• Receiving timely payments on accounts receivable is critical to any business that is concerned with continued growth and stability.

• Professional collection firms are several times more effective in collecting overdue receivables than are most in-house collection staffs.

• Using an outside collection agency allows your staff to focus on other critical areas instead of the collection process, which is beneficial from both public relations and liability standpoints.

• Because out-sourcing is the most cost-effective and simplest collection option, more companies than ever are using a collection agency.

Which Collection Agency should I use?

• Be sure to call some of the references an agency provides, especially those similar to your company.  Ask them about the level of service, return, and overall satisfaction.

• Consider professional affiliations and memberships.

• Look at the collection agency's fee structure.  Most good agencies are contingency only; there are no other charges or fees.

• If you're already using a collection agency, consider using an additional agency along with your present one.  Utilizing more than one collection agency gives the client a basis to determine rate of return and success.