Overdue Advice

Martin Hunter is a visionary thinker who delves into the evolving dynamics of human necessity and economic growth. With a keen understanding of societal trends, Martin explores how the reduction in human dependency on traditional roles and resources can lead to an increase in global GDP and individual affluence. As populations shift and wealth accumulates, he observes a rising demand for luxurious living, highlighting a preference for more personal space and convenience, such as automated services in everyday life. Citing historical precedents like the labor shortages in Fort McMurray and shifts during the pandemic, Martin underscores the inevitability of automation in less-valued jobs to sustain growth and innovation. His insights draw attention to the intricate balance between technological advancement and societal evolution.Episode Highlights:00:30 Automation Fuels Economic Growth04:36 CEOs, Economy, and Employee Concerns07:59 Tiered Risk Management Approach11:26 "Boosting Morale for Business Success"14:52 Family Strategic Planning Retreat17:43 Understand Balance Sheets for Retirement21:58 Modern Business Navigators24:32 "Entrepreneurship: Courage Over Fear"

Host Bryn Griffiths sits down with Howie Sniderman, KC, a senior litigation partner at Witten LLP, to unravel the complexities of collecting on a judgment. While achieving a judgment may seem like a victory, it's often just the beginning of a new, challenging journey towards actually securing the owed funds. Howie breaks down the intricacies of this process, from understanding what a judgment truly represents to the necessary steps you must undertake to enforce it. Join Bryn and Howie as they explore the strategies and challenges involved in turning a legal ruling into tangible results, with practical insights that could be invaluable for your business's financial strategy. Whether you're facing a simple debt collection case or a labyrinthine legal battle, this episode is packed with advice to help streamline your path to resolution. Tune in and equip yourself with the overdue advice you need!Episode Highlights:00:00 Understanding Money Judgments06:32 Conduct Property and Judgment Searches09:45 Forcing Asset Disclosure in Court13:31 Garnishment Process for Wages and Accounts17:26 Debt Collection Enforcement Steps18:45 "Post-Pandemic Normalcy Challenges"Key Takeaways:Judgment Basics: Discover why a judgment is merely the start of a new road and not the end of your collection process.Enforcement Steps: Learn about registering a writ of enforcement and how to use personal property registries to strengthen your claim.Practical Collection Methods: Explore various practical methods such as garnishment of wages, bank accounts, and more that can aid in collecting what you are owed.Real-World Insights: How the pandemic has affected debt collections and what it means for your business moving forward.

Host Bryn Griffiths is joined by Mark Daprato, a board member of the Receivables Management Association of Canada and the organizer of its upcoming National Conference on Nov 14. This year's conference has a bold and thought-provoking theme: "Weathering Disruption in the Financial Services Industry." Mark shares insights into the conference's focus on the massive disruption happening in the finance and working environment, including the impact of AI, the changing economic landscape, and hybrid work environments. We delve into the motivation behind the conference's title and how it has sparked curiosity and interest among attendees. Mark also reveals how the event is designed to encourage panels and discussions that challenge conventional thinking and foster engagement. Plus, we'll get a sneak peek at some of the distinguished speakers who will be sharing their expertise on topics ranging from economics to insolvency.Mark Daprato is an innovative and forward-thinking individual who is deeply involved in the Receivables Management Association of Canada. As the organizer of the upcoming National Conference in Niagara Falls, he is thrilled to bring a fresh perspective to this year's event. Recognizing the significant changes occurring in the receivable space, Mark aims to explore the concept of massive disruption not only in finance but also in broader areas such as AI, banking, housing, and the workforce. With a focus on the generational shift happening across these sectors, Mark envisions insightful discussions during the two-day conference, contemplating the implications for businesses and their environments. His passion for exploring societal shifts and their impact on the corporate landscape sets him apart as a dynamic and influential figure in the industry.

