electrical, and general contractors—keep crews working, not chasing checks.
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B2B Commercial / Restoration / Waste Management: Consistent follow-up, clean documentation, and escalation only when it makes sense.
Practical laws & rules that shape outreach (not legal advice)
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FDCPA and CFPB Regulation F influence how consumer-debt communications happen (timing, third-party limits, and general conduct rules).
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Michigan’s Regulation of Collection Practices (Act 70 of 1981) restricts abusive collection conduct at the state level.
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Credit reporting can be used if you choose and if permitted, and it must follow accuracy/dispute expectations under the FCRA.
Operationally, we also run USPS address checks, skip tracing, and bankruptcy checks before leaning in—because chasing the wrong person (or the wrong situation) burns time and raises risk.
FAQs
We have customers across the U.P.—does timing matter for calls and messages?
Yes. We keep outreach respectful and time-appropriate, especially with customers who travel for work or shift schedules.
Can you start softly and escalate only if needed?
That’s the point of Velvet Hammer: calm first, structured next, firmer later—always controlled, always documented.
Do you work with businesses tied to the port/industrial rhythm—deliveries, purchase orders, payables queues?
Yes. We’re used to “AP backlog” and “waiting on approvals” narratives. We turn those into clear commitments with dates and next steps.
Bring your cash flow back to shore
If receivables are piling up like paperwork in a busy season, it’s time to hand it off—without turning your brand into the bad guy. Use the amicable path first, recover more, and let your staff get back to what they do best.