Collector Connector - ACA of Texas

44 Pages·2014·7.84 MB·English

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Collector Connector
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INSIDE:
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• ACA 67th Annual Conference

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• Lame Proofs of Claim

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ACA OF TEXAS
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table of contents
features
From Paul’s Desk: Sales Tips .....................................................................9
Paul Morrow
Lame Proofs of Claim ..............................................................................11
John Bedard, Jr., Esq.
6 Things Debt Collectors Wish You Knew ...............................................13
Nick Jarman
Educational Foundation “Golf Event” Announcement .............................15

Collector’s Corner: Rock the Crowd .........................................................17
Daron Ratcliff
Four Strategies for Addressing Health Insurance .......................................19
Teri Mullaney
ACA of Texas 67th Annual Conference Registration Information .....21-27
departments
President’s Letter ...........................................................................................5
Looking for a mobile payments platform? Executive Director’s Comments ....................................................................7
Legislative Update .......................................................................................15

CollectPAC ..................................................................................................35
introducing
Professional Education and Development ..................................................37
Index to Advertisers .....................................................................................42
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from the president
ACA
 President’s
 Letter

Transition

TRANSITION
PRESIDENT
Mike Ryalls Due
  to
  the
  sudden
  and
  unexpected
  resignation
  of
  Mike
  Ryalls
  as
  President,
  there
  is
  no

President
RGS Financial, Inc. “President’s
 Letter”
 for
 this
 issue.

Due to the sudden and unexpected resignation of Mike Ryalls as President, there is no
1700 Jay Ell Drive, Suite 200
Richardson, TX 75081 “President’s Letter” for this issue.
Below
 is
 the
 text
 of
 the
 resignation
 letter
 sent
 to
 our
 Executive
 Director.

 Please
 join
 with
 the
 Officers

[email protected]
and
 Directors
 in
 extending
 your
 thanks
 to
 Mike
 for
 his
 years
 of
 service
 to
 the
 association
 and
 in
 wishing

PRESIDENT-ELECT Below is the text of the resignation letter sent to our Executive Director. Please join with the
Jeff Hurt Offihicme
 rasl la
 snudcc Desisr
 einc
 ttohres
 f iuntu erxet.e
 nding your thanks to Mike for his years of service to the association
President
and in wishing him all success in the future.
Southwest Credit Services
4120 International Parkway, Suite 1100

Carrollton, TX 75007
[email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT
Ron Nunley
October
 23,
 2014

President
Certified Recovery Systems, Inc.
6161 Savoy Drive, Suite 600 Tom
 Morgan

Houston, TX 77036
[email protected]
Director
 of
 ACA
 of
 Texas

TREASURER
Andrew Marancik, Esq.
CCO & General Counsel Via
 Email

LTD Financial Services, LP
7322 Southwest Freeway, Suite 1600
Houston, TX 77074

[email protected]
Dear
 Tom,

PAST PRESIDENT
Greg Mason
President After
 much
 reflection,
 I
 have
 decided
 to
 resign
 as
 the
 President
 of
 the
 association.

Service Bureau, Inc.
2705 81st Street
Lubbock, TX 79423 This
 decision
 was
 not
 taken
 lightly
 and
 I
 continue
 to
 have
 mixed
 feelings
 regarding
 the
 needs
 of
 the

[email protected]
industry
 and
 association
 versus
 the
 business
 and
 personal
 commitments
 that
 are
 taking
 precedent.

NATIONAL DELEGATES
Julie Goforth, San Antonio (2013-2016)
I
 am
 sensitive
 to
 the
 sudden
 nature
 of
 this
 transition
 and
 would
 offer
 my
 services
 in
 any
 way
 necessary

Tom Stockton, Carrollton (2013-2016)
Vic C. York-Houston (2011-2014) to
 insure
 a
 smooth
 transfer
 of
 duties.

Stephanie Rifenberg, Amarillo (2011-2014)
STATE DIRECTORS All
 the
 best,

Carrie Finney-Carrollton (2013-2016)
Steve Whigham, Round Rock (2013-2016)
Ken Bone, Carrollton (2011-2014)
Rick V. Anderson, Houston (2011-2014)
Daron Ratcliff, Carrollton (2012-2015)

Katie Zugsay, Carrollton (2012-2015)
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Michael
 Ryalls,
 President

Thomas G. Morgan
18604 Interstate 20 West
Lindale, TX 75771

512-458-8666
[email protected]