Delve into the world of estate administration in the digital age with our guest, Ari Brojde, CEO of Estateably. Host Bryn Griffiths uncovers the secrets behind efficiently managing debts, distributing assets, and handling the ever-evolving landscape of managing and closing estates. Ari shares his journey, from recognizing industry pain points to creating a revolutionary software platform that simplifies the process for professionals and beneficiaries alike. Discover the importance of advertising for creditors, the rise of online filing, and the power of innovation in this captivating conversation. Get ready to gain overdue advice on estate administration in a digital world. Ari Brojde is the co-founder of Estateably, a tech company he started in 2018 with his cousin, Alex. After Ari and Alex's grandmother passed away, they realized the complexities of the estate administration process. Ari had a background in the financial services industry and had previously founded a tech company that aimed to improve collaboration among professionals in the industry. During the sale of that company, Ari received feedback suggesting that their document inventory system would be valuable in estate administration. Curious about to improve the slow process of settling estates, Ari reached out to lawyers, accountants, and wealth advisors to understand the challenges they faced. He discovered that the estate administration process was manual, labor-intensive, and lacked automation and collaboration tools. Seeing an opportunity to make this process easier, Ari and Alex founded Estateably to provide solutions for estate administrators.[00:00:55] Founded Estateably in 2018 to simplify estate administration process.[00:05:50] Difficult to find deceased's digital assets.[00:10:22] Executors benefit from dealing with claims up front, helping professionals and beneficiaries. Notice Connect revolutionized the advertising process for creditors, making it easier and cheaper. Ontario and Saskatchewan have adopted online filing, a trend that will continue.[00:13:17] 70% of Canadians die with debt. Estateably helps settle estates and track debt. Executors must file notices for creditors.[00:16:57] Listen to your customers, find deficiencies, innovate.[00:20:33] Being open to feedback, evolving vision, laser-focused.

Small Claims Court just became bigger, at least in one jurisdiction. In the Canadian province of Alberta, the limit for civil litigation in the Provincial Court system has recently doubled from CAD $50,000 to $100,000. This means Albertans and agents like MetCredit can go to court without a lawyer in the province to collect much larger debts, benefitting from reduced costs and shorter wait times. Tim Browatzke is MetCredit's Manager of Corporate Integrity and Legal Strategies, and he joins host Bryn Griffiths to talk about why Alberta's provincial court claim limit increase is a significant move — and one that other provinces and states may soon follow.

The Credit and Receivables Management Industry is a complex one. Yet for ages, there was no standardized training or certification for credit professionals. David Hopkyns, ACI, has helped change that in his work as National Director for the Prairies of the Credit Institute of Canada, which today has nearly 2,000 members across the country. The CIC has built a respected roster of certification programs awarding professional designations including Certified Credit Professional (CCP). Earning a CCP includes 8 separate courses and usually takes 4 years to achieve while working a full-time job. David explains why it's worth the effort—and how the CCP designation can make a big difference in elevating your career as a credit professional.

When debt piles up and becomes unmanageable, what can you do? More people than ever are turning to consumer proposals and even bankruptcy as a way out. The promises you hear in advertisements sound liberating—but is there another side to taking drastic measures? Rhonda Fox-Miles, a licensed bankruptcy trustee since 1999 and Registered Social worker, talks with host Bryn Griffiths about the good, bad and ugly sides of these options, and what else you can do to take care of debt without the long-term impacts on your future.

The Receivables Management world is a magnifier of business challenges. Whenever the economy becomes difficult, the credit world is in for a ride. MetCredit's central region business development manager George Preece is a credit industry veteran who co-founded the Receivable Management Institute (RMA) more than a decade ago. He joins host Bryn Griffiths to talk about improving collections through connecting with peers, regulators and technology leaders — and how you can get on the cutting edge.

If you're like most people, you seldom answer phone calls from anyone you don't recognize. And for good reason. A universal surge in spam calls and fraudulent players (usually spoofing outgoing numbers) has tarnished our trust in conventional caller IDs. For a telephone-centric company like MetCredit, this behavioural change has been a huge challenge in reaching consumers. And as has often been the case, technology is the solution. MetCredit has recently partnered with Hiya to display not only the MetCredit name, but also the company logo to many people receiving our calls. Seeing our logo boosts confidence — making our work more effective for clients while helping consumers clear their credit reports sooner. In this episode, host Bryn Griffiths talks to Hiya's Senior Director of Customer Success Tyler Wonderlic about the company's Branded Call technology and how it is making a positive impact through helping brands validate their phone outreach.

Working in the credit industry is an opportunity to make an impact on businesses, individuals and the economy itself. But how do you stay fresh, inspired and on top of your game? Host Bryn Griffiths joins Credit Institute of Canada General Manager Nawshad Khadaroo to talk about how being part of an engaged community provides learning, education and support, while linking you with others who keep the wheels of business turning.

