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This month’s installment of Thriving In Third Party Collections features CollectionCenter Inc.’s Lead Software Developer, Brad Bingham. Take a moment to get to know Mr. Bingham, and gain further insight into the personality traits and qualities that make up a successful member of the debt collection industry.
- How long have you been in the debt collection industry?
I started with DAKCS software programing and tech support about 25 years ago. After 3 years I accepted a position with CCI and have been with them since.
- What is the biggest change in this industry since you started?
Litigation is way out of control. The number of frivolous lawsuits are growing at an alarming rate.
- How have you and your agency adapted?
In dealing with these growing issues we hold to our core beliefs and educate, educate, educate. We test and train our collectors, I believe, more than any other agency. Education and knowledge is like getting a booster shot during flu season, a must!
- What do you think has contributed to your longevity and success in this industry?
Nothing will ever replace treating debtors with respect and dignity. This was a basic belief of Linda Russell, the owner and CEO for the first 15 years with my time at CCI. Dan Russell, Linda’s son and current owner and CEO maintains that same belief system. That same belief is what has keep so many of our clients with us through the years. As with our employees we educate our clients on strategies and best practices to help them be successful in what they do.
- Where do you see the future of debt collection industry heading?
As I mentioned in question 2, if litigation goes unchecked it will be extremely difficult for the collection industry to survive in the future.
- What is your proudest moment in business?
When I come home at the end of a long day and look in the mirror and know that I was honest in all that I did.
- In life?
My wife and I have 10 children and 13 grandchildren between us, nothing is more important than family.
- What PDCflow Products/Services have been most beneficial to your business? In what capacity?
Credit card processing has been great. We just implemented our Health Care processing and working with PDCflow went very smooth.
- What do you wish you could do with your payment processing that you can’t do today?
Up our limit with PDCflow directly and then move forward without all the extra hurdles to jump over.
- If you weren’t at Collection Center, Inc. what would you be doing?
I’m truly a techie at heart so most likely working with programmers or on the technical side of business.
- What resources are most valuable to you with staying up to date on the industry changes?
ACA, several publications and google. From a technology standpoint, there are so many resources out there that the challenge becomes which ones to follow.
- What was the last great book you read? Why was it great?
The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday. A great book that puts 99% of your success or failure in your control. He provides a great way to look at all trials and how they can make you better.
- What jobs did you have in high school or college and what lessons did you learn from them that you still put into practice today?
I was a grease monkey and tire buster at a Big-O tire store. I froze in the winter and burned up in the summer for $4.25 an hr. I remember looking at myself in the mirror and asking myself what I was doing. One week later I was enrolled at Weber State University. That job was a great lesson on the type of vocation I wanted moving forward.
About Brad Bingham:
Brad Bingham grew up in northern Utah enjoying all four seasons. In the early 80’s he spent two years in New Zealand as a missionary for the LDS church and will always have a love for the people and beauty of that country. Brad started writing custom code for DAKCS software before taking a position with CollectionCenter Inc. in 1995. Within the next couple months he will receive his Fellow status in ACA and has participated in many conferences over the past 20 years. Because of his technical understanding and background in the collection industry he has sat on many panels helping others understand the confusing world of technology and its relationship to the collection world.
Mr. Bingham has worked closely with many healthcare providers in understanding their own system and what is the best process in working with the collection community. Most often you will find him working on the hardware and software side of the spectrum. In the unlikely event you are unable to get him on the line he will most likely be on the other line, a fly fishing line.
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