Collector

Farmers Home Furniture•Lawrenceville, GA

About The Position

The purpose of this classification is to perform technical and clerical work functions associated with collection of delinquent accounts within the Profit and Loss Department, skip tracing and contacting customers, making telephone collection calls, sending letters or initiating legal filings during collection follow-up, and maintaining detailed collection records and files. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED plus appropriate required certification
Three (3) years of experience in payment collection, customer service, collection-related clerical work
Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

Responsibilities

Assimilates and reviews delinquent account records and relative information to determine which customers must be contacted for collection of overdue accounts; verifies accuracy of accounts using calculator and computer.
Organizes collection workload according to degree, type, and amount of delinquency; prepares necessary documentation; decides action required to collect accounts.
Follows proper collection policy, procedures, and guidelines; ensures collection activities are in accordance with federal, state and local laws.
Locates customers to collect installments, overdue accounts, or non-payable checks; obtains copy of customers' credit bureau reports; utilizes the Internet and Credit Bureau Investigation (CBI) machine to skip-trace/locate missing debtors.
Reviews customer credit reports to reveal current payment status with other creditors, to determine customers' ability to pay in the future, to obtain information that may assist with locating and/or collection of customer debt.
Communicates with customer via telephone or by mail; attempts to persuade customer to pay amount due or arranges for payment at later date; sets up payment schedules for customers.
Writes letters or completes form letters for use in collection attempts and/or during follow-up efforts.
Refers accounts to supervisor for authorization to proceed with repossession of merchandise or legal actions against debtors as a result of non-payment; handles legal accounts; initiates legal filings as appropriate.
Receives and posts customer correspondence and/or payments resulting from collection efforts; maintains record of collection effort on each account for future reference.
Compiles monthly collection reports; balances outstanding accounts with money collected.
Answers the telephone; provides information, guidance and assistance; takes and relays messages and/or directs calls to appropriate personnel; returns calls as necessary.
Performs data entry functions by keying collection information into GERS computer system which may include noting contact dates, posting responses and payments, and maintaining account records; retrieves, reviews or modifies data in computer database; verifies accuracy of entered data; makes corrections as appropriate.
Attends departmental meetings, seminars, and training courses as required to remain current with acceptable collection techniques.
Receives various documentation and forms; reviews, processes, responds, distributes, forwards, files, maintains, and/or takes other action as appropriate.
Operates a computer terminal, printer, CBI machine, calculator, copy machine, telephone, or other equipment as necessary to complete essential functions, to include the use of word processing, spreadsheet, database, or other system software.
Upholds and promotes our H.O.M.E. values: Helping others, developing Ordinary people to do extraordinary things, being a Motivated owner that cares, and Ensuring that excellence is a habit personally and for those entrusted to them to lead.
Performs administrative tasks such as preparing and maintaining files, opening mail, typing, and completing spreadsheets.
Substitutes for co-workers in temporary absence of same.
Performs other related duties as required.