Dun & Bradstreet has evolved a lot in its 173-year history. Now the world's largest trade payment database with over 360 million lines of global trade, it is known by most business people as a risk company for credit reporting. As D&B's director of data acquisitions, Stephanie Flierjans has spent most of her 35-year career with the company. In this episode, she tells host Bryn Griffiths how trade data can de-risk accounts receivable management, and how to create a system that directly reduces bad debt write-offs.

A lot of things keep CEOs up at night, from HR and supply chain issues to operational challenges and cash flow. But most often it's cash flow. Host Bryn Griffiths is joined by Martin Hunter, managing partner of URGEO, a company specializing in helping CEOs achieve operational excellence, to discuss why accounts receivable are such a challenge—and how leaders can solve it to focus on their real job! Martin is also the creator of the “What CEOs Talk About” podcast, where he tears down the biggest issues facing executives today.Listen to all the Overdue Advice episodes at https://www.metcredit.com/podcast/

Ever thought of a job in collections? Many successful collectors never did, and now can't imagine themselves in any other career. Author and trainer Tim Paulsen returns to Overdue Advice to share advice for accounts receivable management teams and collectors—and shines light on the life-changing magic of working in collections. 

When a customer decides not to pay your invoice, what do you do? Should you sue, or take the file to your collection agency? It's not always an easy question, and one that lawyer Howard "Howie" J. Sniderman has helped business leaders answer for decades. After listening to this episode, you'll be equipped to make the decision for yourself!Learn how to create emotional distance from the problem, how to know if there's a “pot of gold at the end of the rainbow” if a dispute is likely, and what a lawyer will do for you compared to what you can expect from a collection agency with an in-house legal department like MetCredit. It's a must-listen episode for everyone involved in accounts receivable, from founders and business owners to accountants and AR managers.

What happens when you send an account to collections? What will the collection agency do—and what won't they? What kind of businesses are best suited to use a collection agency?MetCredit VP Business Development and industry veteran David Hopkyns joins host Bryn Griffiths to open the Overdue Advice mailbag and answers these and other questions listeners frequently ask us. Join Bryn and David as they bust myths and provide some surprising revelations. It's an entertaining and eye-opening episode that's sure to teach everyone a few things—even if those who are well-acquainted with the credit and collections industry.

It's been an incredibly tough two years. At MetCredit, we've always been a people business. In recent years, with competitors outsourcing their call centres overseas, we've taken pride in having real people working from our offices. So the work-from-home orders of COVID-19 threatened our very existence. Many of our contracts with banks, telcos and other large clients prohibited doing exactly what needed to be done to continue our work.It required a marathon of IT work and policy changes, but we succeeded, will always be a little different as a result. We're now able to hire a wider variety of team members, and can do our hiring, training and compliance work in entirely new ways.In this eye-opening episode, MetCredit President & CEO Brian Summerfelt talks candidly about how we've rebuilt our business Canada-wide to meet these and other major challenges—and came out better for it.

When does a job become more then a 9-to-5 but something that transforms people's lives? Host Bryn Griffiths talks with MetCredit Collection Manager Quinn Yule and Human Resources & Quality Assurance Manager Greg Hunka about their careers with the company, and how it has changed their lives but the lives of many of those with whom they've worked, in the office and even at the receiving end of collection calls. Find out what it takes to be a collector at one of MetCredit's offices Canada-wide, and how the business is changing perceptions by listening and continuously improving the way it keeps clients' cash flow pumping.

After two years of uncertainty and surprises, what's next—and how can Canadian businesses plan and grow in such crazy times? MetCredit is a member of more than 50 Chambers of Commerce across Canada, and we love to make use of this great resource. In this episode, host Bryn Griffiths talks to Jeffrey Sundquist, President and CEO of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce and Patrick Sullivan, President and CEO of the Halifax Chamber about how two very different Canadian cities are facing the business challenges ahead. In Halifax, a city with half a million hotel room nights a year, tourism and business travel has tanked, and Edmonton's airport lost 39 destinations during the pandemic. The two Chamber of Commerce CEOs share wisdom and insights on how collaboration is necessary between Canadian cities, governments and businesses to rebuild and to return to prosperous times.For any business leaders creating a vision for the months ahead, it's a rare and optimistic discussion that shines light on what we all need to move beyond the fatigue and grow again!

