Let's talk about common mistakes prospective clients make when choosing a collection agency.

Since we are a collection agency, and we are talking about collection debt, let's talk about money right up front.

1... PRICE! The first mistake we see is making your decision based solely on price. We really strive to give an extremely fair and equitable price to our clients. That doesn't mean we are going to be the cheapest if simply look at price on the surface. But when you look at the results we get then the math works out REALLY WELL because we get you a higher net result.  We actually collect more and put more money into your pocket.  Hire someone for performance.  You won't find a Gucci bag at Walmart so don't expect to get the best results from the cheapest agency.

But don't just take my word for it.  Check out some of our reviews and ask to see some of our references and current clients.  You'll be able to ask some of the important questions that you may not feel comfortable asking our representative.

The five factors we base pricing on are: 1. The age of the account.  2. The average size of the account. 3. The average annual volume sent to us. 4. The amount of demographics listed with the account. 5. Does the client have the ability to list the accounts electronically?

2... CHOOSING ONE SIZE FITS ALL. We have the ability to customize programs to fit your specific needs. There's all different types of businesses out there and the collection process can vary. A good example is an oncology clinic, a cancer clinic. Their patients are handled considerably different than say for instance, a contractor that did a bunch of work for someone and there's materials and labor involved that they were not paid for. So we can customize programs to fit whatever your needs are.

We as a collection agency are really just an extension of the client that we're working for. And so we try to protect the client's reputation or have that in the foremost of our minds. Nebraska is a pretty small place and you may see your customers or patients out and about in town. And the last thing we would want is for you to run into them at the bank or grocery store and have and uncomfortable encounter. So we put a lot of energy into our collection methodology for our clients so they can maintain that respect and relationships.

The collection methods in which we use, I wouldn't say we're the most aggressive, I would say we are very assertive and we're an accountability partner. A lot of our clients are ancillary. So it just takes a simple explanation to get the account collected. A lot of times explaining to people that are overwhelmed or get inundated with a bunch of the different bills of what those are. So they understand those.

3... INDUSTRY SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE. One of the other things that you want to look at when choosing a collection agency is their knowledge of individual industries. So for instance, if they give you all these nice neat reports, but they don't know the intricacies of your business, so they don't know the needs of your customers, and they may not get the best results for you. Remembers, we are an extension of your business so we have to know your business.

I can tell you by talking with a consumer, trying to collect a past due debt, that if they know we can speak their language about what the interaction was, they trust us more. And then we can help them get to a resolution and get the account paid for the you.

And things change all the time. There is no college curriculum that can teach you collections. It's an ongoing, ever evolving, changing business that we have to learn and be able to it act quickly to protect you as the client.

4... UNDERPERFORMANCE. Another mistake we see with clients and collection agencies is that sometimes they'll stay with an underperforming agency just because they think it's too difficult to switch. We've switched multiple clients that have had that reservation and they are surprised how easy it is. We help you through that process so that you can easily move from the underperforming collections agency.

We can even help you with your client intake process as well, to help you gather more information on the front end. So you collect more prior to coming to collections. But when it comes to collections, all the information is at our fingertips making our job easier to collect more money for the you. And we'll do that at no charge as part of the consultation.

If you would like a consultation to see how our collection agency can help your business, please give us a call and we'd be happy to meet with you and show you how we can collect your past debts with integrity.  We can also show you how we are one of the industry leaders and have some of the best numbers available.

Call 402-817-3929

Financial independence is highly desirable. Yet, for some reason, it seems to elude many of us. You've likely tried your hand at many different approaches, yet none have been able to give you the anticipated results.

