Saturday, February 19, 2011

Bank Debt Recovery: Effective Strategies Which Bolster Returns

By Darcel M. Jackson


Many banks implement sound lending policies to avoid the need for collection efforts. However, many institutions in today's economy still find themselves with troubling charge offs and delinquent credit accounts on the books, which must be pursued to maintain a healthy cash flow.

A specific procedural outline can be used for most cases for successful pursuit of delinquent debt. In fact, some of the most common mistakes in bank debt recovery of defaulted loans and lines of credit can be avoided with a clear plan of action.

Often, internal collection attempts are put off for too long and are not followed up on diligently. Early contact greatly increasing the chance of success in bank debt recovery. By starting early, the collection agent or agency can keep a good, solid relationship with the client rather than having to be harsh and demanding.

At the same time, early contact avoids starting your bank debt recovery process at the back of the line. When a debtor defaults on one loan or credit line, it is likely there will be multiple delinquent accounts. Therefore, starting with early contact can help to assure your debt is one of the first brought to the debtor, making likelihood of payment greater.

A lack of continued contact is another common mistake in bank debt recovery. While initial contact brings the debt to the attention of the delinquent client, without continuous, friendly reminders, you lose the benefit of the first courtesy call. Frequent contact is the key to assuring successful bank debt recovery efforts.

If you are calling clients with friendly reminders every three to four days, your results will improve based on continuous, diligent efforts and the building of a regular relationship with the client. Good attitudes go a long way in bank debt recovery.

The final problem facing most banks is a failure to follow up on promises. Just because a client claims they will make the negotiated payment doesn't mean it will come through, especially given multiple bank debt recovery efforts and a tendency to become busy and forgetful. Frequent follow-ups assure the payment doesn't slip the debtor's mind or fall through the cracks in payment efforts.

If the bank doesn't have the resources - including trained, qualified staff - to follow up on debt recovery efforts, greater success will be found through outsourcing collection efforts. Evaluating internal collection abilities can help to make the determination for the best bank debt recovery strategies.




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