Artificial Intelligence is a more than a hot-button topic lately. It's a group of technologies that is revolutionizing our way of life. From asking Siri on your smartwatch to the emergence of self-driving cars, machine learning and computers that “think” are rapidly working their way into every home, office and garage—as well as our pockets and wrists. Anand Mahurkar spent three years on the advisory team for IBM's Watson before founding Boston-based Findability Sciences. The AI technology his team has developed helps tech-centric businesses like MetCredit leverage data-driven machine learning algorithms that enable us to become progressively more effective for our clients. In this fascinating episode, Bryn Griffiths talks to Anand about how AI-driven predictions can help MetCredit collection agents identify the optimum time to reach, connect with and collect from debtors—making us more effective and helpful than we've ever been. By harnessing AI, we dramatically reduce the number of calls required to collect a debt, enabling our industry-leading performance to continuously improve. 

Ever wondered what it's like for the people who make collection calls for a living? Meet Ourvashi, Zak and Jay, three collectors at MetCredit. Learn why Jay, a former nurse and father of three, Ourvashi with a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Finance, and Zak, a university graduate with loads of ambition, decided to work at MetCredit — and thrived in their professional and personal lives.Succeeding in collections takes commitment and tenacity — and these three very different individuals will impress on you why it's a challenge worth taking on for the right candidate. Their stories of strength, learning and satisfaction help reset the way you think of debt collection as a career and the people who look forward to coming to work every day at MetCredit's offices in Vancouver, Edmonton, Mississauga and Montréal.Open your mind and check out this episode. You'll probably find that a job in collections is not what you imagined—and may even find it's right for you. 

Disputing a bill is not terribly uncommon, and in some cases makes sense. Billing errors can happen, and it's fair to have them resolved before paying. But imagine claiming you don't need to pay ANY bills—or even your rent—ever, because you have special status or philosophical separation from your “debtor self” that renders financial obligations null and void. Such are the type of stances taken by people called “Debt Protesters,” despite that their tactics never succeed. Often predatory online fraudsters are guiding their actions, attracting people in debt and promising relief—for a fee. In reality, the consequences can be severe, and invariably the protester's situation only gets worse. It's been going on for decades, and at MetCredit we have experts who deal with countering frivolous lawsuits and fraudulent registrations of interest against businesses who are legitimately owed a debt. It's a bizarre and fascinating world, and in this episode host Bryn Griffiths takes you inside it with help from Tim Browatzke, MetCredit's Manager of Corporate Integrity and Legal Strategies, and Sean Butt, a Kingston-based lawyer who specializes in the unusual field of Canadian law on behalf of businesses and financial institutions. If you've visited websites promising to help you escape debt for a fee, this episode can help you avoid consequences that can be much worse than the actual debt. If your business has been impacted by tactics of Debt Protesters such as “Sovereign Citizens” or “Freemen on the Land,” you will find Sean and Tim's advice helpful. And everyone else will be enlightened—and relieved not to have to deal with such lunacy! It's an important reality check for anyone involved in granting credit.Canada's National Collection Agency: MetCredit.com

Consumer debt collection is delicate business at the best of times. Throw in a global pandemic where people's livelihoods are in doubt, and it becomes exponentially harder. For telecommunications companies, the question becomes more than ever how to help customers, who need their phones and the Internet to work and function, but many of whom are struggling to pay for other essential services—like food and housing. In this landmark episode, host Bryn Griffiths brings together 3 directors of TRMA Canada working parallel roles Rogers Communications, Telus and Sasktel, and discovers a remarkable amount of common ground: Michele Murray of Sasktel, Anthony Sabatelli of Rogers Communications and Raphael Karamichailidis of Telus. All three work in leadership roles involving account recovery at their respective companies, and Michele is also the president of the Telecommunications Risk Management Association of Canada (TRMA Canada), a non-profit corporation formed by telecommunication industry leaders to promote cooperation among Canadian Telecommunication companies in reducing fraud and bad debt.It's a deeply engaging episode, tackling tough questions and outlining the importance of assisting the customer in recovering debt: something our teams at MetCredit focus on not only when representing these three corporate clients but for every organization that engages us.

