Credit Collector Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

Credit Collector Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

If you are looking to learn about the credit collector job description, you will find this post useful. You will discover the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities that commonly define the credit collector work description in most organizations.

You will also find this article helpful if you are seeking to work as a credit collector and want to learn about the requirements commonly set by recruiters for the role to help you better prepare your application for the job.

Please, read on:

What Does a Credit Collector Do?

Credit collectors, also known as bill and account collectors, are primarily responsible for helping companies get paid.

Their job description entails tracking down people who owe money from overdue bills and negotiating repayment.

They reach out to these defaulters via mail or telephone, and in cases when they have changed location they seek out other means to reach them.

They are often employed by receivable management companies, financial institutions, hospitals, schools, and any other body that offers credit facility to customers.

The credit collector role also involves gathering credit and financials on new and existing customers.

It also entails identifying and closely monitoring high risk customers; overseeing critical and high volume accounts, and keeping the credit manager abreast with findings.

Credit collectors are also responsible for interacting with borrowers to discuss repayment of debt, and may propose defined legal efforts based upon individual account circumstances.

Their job requires them to maintain high standards of professionalism and customer service, and they must ensure to follow established policies, procedures, and training guidelines.

To work as a credit collector requires a minimum of High School Diploma, but individuals with college course work are usually preferred.

To be successful on the job, credit collectors must possess strong interpersonal, communications, and negotiation, and computer skills.

They must also be organized and resilient, and possess customer service skills to handle both difficult and emotional customers.

Credit Collector Job Description Example/Sample/Template

A credit collector performs various functions in helping an organization recover debts. Shown below are major duties, tasks, and responsibilities that typically constitute the job description of most credit collectors:

Supervise outstanding account balances
Commence appropriate actions to ensure collection of slow paying or offending balances
Keep management informed of credit and collection activities and take action prescribed by senior management to tackle issues raised
Assist customers to resolve account problems emanating from incorrect billing, inaccurate information, improper delivery, slow payments, etc.
Undertake research and assemble documentation to support adjustments to account balances
Assist in training other relevant personnel on matters related to collections
Act as the company’s representative in taking inbound calls
Arrange debt repayment based on customer’s financial situation and client repayment guidelines, via credit card, check or obtained insurance
Document all updates and acquired information on accounts.

Credit Collector Job Description for Resume

The sample credit collector job description provided above can also be used in making a resume for the role.

You can apply the duties and responsibilities presented in the job description to complete the professional experience section of your resume to inform the recruiter that you have or are currently working as a credit collector.

Credit Collector Requirements – Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

To be considered for hiring, applicants must prove that they have what it takes to succeed in performing the objectives, purpose, and obligations of the credit collector position.

They will be expected to meet certain requirements to qualify to access the position. The requirements are majorly the following:

Education: Applicants for the credit collector role are required to have a minimum of high school diploma and 1 year work experience to be hired
Knowledge: They are required to have an understanding of financial information, including ratio analysis of financial statements, operating statistics, and receivable and collection data, as well as having sound familiarity with general accounts receivable. It is also essential that they have Knowledge of mathematical concepts and computation
Interpersonal skills: It is important that collections agents are courteous and carry out their duties with a professional demeanor. They should also be assertive and confident, as well as have the ability to relate with individuals from various backgrounds
Persistence: They may be assigned a credit account where the debtor do not want to be found, or is not responsive when called by a credit collector, so it is important that a collections agent is tough or resilient when trying to resolve a debt
Communication skills: Credit collectors must be able to communicate in clear and concise manner both orally and in writing
Active listening skills: They must be attentive to customers to know why they are in debt and get clarification by asking appropriate questions; and respond well to questions
Math skills: They require basic to intermediate math skills to perform mathematical manipulations like multiplication and division, addition and subtraction, percentages, fractions, ratios, metric conversions, etc.
Computer skills: They should possess a strong knowledge of MS Office applications; and having the ability to use computer software that assists with collection is a plus
Organizational and planning skills: the job of a credit collector may require them to handle many customers at the same time, hence they must be highly organized individuals with ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize accounts, and schedule and follow through with appointments
Problem solving skills: They should be curious individuals with the ability to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner
Critical reasoning skills: They will be working with various kinds of customers, some of whom will provide false or incomplete information. So it is important that they can apply logical reasoning and objectively analyze information gathered; and develop alternative solutions when necessary
Team work abilities: It is important that applicants for the credit collector role can work well in a team oriented environment
Negotiation skills: It is also important that they can influence the customer to achieve the desired results. They must have the ability to speak persuasively in negative and positive situations, and also apply reason in dealing with difficult and emotional customer situations
Customer service skills: It is essential that they are proactive individuals with the ability to respond promptly to customer needs; request customer feedback to improve service; respond to requests for service and assistance; and meet commitments.

Conclusion

If you are an HR manager or recruiter hiring for the credit collector position in your organization, you will need to make and publish a description of the role to help interested applicants understand the duties and responsibilities they will be expected to perform and decide if it’s a job they can handle.

To enable you to quickly make a detailed description of the vacant credit collector position in your organization and attract only the best qualified applicants, you can apply the job description sample provided above.

This post will also help individuals interested in the credit collector career to learn all they need to know about the duties and responsibilities that constitute the job so that they can be well informed about the career and be able to make the best decisions concerning it.

Did this article help increase your knowledge of what credit collectors do? Please, leave a comment in the box below. You can also discuss your job description if you work as a credit collector.