Today, Christina has Chris Petrewski on the show, a prominent figure in the collections industry with a rich history in the sector.

Chris Petrewski has spent over two decades in the collections industry, demonstrating expertise in debt recovery, compliance, and customer relations. With a degree in Business Management, he started his career as a collections agent and steadily climbed the ranks, eventually founding his own successful collections agency.

Chris shared his expertise on the evolving landscape of debt collection, touching on the latest industry trends, while emphasizing the importance of treating consumers with respect and fairness.

They also discuss the challenges faced by collections professionals and strategies to enhance recovery rates while maintaining a positive customer experience. Chris's insights shed light on the delicate balance required to navigate this industry successfully.

Chris’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-petrewski/

Today, Christina has a captivating conversation with Monique Cyrus, a highly experienced collection consultant with a rich background in finance and customer service.

Monique's impressive career journey includes a role as a senior finance specialist at BCG and her current position as a regional business manager, where she specializes in educating professionals on best collection practices.

Throughout the episode, Monique underscores the paramount importance of exceptional customer service in the collections industry, emphasizing its role in building and maintaining brand loyalty. She highlights the significance of extending a personal, friendly approach when communicating with customers, even during challenging moments.

Monique's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monique-c-79607741/

In this episode, Christina is joined by Megan Bird, Senior Manager of Credit and Collections at Paycor.

Megan's career, spanning roles at Fifth Third Bank, Booking.com, and Paycor, serves as a unique backdrop for an insightful discussion on debt collection. The conversation touches on several critical topics, starting with debunking prevalent social myths about the collections industry. 

Megan emphasizes the importance of empathy and a customer-centric approach, challenging the stereotype of aggressive debt collectors. The episode explores how the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a pivot in collections strategies, highlighting Paycor's commitment to helping clients navigate challenging financial times.

Today, Christina delves into the world of collections within the construction industry with guest Helen Leonard, Director of Accounts Receivable and Collections at Acco Engineered Systems.

Helen brings over two decades of invaluable experience in billing and collections, making her a true expert in the field. Previously working at a small corporate piping company, she wore many hats, including billing, collections, and permits. It was a friend who saw her potential and convinced her to send in her resume to Acco Engineered Systems, where she's now been for almost 20 years.

They explore the dynamic world of construction collections. Helen shares her experiences, emphasizing the importance of relationships in the industry. The conversation touches on various aspects, including the fast-paced nature of construction projects, the challenges of handling collections for subcontractors, and the critical role of technology in an industry that still relies heavily on manual processes.

Helen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-leonard-3734642a/ 

In today’s episode, Christina talks to Carrie Coker Aivaliotis, Senior Director for Market Planning at LexisNexis Risk Solutions.

Carrie is a multi-functional leader with a 25-year track record in consumer data services, developing and expanding industry access, partnerships, and strategies. Her specialties include extensive credit bureau experience in a resell environment, from back-office operations to executive negotiation.

Today, they discuss the importance of meeting the customer where they are in terms of communication methods, the implications of the shared wallet, and how the next generation of student loan payees will change the way the collections space currently operates.

Carrie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriec1/

On today’s episode, Christina chats with Austin Keate, a Senior Level Operations Manager at Texas Dealer Solutions and Business Development Professional in the collections space.

Austin is an entrepreneurial, driven, results-oriented leader with extensive experience leading MM growth in both corporate and start-up environments. A founder of Texas Dealer Solutions, their goal is to provide BHPH Dealers a reliable and consistent source of origination capital and exceptional service, specializing in developing short and long-term cash flow solutions to help companies meet their growth and profit objectives.

On the show today, they discuss Austin’s experience throughout his time in the collections space, the tools he uses to build lasting relationships, and his thoughts on an over-saturated technology culture in self-service.

Connect with Austin Keate: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinkeate/

Today on the show, Joe Witkowski, Work Team Lead at American Profit Recovery, joins Christina to discuss the ins and outs of debt collection how he sees it.

With 14 years under his belt at APR, Joe has seen the changing landscape of space and how each element of technology, people and culture can affect it.

Today, they discuss the effects mood and persona have on a call with a consumer, how technology has changed the space, and what Joe sees as the core values of the debt collection industry.

Connect with Joe on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-witkowski-a9b06b9/

On this inaugural episode of Collecting Thoughts, Christina Fisher sits down with Carol Byrne, Vice President of Marketing at C&R Software, to discuss Carol’s experience in the debt collection world, and how imperative retaining loyal customers can be in the current world.

Carol and Christina discuss how successful creditors use the right technology to make sure their customers are having a great customer experience, keeping brand loyalty as a top priority, and how all of this looks when put into action.

To learn more about Carol, feel free to connect with her on LinkedIn.

On today’s episode of Collecting Thoughts, Lisa Tanner joins the show to discuss the challenges in the collection space she’s encountered in recent times.

Lisa is the Director of Global Credit and Collection at Nidec Motor Corporation.  She began her career in the sales field, and after working in print and radio sales, she decided to try a different path. For more than 30 years, Lisa has enjoyed a successful career in credit that has brought her to companies such as Coleman and her current position with Nidec Motor Corporation.

Today on the show, Christina chats to Lisa about the importance of the customer-facing relationship, the special tools and strategies she uses in collection, and the many challenges faced in recent years.

Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisatanner 

Today on Collecting Thoughts, Christina sits down with Maria Douneva, a Behavioral Science Consultant and Corporate Trainer.

With a Ph.D. in Behavioral Sciences, Maria has spent her corporate life linking the dots between consumer behavior and various business models, seeking to understand how they interact in order to produce the best outcome for both the consumer and the business.

Today, they discuss the world of consumer behavior in the collections space and how analyzing data and behaviors can drastically impact results when reaching out to clients in debt. Maria enlightens on the specific behaviors that may affect the rate of repayment, personalizing communication efforts, and experimental approaches that can help the process.

To learn more or to connect with Maria, head to her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariadouneva/?originalSubdomain=de