What is the work like?

Debt collectors, also known as collection agents, debt recovery agents or credit controllers, are responsible for recovering bad debts or late payments on credit accounts.

As a debt collector, you collect money as a third party collection agency on behalf of businesses (commercial collection) or individuals (consumer collection). Alternatively, you will be known as a credit controller if you work in the finance department of a business, chasing late payments from suppliers and customers. In either case your work will involve:

• Contacting individuals and business customers to ask for payment
  
• Negotiating repayment plans
  
• Setting up and maintaining customer files
  
• Recording payments
  
• Visiting debtors to collect payments (known as 'field collection')
  
• Tracing missing debtors.

When other ways of collecting the debt have failed, you will follow court orders and strict legal procedures to recover the debt. You will need to work closely with solicitors and bailiffs when dealing with insolvency cases or legal proceedings.

What qualifications and experience will employers look for?

You do not always need particular qualifications to become a debt collector or credit controller, but employers will expect you to have a good standard of general education. A qualification in book-keeping or accounts may be advantageous.

What skills and knowledge will I need?

You will need:

Good verbal and written communication skills

• Good knowledge of the debt collection methodology
  
• An assertive but tactful manner
  
• Calmness under pressure
  
• An organised and methodical approach
  
• The ability to work to strict deadlines
  
• Good negotiation skills
  
• Skills in consumer counselling
  
• The ability to explain financial matters firmly and clearly
  
• Good mathematical skills
  
• Administrative and computer skills.

You would also need a driver's lisence for field collection work.

What are the hours and working conditions?

You would often work from Mondays to Fridays, from 8am to 5pm. In consumer collection you might work shifts including evenings and weekends, to contact people who work during the day. Part-time work is also available.

In most jobs you would be based in an office or a call centre, although as a field collector you would usually work from home and travel to visit clients at their homes or businesses.

What opportunities are there?

You could work as a credit controller for commercial businesses of all kinds, or you could work as a debt collector for a collection agency. Alternatively, you could be self-employed or work freelance, especially as a field collection agent.

What further training and development can I do?

You will do most of your training on the job. Having the knowledge of the debt collection methodology beforehand is essential.very important. Your training may include in-house courses covering debt collection techniques, telephone techniques, The National Credit Act, litigation and insolvency.

CSTI has a range of training skills programmes and short courses that will equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills for a career as a debt collector. Even if you have been working as a debt collector for many years we have skills programmes and short courses that will uplift your current skills and advance your career within the debt collection environment.

These programmes include the following: (Please click on a specific programme for more information)

CSTI also has the following new course coming soon:

Effective Debt Collection under the NCA

Should you like to book yourself or one of your colleagues to attend one or more of the above courses, please let us know by contacting us on Tel: 021 888 6000 or emailing us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it