Your Guide To The Debt Collection Process

At Summit A*R, we’re here to ensure that there are no surprises when it comes to you collecting your money.

As a debt collection agency with a successful track record since our inception in 1996, we pride ourselves on being honest and transparent about our debt collection’s entire process. The Summit A.R. approach, “P.H.D. Philosophy” (Preserve Human Dignity), is in place to ensure that everyone is respected. Our company represents the highest of professionalism and integrity, which is vital to our agency.

When it comes to our debt collection process, we are transparent and thorough. After years of experience in the industry, we have developed a four-step plan that allows us to make debt collection efficient and straightforward for all our clients and their debtors.

Step One: Finding a Trusted Debt Collector

The moment you believe a repayment is in jeopardy, seek a collection agency for debt recovery help. The more you prolong contacting us, the less likely you are to receive your money back. It’s important to notice the signs immediately if someone is not willing to repay.

Common signs of unlikely repayment include:

Not responding to emails, letters, phone calls
Receives multiple reminders but still refuses
Presenting aggression in conversations about the debt
If the signs are there, hire a trusted debt collector.

When considering which collection agency to trust, your debt collection options are right in front of you. Summit Account Resolution (Summit A*R)’s A+ rating on Better Business Bureau will guarantee excellent customer service and a no-complaint policy. You want to rest assured that you trust an agency that is friendly and genuinely helpful staff throughout the entire debt collection process.

We here at Summit A*R pride ourselves on the best service throughout the process that will ensure a positive result. There is no aggressive tactics and threats throughout the debt collection, just professional and straightforward treatment to ensure our agency’s approach.

Are there upfront fees?

No. Excellent customer service is what we pride ourselves on until the money is back in your hands. We also do not have upfront fees or extra charges for older accounts. Although there are contingency fees between 7.5% to 50%, Summit A*R’s paid when we are successful with the collection.

Step Two: The Type of Collection

Once you’ve chosen your collection agency, it’s time to discuss who owes you money. Summit A*R services many sectors, including:

Over the last 26 years, we’ve been essential to recovering millions of dollars for businesses of various sizes from debtors. We’re confident in ourselves as a debt collection agency in the belief that commercial debt recovery is crucial to the future success of any business. We collect your money without chasing the clients down and alienating them in the process.

Summit A*R treats everyone with respect and kindness, which is where our great results come from. Our recovery rates are double the national average, and we have one of the lowest complaint rates in the debt collection field.

Step Three: Turning Over the Account

Now that you’ve entrusted us with your collection recovery, you will be assigned an account manager who will be there for any questions and concerns. You’ll never be in the dark, thanks to our online portal that will give you access to view the status of your account, add new accounts and download reports 24/7.

Our debt collection process also offers in-house collections, which includes:

Patient billing
Telephone follow-ups
Insurance follow-ups
Help patients understand balances

We’re there for every step of the collection service. If you have questions on how to avoid late payments for other clients, creating a clear payment schedule and staying in touch are sure-fire ways to prevent future late fees.

What if the person is no longer traceable?

Our highly trained skip-tracing department will locate clients who are a bit more challenging to reach due to an unprovided address, change in name and location. We here at Summit A*R are one of the only agencies in the country with an on-site licensed private investigator who oversees our skip-tracing department. Our investment in this offers an enormous advantage to our clients.

While some other agencies offer this amenity at a fee, it comes at absolutely zero added cost to you, the client. We do our due diligence and are confident in locating your debtors wherever they may be.

Step Four: Litigation and Credit Bureau Reporting

When the time comes to collect difficult debt, challenges can arise, but at Summit A*R, we’re confident in our team to get it done. If the debtor is relentless, Summit will decide if legal action is required. Before acting on legal action, however, we will sit down with you to discuss the next steps in the process.

Does legal action require a fee?

Legal action does require an additional fee, but we will discuss that prior to being incurred. Like everything else in the collection process, our team will pursue the litigation process and will not require any extra time or effort from you.

Chances are, if you’ve been handling your unpaid receivables in-house, there’s the risk that you haven’t been reporting your customers to the credit bureau. Summit will report your customers to all three credit bureaus at no additional cost to motivate debtors to meet their obligations. As always, we ensure all reported clients are compliant with FCRA regulations. Credit bureau reporting is an optional service that you can always opt-out of.

We’re here to help clients with their debt collection process, which is why we offer account receivable counselling. Our licensed professionals want to help you with your debt collection by showing you how to increase your cash flow and customer retention while reducing your bad debt loss.

Here at Summit A*R, we can guarantee licensed collection professionals to be there with you every step of the way through your debt collection process while also creating a friendly, trustworthy environment.