Bill and Account Collectors

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This occupation is part of the Office and Administrative Support cluster

About the Job

Locate and notify customers of delinquent accounts by mail, telephone, or personal visit to solicit payment. Duties include receiving payment and posting amount to customer's account; preparing statements to credit department if customer fails to respond; initiating repossession proceedings or service disconnection; and keeping records of collection and status of accounts.

It is also Called

  • Account Receivable Associate
  • Account Representative
  • Account Resolution Analyst
  • Account Service Representative
  • Accounting Technician
  • Accounts Collector
  • Accounts Receivable Specialist
  • Agent
  • Bad Credit Collector
  • Bill Collector

What They Do

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Locate and monitor overdue accounts, using computers and a variety of automated systems.
  • 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.

Interests

People who work in this occupation generally have the interest code: CE.

This means people who work in this occupation generally have Conventional interests, but also prefer Enterprising environments.

Work Values

People who work in this occupation generally prize Relationships, but also value Support and Achievement in their jobs.

Things They Need to Know

  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Things They Need to Be Able to Do

  • 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.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Additional Resources


Education Required

These occupations usually require a high school diploma.

Wages

In 2012, the average annual wage in California was $39,950.00 with most people making between $25,960.00 and $57,980.00

Outlook

1.27%
avg. annual growth

During 2010, this occupation employed approximately 41,000 people in California. It is projected that there will be 46,200 employed in 2020.

This occupation will have about 520 openings due to growth and about 800 replacement openings for approximately 1,320 total annual openings.

Common College Majors

Industries that Employ this Occupation

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