Bill and Account Collectors

• Arrange for debt repayment or establish repayment schedules, based on customers' financial situations.
• Locate and notify customers of delinquent accounts by mail, telephone, or personal visits to solicit payment.
• Advise customers of necessary actions and strategies for debt repayment.
• Persuade customers to pay amounts due on credit accounts, damage claims, or nonpayable checks, or to return merchandise.
• Locate and monitor overdue accounts, using computers and a variety of automated systems.
• Confer with customers by telephone or in person to determine reasons for overdue payments and to review the terms of sales, service, or credit contracts.
• Answer customer questions regarding problems with their accounts.
• Record information about financial status of customers and status of collection efforts.
• Trace delinquent customers to new addresses by inquiring at post offices, telephone companies, credit bureaus, or through the questioning of neighbors.
• Sort and file correspondence and perform miscellaneous clerical duties, such as answering correspondence and writing reports.
• Perform various administrative functions for assigned accounts, such as recording address changes and purging the records of deceased customers.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Bill and Account Collectors.

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
• Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Bill and Account Collectors.