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Bill and Account Collectors Occupation Detailed Description

Bill and Account Collectors career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Bill and Account Collectors

The main tasks and work activities of Bill and Account Collectors are to collect deposits, payments or fees, monitor financial information, maintain financial or account records, provide notifications to customers or patrons. In general, for the Bill and Account Collectors, speaking, active Listening, persuasion, social Perceptiveness and other 8 skills are required.
Bill and Account Collectors Job Description
EducationThese occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related ExperienceSome previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Bill and Account Collectors jobs. 48.15% of Bill and Account Collectors have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 1.06% of Bill and Account Collectors have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
2.30%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
48.15%
Post-Secondary Certificate
1.06%
Some College Courses
27.37%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
0.00%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
21.12%

Tasks and Work Activities of Bill and Account Collectors

  • Receive payments and post amounts paid to customer accounts.
  • Locate and monitor overdue accounts, using computers and a variety of automated systems.
  • Record information about financial status of customers and status of collection efforts.
  • Locate and notify customers of delinquent accounts by mail, telephone, or personal visits to solicit payment.
  • Confer with customers by telephone or in person to determine reasons for overdue payments and to review the terms of sales, service, or credit contracts.
  • Advise customers of necessary actions and strategies for debt repayment.
  • Persuade customers to pay amounts due on credit accounts, damage claims, or nonpayable checks, or to return merchandise.
  • Sort and file correspondence and perform miscellaneous clerical duties, such as answering correspondence and writing reports.
  • Perform various administrative functions for assigned accounts, such as recording address changes and purging the records of deceased customers.
  • Arrange for debt repayment or establish repayment schedules, based on customers' financial situations.
  • Negotiate credit extensions when necessary.
  • Trace delinquent customers to new addresses by inquiring at post offices, telephone companies, credit bureaus, or through the questioning of neighbors.
  • Notify credit departments, order merchandise repossession or service disconnection, and turn over account records to attorneys when customers fail to respond to collection attempts.
  • Answer customer questions regarding problems with their accounts.
  • Contact insurance companies to check on status of claims payments and write appeal letters for denial on claims.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersHandling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Performing Administrative ActivitiesPerforming day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Collect deposits, payments or fees.
  • Monitor financial information.
  • Maintain financial or account records.
  • Provide notifications to customers or patrons.
  • Discuss account status or activity with customers or patrons.
  • Negotiate financial arrangements.
  • File documents or records.
  • Maintain medical records.
  • Sort mail.
  • Interview employees, customers, or others to collect information.
  • Obtain personal or financial information about customers or applicants.
  • Provide information to coworkers.
  • Respond to customer problems or complaints.

Skills and Abilities for Bill and Account Collectors

  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Special purpose telephonese.g. Amplified telephones
  • Autodialerse.g. Autodialers
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizerse.g. Personal digital assistants PDA
  • Autodialerse.g. Predictive dialers
  • Scannerse.g. Scanners
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Economics and AccountingKnowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.