Fall 2014 Southwest Collector Connector 5
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executive director’s comments
Transitions, Holidays and our Annual Conference is Coming!
My last column was headlined, “Your Association Needs You!” and, at the time, I did not have any idea as to how true that
would become. Hopefully, you read the magazine from front to back (I will confess that I am not normal and will often
start at the back), and you should have already seen that Mike Ryalls has resigned as our president. (If you have not seen
that information, please go to page 5.) We wish Mike all success in the future as he focuses strictly on his business and
his family commitments. He will be missed but not forgotten (and I predict he will be back).
As a trade association representing third-party debt collection agencies along with our many
attorney firm members, we are essentially a “mutual aid society”. That is, we join together to
provide each other with assistance, information, and support (particularly in the legislative
and regulatory arena). To do so, requires individuals to “sign up” and “commit” their time,
talents and even, occasionally, some resources to serve the association. When individuals take
it upon themselves to do that there is a great benefit to the entire organization (the individuals
who do so will tell you that they too benefit, more than they ever thought).
We are what we are and where we are as a trade association largely due to the many volunteers
who have served in the past, those who are serving now and those who will serve in the future.
So, that is what I meant when I used the headline, “Your Association Needs You!” We really
do, and it becomes really noticeable when we experience “transition” and lose a valued leader/
volunteer like Mike.
That said, please, as a member of this association, consider how you can share your time, talents and even resources to
continue to make ACA of Texas an outstanding trade association that its members can be proud to belong to (now, if you
will excuse me, I will get off my soapbox [editorial privilege]).
Lest I forget, we have some great holiday time coming up. We are all very busy but over this coming holiday season be
sure to take some time to relax, smell the roses, count your blessings, share some special time with family and friends and
really connect with those you love and who love you. Time is short, spend it wisely.
Finally, it is true, our 67th Annual Conference is Coming! Mark your calendars for February 16-18, 2015 when we
will meet in Austin at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The Program Committee has put together a tremendous program with
nationally recognized speakers addressing a wide range of very important topics (see page 24 for more detail).
Speaking of important, John Bedard and Debra Ciskey will be team-teaching ACA’s Advanced Compliance course,
“Understand and Respond to the CFPB’s Expectations.” This 8-hour seminar will begin on Monday and conclude on
Tuesday. This is a must if you are or want to be certified as a Credit & Collection Compliance Officer (CCCO). Space
is limited so register early.
Did I say early? New this year, we will be offering “Early Bird Pricing”. Register early for both the conference and
the compliance seminar and save approximately 20%. Early bird pricing is good only until January 10, 2015. See the
registration form on page 26.
An invitation has been extended to Ken Paxton to be our Keynote Speaker on that Monday (2/16). If all goes as expected,
Ken Paxton will be the new Texas Attorney General in January. I, for one, look forward to what he will have to say.
We fully expect that our Exhibit Hall will be sold out (30 exhibitors, some new). Our Opening Reception will be a great
networking time along with time to share with our exhibitors. We will also have our always entertaining Bottle Auction
with Ron Brown as our auctioneer.
Continued on page 38
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From Paul’s Desk
KNOWING WHEN ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
By Paul Morrow
How many times should you contact the same prospect All prospects you are trying to contact, no matter what level,
before saying “enough is enough”? To answer this question, should be added to your database for future email campaigns
we first need to outline how to reach out to a prospect. so that you can keep your name in front of them periodically.
These email campaigns are a type of tactic that needs to be
Most sales reps do not use email properly. It is common to prepared carefully—a larger topic that I will cover in the future.
leave a voice mail and at some future time send a follow-up
email. But there is nothing wrong with leaving a voice mail If you are not getting satisfactory responses to the voice
and immediately sending an email with “voice mail” in the mails you are leaving, it very well could  be due to the
subject line. This subject and a good message will grab the message contained in the voice mail. The value statement
recipient’s attention. This tactic should increase the number you are using is probably off, and no matter how many
of responses dramatically. Many prospects will find it more times you call, the response will be “not interested.” One
convenient to answer you through email than dialing the phone. of my  previous articles dealt specifically with leaving the
correct message that would make you interesting to your
The number of times you should follow up with a prospect will prospects and thus make them want to talk further with you.
depend on several factors, such as the title of your target, the
source of the lead, and the potential size of the opportunity. Every successful sales rep sets an objective for all calls, whether
A potentially large client warrants many more contact attempts those calls are on the phone or in person. Your message should
than a small revenue generator. You have to determine the focus on your prospect and not on your company so it will be
value to your particular agency. If a senior-level manager at of value for the prospect to continue talking with you or to call
a potential client requests information or is someone I have you back. You might mention how you were able to help a client
met at a conference, that person will get more attention than similar to your prospect so your message relates directly to them. 
someone who is not in a position to make the decision about
my service. Someone who has previously expressed an interest Remember, you have to set yourself up to be different from all
in your services should receive more follow-up  attempts. of your competitors. Since your selling time is valuable, you
should guard it closely and utilize it to the best of your ability.
Of course, some prospects have said they are interested This means gauging how much time should be spent on
when maybe they are not, or perhaps  they just are too each prospect. If you follow the above criteria and have the
busy to give you the time necessary for you to visit them. right message in both your voice mail and email, you should
You should indicate  that you understand they are very entice more people to return your calls and emails.
busy but would appreciate two minutes of their time on
the phone to clarify what the next step could be to advance This article is by Paul Morrow, sales consultant to the collection
the sale. If you suggest the next move, then you are driving industry. If you would like to discuss any subject with Paul, please
the sale and not waiting for the prospect to decide for you. contact him at 215-643-4282 or [email protected].

Letters to the Editor
Letters [or emails] to the Editor are welcome but must be signed, please include full name and address. Not all letters
can be published. Letters that are published may be edited for space, brevity, clarity and other editorial considerations.
We look forward to your constructive criticism; let us know if there is anything in particular you would like to see us
address. We appreciate the opportunity to hear from our readers.
Unfortunately, there are no letters this quarter.
Fall 2014 Southwest Collector Connector 9
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