The good news is that financial independence can be achieved. By making certain adjustments to your life, you'll find yourself starting to build financial independence. So put aside your plan to work harder or put in longer hours and read on to find the answers you’ve been searching for

Following these steps will lead you to financial independence:

1. Eliminate the word “credit” from your vocabulary. Having a good credit score can open up opportunities for you. But living in the credit culture also puts you in a stressful situation.
   • If you’re seeking financial independence, start by doing away with credit
   • You probably have a few credit cards in your wallet. Get rid of them! If that makes you nervous, only keep one for emergencies. Just ensure the credit limit is somewhat in line with the amount of cash you’ve saved.
   • If you're unable to purchase something with cash, it probably means you can't afford it. Live within your means.
   • Avoid borrowing for frivolous expenditures. Those are usually the hardest loans to repay.
2.  Treat needs and wants differently. Take a look at your life. How many of the things you have or do can be considered necessities? If you're honest with yourself, you'll realize you're piling on unnecessary expenses focusing on your wants rather than your needs.
   • Making a list of the things you require for survival is a necessary step for financial independence.
   • Everything that didn’t make the list can easily be eliminated from your expenses each month. Why put that amount of burden on yourself? It's time to give your finances a break.
   • The things you do to maintain a calm existence can be added to your list of necessities. For example, your yoga class may be necessary because of the physical and emotional benefits. But you can reduce the monthly expense by purchasing a yoga DVD and working out at home.
3.  Tap into your skill set. Are you working in a field that you love and that maximizes your skills? If you think about it, you'll realize that you're most productive when you’re doing something you like or are good at.
   • Think about your current job. Is it bringing out the best in you? Or, can you earn more and increase your productivity in another field?
   • Perhaps you can pursue a transfer to another department at your current place of employment. Or maybe you want to move on to something completely different.
4. Save money at all costs. Even if it's a dollar at a time, put aside money for your savings account each month. Learning to save helps you develop an understanding of its importance.
   • One way to save is to request a salary deduction each month. That amount can go to an investment account, which limits your access.
   • Many companies have 401(K) or 403(B) accounts that can get you started with a savings plan. Look into what’s available at your place of employment.
5. After reading this, you'll likely realize it's much easier than you think to make some simple financial adjustments. Give yourself four weeks of this routine and then assess how it’s going. You'll feel encouraged by the positive results!

It’s important to monitor your credit reports at least yearly. That way, you’ll regularly be able to spot and handle any mistake that occurs on your credit report that could adversely affect you.

Using this process will help you find errors on your credit report and correct them:

1. Go through the report with a fine-tooth comb. When you receive a copy of your credit report, sit down and take the time reviewing it. Consider it an important part of your financial goals to find out what your creditors are “saying” about your financial life.
2. Look at each item. Carefully check each entry to spot any listings that don’t look familiar. If you don’t remember an item, make a note out in the margin, like “What’s this?” or “I didn’t apply for this loan.”
3. Notice names of companies and financial institutions. Are there any you haven’t heard of? If so, put an “X” by them so you can look up the names on the internet. An unfamiliar name may well be the name of a company that is known by various names.
   • Consult your own financial records. If the company still sounds unfamiliar, pull your own financial records for the year in question. Perhaps you’ll see some record of what you did that will refresh your memory regarding that part of your report.
4.  Call the credit bureau where the report originated. If you can’t resolve or figure out a particular listing on your report, contact the bureau who issued the report. Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union each offer customer service and might be able to assist you.
5. Contact the company that you believe has made false claims against you. Try to resolve the situation with the entity directly and insist they make the proper changes to the credit bureau to correct your information.
6. Dispute the claim. In the event you are unsuccessful in resolving a credit issue with a creditor, you can formally dispute the claim. You do this by phoning the credit bureau that produced the report. You can also contact the credit bureau online to fight the claim there. State you want to dispute the claim. You’ll likely have to explain why.
7. Place a fraud alert on your credit report. If your identity was stolen or any of your banking accounts or credit cards were inappropriately used by others, you should contact the agency where you received your credit report and follow their steps to place a fraud alert on your credit report.
   • This way, the agency will monitor your account extra closely to ensure your privacy and security and might even inform you of any action as it occurs on your account under your name
8.  Do your homework. Learn more about credit reporting from the Federal Trade Commission’s website at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/credit.shtm.

Your credit report should be an accurate reflection of your financial life. Go through your credit report and examine each entry carefully. Take notes of entities issuing information about you and then peruse your own financial records to support any claims you may use as you go through this process.

Stay on top of your credit reports so you can correct errors right away. Protect your credit and identity by obtaining your credit report at least yearly and following up on questionable data.