Collection Agency Head Calls for Stronger Partnerships Between Creditors and Agencies

KENNESAW, GA ? Anthony Marino, President and CEO of NCI called for a higher level of cooperation between agencies and creditors while appearing at the First Data Receivables Management Summit in New Orleans. ?I would encourage creditors to spend more time with your agencies figuring out how to improve your netback while maintaining a fair level of profit for the agencies,? said Marino.

Few people are as knowledgeable on both sides of the industry as Anthony Marino, who joined NCI as President after six years managing all Sears Credit?s inbound and outbound customer contact, including collections, recovery, processing, fraud, bankruptcy operations, telesales, and customer service. ?Having been there just 13 months ago, I know first-hand the pressures under which agency managers operate today,? Marino remarked. ?Their functions have become strategic to the corporation reaching its goals, which sometimes leads to knee-jerk reactions concentrating on the symptoms rather than curing the problem.?

NCI enjoys close, longstanding relationships with a who?s who list of creditors in every industry as a result of years of strong performance and close cooperation. Recently, Marino has brought a number of highly regarded executives to NCI in his efforts to make the company the undisputed quality leader in the industry.

Marino told the panel audience that competition among agencies is good for the client. ?Agencies do the best in a real tight relationship with the client where the number of suppliers is limited and the trust level is high. Those relationships bake a bigger pie and everyone benefits.? Marino cautioned that while vigorous competition is healthy, it can also become counterproductive. ?Many clients have too many agencies or are not working as a team with their agencies. These clients oftentimes set up an us-versus-them structure that can be harmful to all. The best clients encourage the development of relationships and play to an agency?s strength. By focusing on the long-term instead of month-to-month, their intent is to win not to fire.?

Marino?s advice to agencies: get creative. ?The agencies could do a lot better job giving the clients innovative new ideas. When I was at Sears, I was just amazed at how little I got out of most of our agencies in terms of new ideas or insights,? he remarked. ?Now I see why. Many agency managers do not have the time or freedom to be creative because of the pressure to make this month?s number. This is not healthy for anyone. Champion challenger testing is vital to improving results over the longer term,? Marino continued.

Marino?s final advice to creditors in selecting agencies: look beyond process to motivation. ?I joined NCI because I was excited about the possibility of taking this brand to a new level. I want to surround myself with others who share that passion, and I have placed a lot of emphasis on building a team of respected veterans who believe in looking at the long-term opportunities instead of the immediate reward.?

About NCI
Over its 56-year history, NCI (Nationwide Credit, Inc.) has grown to become a top ten receivables management provider to business and government nationwide. NCI enjoys stable ownership, experienced management, a strong balance sheet and minimal debt. With over 2600 employees in eleven global locations, NCI has the strength to develop and execute sophisticated, large-scale account management strategies with excellence. NCI’s customers include world leaders in retailing, banking, consumer services, utilities, telecommunications, healthcare, and federal and state government. The company is headquartered near Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, contact Rick Arko at 815.479.1072 or RArko@ncirm.com.