What we need is a deep breath to reset how we think about our businesses. Enter Dominic Rubio - a professional business coach, entrepreneur, host of his own podcast called The Profit Toolbelt. While this episode isn't specifically about credit and debt recovery, we wanted to hear what Dominic Rubino has to say about planning for the future because the first step to debt recovery, is not to have to worry about it - so, planning. Dominic talks about what that means for planning processes, writing and managing expectations on both sides of a contract, and the one thing he thinks is key to business success in the future.Dominic Rubino - https://profittoolbelt.com/MetCredit - https://www.metcredit.com/Canadian Debt Recovery Calculator - https://www.metcredit.com/debt-recovery-calculator/Brian Summerfelt's Blog - https://www.metcredit.com/blog/

Individuals, businesses, industries, and governments have struggled to cope with the pandemic.  Understanding what's happening, why, what the risks and dangers are, and what to do about it affects everyone. It's glib to say, “things are mess,” or “they're going to be different.” Of course they're a mess and they're going to be different, but how? Our guest this episode is going to try to help us wade through debt and credit in the COVID era.If your income in curtailed, even a little, it can be real real trouble, especially if you can't get a loan from a bank. Rare collection agencies like MetCredit are sensitive to the human equation. MetCredit connects debtors with 3rd party lenders who work to secure lending so the debt can be managed affordably for a year, with the goal of stabilizing a bad situation to become eligible for cheaper lending at banks and primary lender. That was before the pandemic. Are things the same, better, or worse?Today we're talking with Jayde Samarzija about access to capital, and how his company JMS Mortgages, is dealing with the pandemic, and what trends he's seeing looking into the future.

There's no need to guess why it's been months since we recorded a podcast. When the pandemic lockdown happened in March, everyone was scrambling. Well, almost everyone. Businesses without interruption, continuity, or disaster plans, scrambled to make them up as they went along, as if things aren't hard enough. The fact that people's incomes were locked down too, complicated matters more.This podcast talks about ways to keep cash, credit, and debt in circulation so your business can prosper. What happens when the circulation is slowed or stopped…for everyone?Marc Billard, MetCredit's Vice-President of Contact Strategies and Performance, says it was a massive undertaking to keep working while changing how the company served its clients. Months later, Marc Billard says while strategies and client priorities have shifted, business is pretty much back to normal.In this episode we're reviewing the start of the pandemic to explore how it affected MetCredit and its clients. And we round out the conversation talking about the present, and how he thinks the future might unfold.

If your customers are consumers, this episode is going to be of special interest. We're going to pull back the curtain and have a frank discussion with debt collection specialists about how they try to resolve people's debt problems.Most consumer debts aren't big - a reminder or call from a third-party collection agency like MetCredit is enough of a wake-up call to get paid. For a minority of people, debt is a big problem. And by big problem, I mean a house-sized problem. “House poor” is more than just a label - when it happens, it's a real crisis. This may sound like a nightmare, but it's a reality for more people than you'd think: You own a house, you have a mortgage, but you spend more than you make every month, credit cards are maxed, banks won't lend you money, and the bills just keep on coming. Bankruptcy isn't a great solution because everyone loses. The creditor may only get a portion of what they're owed, and the person in debt gets a ruined credit rating that guarantees higher interest rates in the future.This episode is about how MetCredit's collectors work with mortgage brokers to recover the maximum amount of your debt and allow them to keep most of their assets and recover their credit rating. MetCredit's strategy is to turn people in debt back into paying customers.Quinn Yule is a collections manager at MetCredit, and Zak Abdi is a collections advisor. When debt situations get serious or complex, they'll refer the file to Jayde Samarzija - a mortgage broker with Canadian Financial Solutions.Quinn, Zak, and Jayde talk about the current state of consumer debt, how they deal with it, the situations they see, and the kinds of creative solutions and resolution for people who would otherwise have to declare bankruptcy. 

Every episode of overdue advice is aimed at providing business leaders perspective on how and why debt collection can have a positive effect on your business's cash flow and customer relationships. By the time some companies contact MetCredit, the pressure of receivables is extreme. MetCredit can usually start collecting within a few days. If it's a larger client, MetCredit scales up to accommodate the workload. Recently, MetCredit landed a significant new client. Collection Supervisor Murat Akbay was just promoted and he's MetCredit's newest collections manager for its newest client. In fact, everything is so new, Murat just got an office, and is hiring a new collections team. Murat's team needs people!In this episode, we pull back the curtain on how MetCredit scales up to prepare a collections team, and how the first thing new debt collectors learn is MetCredit's ethical framework which is, first and foremost, about respect.Near the end of the conversation, Christina Huijsink from MetCredit's HR department pops in to shed some light on some of the benefits of working at MetCredit. 

