About Us Industries
 
 


Collection Center

Mercantile is a full-service collection agency dedicated to providing a superior level of customer service while consistently meeting or exceeding client expectations. Our ability to develop customized programs with exceptional results has allowed us to have long lasting professional relationships with our clients. We have a proven ability to effectively manage, conduct and support collection projects of all sizes.

CLIENT SERVICES

Mercantile established a Client Services Department in order to nurture the proactive development of strong business relationships between Mercantile and it's clients. Our Client Services Team assures that client needs and goals have been clarified and communicated to appropriate Mercantile associates at the beginning of a contract, and by proactive follow up with the client, ensure expectations are being met. Our staff is trained to identify future client needs and provide assistance throughout the lifetime of the relationship.

LEGAL & COMPLIANCE

Mercantile offers our clients the ability to pursue litigation, which has assisted in improving overall liquidation rates. This is optional and will be tailored to meet those needs of our clients, if so desired. Mercantile is able to keep litigation to a minimum because of the extensive collection efforts that we employ to locate and speak to consumers. Generally, when we are able to speak to a consumer that is "suit worthy", our collectors are successful in persuading the consumer to pay in lieu of facing a judgment and subsequent lien and/or garnishment.

TRAINING

Mercantile is strongly committed to effective training and professional development of all employees. The Training Department of our company is dedicated to providing employees with a comprehensive understanding of the collection process and knowledge of compliance requirements. The training program is also customized to address our clients' needs. Newly hired collection associates undergo a structured training course lasting 40 hours and then work for an additional 90 days under a mentoring program, where they are paired with a senior collection partner whose responsibility is to further refine the new associates collection skills.

The training environment is considered one of the most important aspects of our Employee Development Program. Our training program is broken down into three areas:
  • Corporate Orientation and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) - Includes stringent state laws as well as Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) training.
  • General Collection Techniques - Introduction to Collections, Initial Collection Call, Securing a Good Debtor Profile, Overcoming Objections, Securing Good Promises, Money Sources, and Methods of Payment.
  • Skiptracing Techniques - Undergo thorough training on how to utilize all skip trace tools available to the collectors as well as prioritizing sources so that they are most effective.
In order to assure that the collection associates are prepared to be placed in the specific business unit, a written skill assessment is administered at the end of this training.

Client Policy and Procedures Certification

All personnel prior to being assigned to a specific business unit will complete a comprehensive training program that will encompass all the policy procedures and work standards of the client managed in that specific business unit. Our Training Department, in conjunction with the client, will develop this training program. This training will be developed and implemented before the first placement of accounts. The objective of the training program is to educate collection associates and managers of all experience levels in the relevant policies, procedures, and specific requirements of the client

Confidentiality Training

Confidentiality training is provided to all employees who have or will have access to sensitive and confidential information. All personnel who have access to this information will be trained in how to maintain confidentiality and how to safeguard data. Prior to account placement, all collection and support personnel who will have access to the client data will successfully complete confidentiality training.

Ongoing Training

Mercantile conducts quarterly training seminars covering such topics as new collection techniques, improving communication skills, and motivation. We also conduct periodic training to cover any changes in policy, procedures, laws, or regulations as they are modified and/or updated.

SKIPTRACING

Mercantile understands the importance of skip tracing on client accounts, and for that reason, have made a major investment in skip tracing tools. Although we employ a team of dedicated skip tracers, we still find it important for all associates to have access to all tools and be thoroughly trained on how to utilize them.

TECHNOLOGY

Mercantile utilizes the Collector System produced by Columbia Ultimate (formerly known as CUBS) as its collection platform and operates on the latest version (2003). The Columbia Ultimate Collector System secures data by requiring a multiple password level entry, has menu driven parameters, and there are restrictions on available collector commands. We also use the fully integrated Columbia Ultimate Converse Dialer system which is expandable.

Mercantile has the ability to offer the following:
  • Remit weekly, bi-monthly, monthly, or quarterly at the client's discretion.
  • Transmission process is performed electronically or through a variety of media based on the needs of the client.
  • Customized reports
CREDIT REPORTING

With Mercantile's experience in the business, we feel that credit reporting accounts will have a major impact on the liquidation rates because it entices the consumers to pay. We report to the three national credit reporting repositories:

 
Mercantile      Ph: (716) 929-8200      Toll Free: (800) 480-7094