Dean Kaplan 
At our commercial collection agency, we aren’t afraid to talk to attorneys. When we call a debtor and they tell us to talk to their attorney, our biggest fear is that the attorney will not actually talk to us. Once we are instructed to talk to a company’s attorney, we are no longer allowed … Read more
The chances of collecting on an invoice due from a company that has ceased operating are very slim. If the business was organized as a corporation or LLC (limited liability company) then only the business entity itself is liable for outstanding invoices. If there are no assets remaining in the entity then the entity … Read more
This article has been updated since originally published in CreditToday with new input from attorneys and other credit professionals. We received numerous comments via CreditToday, InsideARM and LinkedIn that has been incorporated into this revised edition. We frequently get asked by new clients about piercing the corporate veil on owner-operated companies that go out … Read more
At our commercial collection agency we always prefer having a personal guaranty. Years ago, a new client started sending us claims along with their very simple, one page credit application. At the bottom of the page, immediately above the signature block, it reads exactly as follows: NOTWITHSTANDING THIS ACCOUNT IS ESTABLISHED IN THE NAME OF … Read more
If a business is organized as a corporation, limited liability company (LLC), or other type of separate legal entity, the owner is not liable for the debts of the business unless other conditions exist. For small businesses, the primary reason the owner took the time and expense to set up the separate legal entity was … Read more
A discussion on LinkedIn regarding my recent article “Does Knowing the Truth Matter” prompted this comment from Kim Gelinskey, Credit and Collections Analyst for Veolia ES Technical Solutions, L.L.C. “I’ve learned you are more productive working through a problem than plowing through the issue.” This immediately struck a chord with me. I thought of all … Read more
Unfortunately, we know that many debtors will provide false or misleading information in order to make it harder to collect. A well-designed and executed strategy is necessary to get to the truth which is key for increasing collections and making good business decisions as discussed in this recent post “Does Knowing The Truth About a … Read more
Your collection agency reports that they too have not yet been able to collect on an unpaid invoice from your business customer. Do you care why? Some of your common choices at this point are: Offer a Payment Plan Settle for reduced amount Commence litigation Write off the debt Close the claim Monitor the situation … Read more
NCO Group, reputedly the largest collection agency in the world, has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $3.2 million according to an announcement today from the Federal Trade Commission. The government’s press release says it is the largest penalty ever against a third party debt collector The FTC complaint alleged violations of the FDCPA … Read more
We strongly prefer to collect money owed to our clients without going to court. In most situations, if the debtor is willing to voluntarily cooperate at any level, we can get our client’s money faster and less expensively than going to court. But, when litigation is the best alternative and appropriate, we do not hesitate … Read more
Determining the credit limit for customers is a difficult task. One factor is to analyze the customer’s financial statements to understand their profitability, financial strength, and liquidity. We have created a comprehensive resource for credit professionals that includes the following: Videos and transcripts explaining of the 3 financial statements (e.g. income statement, balance sheet, and … Read more
This was originally published by Dean Kaplan on InsideARM in September 2012 We’ve all heard hundreds of different stories as to why a business debt has not been paid. For our commercial collection agency, the first thing our debt collectors are trained to do is to figure out if it is a legitimate explanation or … Read more
When you receive a phone call on your cell phone from an unfamiliar number, do you answer the call? Soon you may not want to since debt collectors may be able to call using cell phone numbers. Right now, these calls are largely prohibited, but the President and Congress are considering allowing these calls to … Read more
As a collection agency, we often have debtors attempt to avoid dealing with us by trying to hide behind rights provided by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). The FDCPA applies to consumer debt but not to business to business debt collection. Successful commercial debt collectors need to know which rules apply to their … Read more
What Services Should You Demand of an Outside Collection Agency?Originally published May 1, 2000, in CreditToday, by Jerry Kaplan There are a lot of collection agencies out there that would be happy to get your business. You might be using one or more of them now. But are they giving you the services that you … Read more