The financial services sector is built on trust. The clearer the contract, the more trust. In debt collection experience is the currency of trust. Debt collection is a people business after all. And MetCredit's people know their business. If you tour MetCredit's offices, you'll see long time service awards of 5, 10, 15 and over 20 years experience. In business, longevity translates as consistency, reliability, and trust.In this episode of overdue advice, we talk to three of MetCredit's collections teams. Quinn Yule and Katrina Nillsen are Collections Managers, and Zak Abdi is a Collection Advisor. We find out why they choose a career in collections, and what motivates them to serve their clients.---Have overdue accounts you need collected? Get Started Today! https://www.metcredit.com/contact/MetCredit Business Debt Recovery Calculator: https://www.metcredit.com/debt-recovery-calculator/MetCredit Canada: http://www.metcredit.comMetCredit USA: http://www.metcreditusa.comCollection Advisor Blog: https://blog.metcredit.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYZUyCh4ExSogfqj6qC-orw

When you think about debt collection, you think about a phone call. There was a time when that was more or less true. It's 2020 and the telecom industry has shifted. Cord cutting means landlines aren't as available as they used to be, and there's no phone book for mobile phones. Text messaging have shifted when and where collectors can reach people. Simon Howard is the Canadian Director of Canadian Operations for Illion, an Australian company with a suite of debt "receivables optimization solutions." Simon Howard explains how Illion's tools allow collection agencies merge email, text and phone communications, and even payments by text, for more efficient and successful debt recovery.Have overdue accounts you need collected? Get Started Today! https://www.metcredit.com/contact/MetCredit in Canada: http://www.metcredit.comMetCredit in the United States: http://www.metcreditusa.comCollection Advisor Blog: https://blog.metcredit.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYZUyCh4ExSogfqj6qC-orwMetCredit Business Debt Recovery Calculator: https://www.metcredit.com/debt-recovery-calculator/ 

We live in the self-help era. From books to YouTube, you can learn about anything, or learn to do anything. Restoring an old radio, or calibrating a robot motor is one thing. How do you build a team? Soft skills are hard. Debt collectors get results, but almost entirely through soft skills. Debt collection is, mostly, one person communicating with another.Shawn Virk is a Vice-President at MetCredit and leads the Vancouver team. He's had special success in building a positive, safe, supportive environment where collectors can thrive while getting outstanding results. -----Have overdue accounts you need collected? Get Started Today! https://www.metcredit.com/contact/MetCredit in Canada: https://www.metcredit.comMetCredit in the United States: https://www.metcreditusa.comCollection Advisor Blog: https://blog.metcredit.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYZUyCh4ExSogfqj6qC-orwMetCredit Business Debt Recovery Calculator: https://www.metcredit.com/debt-recovery-calculator/

Some industries are regulated more than others. The Financial sector is one of the most high regulated sectors in the Canadian economy. And within finance, debt collection is a unique - and often - ignored corner. But it's a corner with a lot of legal obligations…so today, we're talking about compliance. When a company is meeting all its legal obligations, it's in compliance. Regulations are a way to make sure everyone is playing on a level playing field, by the same rules. If you get out of line, it can be game over. Debt collection is blanketed with regulations. Debt recovery has layers of do's and don'ts; From the definitions of what a debt collection agency is, to calling hours, times and place you can make contacts, privacy, how payments are handled, and more.  When companies are successful and reach a certain size, compliance becomes a full-time job. At MetCredit, that job belongs to Greg Hunka. Greg is the Quality Assurance Manager at MetCredit. Not only does he have to make sure collection teams are compliant with MetCredit's own standards, and the law, and with client's instructions. We did this interview because we wanted to get an overview of compliance - we'll do a deep dive in a future episode. What I can say is it took weeks to get the interview setup because Greg Hunka is a very busy man making sure four call centres across Canada are all doing exactly the right thing in exactly the right way. 

If you're organized and attentive to your accounts receivable, collections can be an orderly process, but it's still stressful. The general impression is that collections has a negative impact on business relationships. In fact, professional debt collection can reset and improve relationships with clients. What happens when things go really off the rails?We've covered Canada, but we've never talked about the United States. Today we're talking to a collections lawyer, so let's crunch some numbers.The United States sees about three times as many lawsuits per capita as Canada. It's a tough field.David Cook is a San Francisco collections attorney with an impressive track record. He's a prolific author and penned "The Debt Collector's Handbook" published by the American Bar Association, covering every aspect of debt collection, including enforcing judgements.He worked (and won) the highest profile collections case in American History against OJ Simpson.David Cook's insights can help you understand collections, and how to avoid legal collections, in the United States.

