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Special Report - Talent Search Tips - Collections & Credit Risk, July 2001
Excerpt
The explosion in call centers is also yielding some good collections management candidates, reports James V. Finocchiaro, president of SC Riverside, Inc., in metro Omaha, Neb. "They're used to the technology, hectic pace, training issues, turnover issues, and the phone talk-off strategies are similar," he says, adding that about 15% of his collections candidates gained their experience running call centers.
Call Center Prospects
Call center managers often haven't thought about applying their experience to collections, but once they do, they're intrigued with the notion of making more money by managing fewer people - as much as twice as much money managing half as many people. Most call centers are simply overhead to the companies they're part of; collections operations, of course, are run as profit centers. That's a switch in perspective that many managers can't make, but those who can immediately see the personal financial gain to be reaped, says Finocchiaro. "That concrete measurement of performance is even as attractive as the money," he adds. "There's a lure to perform better on a portfolio to beat the other agency."
Upper level managers are also swayed by a great compensation package, but their main motivation is the opportunity to use their strategic abilities.
As petty as it may seem, may CFO-track candidates snub collections opportunities because they think it's a grubby job for unimaginative people, recruiters say. While positioning collections functions as strategically critical currently has a fresh appel in an economic downturn, people who have an attitude problem with collections won't bite.
So, says Finocchiaro, don't fish too hard for them. "I don't waste my time," he says." "If the stigma is large enough (for that person), it doesn't matter what they know about diarler technology." On the other hand, it takes only a mildly inquisitive response - "Tell me more" - to clue Finocchiaro in to a candidate who's open-minded.
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