Credit and debt collection is as much social engineering and art as it is about business and finance. The crux of debt collection is asking for the money, but it's not like a sales job. Tim Paulsen is an Accounts Receivable expert focused on training collectors. He's an author of several books including the Amazon 5-star rating for “Paid in Full” and “Tipping the Scales,” about maximizing collection returns. Tim is also the chair and managing director of the International Centre for Professional Collections, or ICPC. The conversation with Tim Paulsen covers a lot of ground, but we stick to his central focus: trained collectors make a bigger difference to your business's bottom line than untrained collectors.https://trpaulsen.com/http://www.metcredit.com

George Preece is a veteran of credit and collections in Canada. He served as President of the Credit Institute of Canada, and he was also a founding member and first president of RMA, the Receivables Management Association of Canada. He joined MetCredit in January of 2019 and works with clients in Ontario, and across Canada. George was in Edmonton for working meetings and we decided to it would be a good chance to catch up his experiences working at MetCredit. He has a unique perspective about the differences between internal debt collections at a company, and working for an debt collection agency, like MetCredit.

After hours-long searching online, you'll find very little information about estate collections. What you will learn about estate collections - collecting from the deceased - is that it's a specialized branch of debt collection, virtually no one offers the service, and if you want to learn more, you pretty much have to talk to our guest, JoJo Staples.JoJo is MetCredit’s Estate Recovery Supervisor. She’s been doing the job of collecting from estates for over two decades. Jojo has some fascinating, and surprising statistics and insights about estate collections. You'll hear how estate collections affects the majority of Canadians, and how it can especially impact families of sole proprietors.https://www.metcredit.com/estate-collections/

After hours-long searching online, you'll find very little information about estate collections. What you will learn about estate collections - collecting from the deceased - is that it's a specialized branch of debt collection, virtually no one offers the service, and if you want to learn more, you pretty much have to talk to our guest, JoJo Staples.JoJo is MetCredit's Estate Recovery Supervisor. She's been doing the job of collecting from estates for over two decades. Jojo has some fascinating, and surprising statistics and insights about estate collections. You'll hear how estate collections affects the majority of Canadians, and how it can especially impact families of sole proprietors.

Debt is egalitarian. It doesn't discriminate. Credit card and line of credit debts can inflate until they're so large the debt crowds out the rest of your life. It's not uncommon to have a house, a car, and other assets, but max out credit to the point where the bank won't talk to you. Then what? Jayde Samarzija is a mortgage broker who specializes in using equity strategies to not just get out of debt, but re-establish your credit rating and economic freedom. Canadian Financial Solutions - http://cfsolutions.caMetCredit - http://MetCredit.com

Debt is egalitarian. It doesn't discriminate. Credit card and line of credit debts can inflate until they're so large the debt crowds out the rest of your life. It's not uncommon to have a house, a car, and other assets, but max out credit to the point where the bank won't talk to you. Then what? Jayde Samarzija is a mortgage broker who specializes in using equity strategies to not just get out of debt, but re-establish your credit rating and economic freedom. Canadian Financial Solutions - http://cfsolutions.caMetCredit - http://MetCredit.com

If you think soft skills were easy, try asking someone for a few thousand dollars they owe someone else. But businesses are moving away from having their own credit managers and collections departments. The loss of internal expertise comes at a price: more bad debt, and more collections. In this episode, Andreas Schwabe talks with Benjamin Scott, CEO of Acces Credit. The conversation touches on how Access Credit uses analytics and business intelligence to help creditors make better - more informed - lending decisions. He also talks about Access Credit’s new partnership with MetCredit.

Who is a debt collector? Looking at MetCredit's career videos, you'd think they only hire shy, reserved wall-flowers who are more comfortable being in the background. You might think the biggest asset for debt collectors is nerves of steel. But being a superhuman pillar of strength isn't what's most needed in debt collection. Maturity, emotional intelligence, and problem solving skills are the real powerhouses of the business. In this episode, MetCredit's Mar Billard, VP of Performance and Contact Strategies has seen from experience: debt collection fosters personal growth and responsibility for everyone involved. (Episode 11)

George Preece started his career in 1964 as a loan manager with a bank. He would go on to manage loans and collections for some of Canada's most storied institutions. At the time, even banks had what can be described as "uneven" loans and collection policies. Fast Forward to this episode and George provides perspective on how the industry developed, how he helped shape the industry, and proven advice for businesses that have cash flow problems.

It might come as a surprise that issues, solutions, products and services in the financial credit sector are constantly evolving. Every two years the Credit Institute of Canada invites its members to gather and learn about new trends in the industry. MetCredit's VP of Business Development, David Hopkyns, talks about the 2019 convention in Niagara Falls - and what issues have seen change, and what's stayed the same.

Jobs numbers are the best they've been in a generation, but investment is down. Voters across the country have sent multiple-term governments packing. Are we on the cusp of a turnaround, or waiting for the other economic shoe to drop?It's better to be proactive than reactive. If revenue is important to your business, then uncollected revenue is affecting your bottom line and ability to do business.David Hopkyns is VP of Business Development at MetCredit joins host Andreas Schwabe to talk the best timing to collect outstanding debts, and his experience that waiting for a turnaround is an unnecessary risk.

In business the bottom line is literally the bottom line. When it comes to outstanding revenue, we've heard time and again from experienced debt collectors: do not wait. Time is the enemy. If you want to recover as much money as possible, you need to act as quickly as possible. But that's really the question. Act? Sure! But what to do…where to turn? If you're prepared to rebuild your bottom line and get serious about accounts receivable, then today's has a lot to say about that. David Hopkyns, is Vice President of Business Development at MetCredit. David is the key contact between your business, and collection debt locally or nationally. He who knows what businesses face when they're dealing with outstanding debt. On this episode of Overdue Advice, “Your first experience with a collection agency, and how to make it a success.”

People are hard-wired to find patterns. Whether it's a picture, sound, or behavior, we look for patterns in everything. Businesses are good at detecting patterns in customer behavior. They're not so good at predicting behavior - especially when it comes to who is going to default on a payment. Katrina Nilsen is a Collection Manager, and TsiTsi Chiwara is a collector at MetCredit. Part true-story, part true-confessions, Katrina and TsiTsi join Andreas in studio and offer up some surprises to help businesses demystify the types of debtors, and how to manage them.

Most people have never experienced a call from a debt collector, but opinions about the debt collection process are many and varied. What do you really know about debt collection and how it works? Debt collection is heavily regulated in Canada, but that doesn't mean anyone understands it. any better than patent law. Debt collection is a formal process with guidelines on everything from privacy to how often, where, and when collection agencies can contact people. For episode 5 of "Overdue Advice" host Andreas Schwabe talks with MetCredit Collection Manager Katrina Nilsen about "The Truth About Debt Collections."

The popular image of debt collection is a bunch of snarling, angry, vindictive trolls who find joy in making life miserable. They follow you around with a money magnet, siphoning your hard-earned cash that you want to use for other things. But debtors have already used their money for other things, and can't afford the new things. Small and medium businesses worry about how collections will affect their relationship with their customers, and their reputation. Debt is a human problem, which means integrity and honesty are a big part of the collections job. It takes sensitivity, creativity, and a desire to help. Episode 4 of Overdue Advice takes a first look at "The Job of Debt Collector" with MetCredit Collection Manager, Katrina Nilsen.

Ask three economists their opinion on an issue, and you might get four answers back. Is the economy up? Is it flat? Is it down? You have to act when you're facing an economic downturn. Episode 3 of Overdue Advice reveals the 5 things you can do to make a down economy more tolerable for your business.

Running a business is demanding. We look for processes and habits that foster stability and routine. Habits are comfortable, but they're not always efficient or good business. With trade tariffs and barrier, political instability, and even climate can further complicate matters. As margins shrink, you need to find ways to do business better; smarter. You need to deal with cash flow issues before they happen. In this episode, MetCredit President and CEO Brian Summerfelt talks with Andreas Schwabe about his top three actions businesses can take to take charge of accounts receivable.

Episode 1 - Overdue Advice is the podcast about dealing with outstanding debt. In the first episode, host Andreas Schwabe talks with Brian Summerfelt, President and CEO of MetCredit, Canada's leader in ethical debt collection. Episode 1 covers a lot of ground, starting with what debt collection actually is, how it works, and how Brian wants MetCredit to transform how debt is collected.