The holidays have come and gone and we are now in the middle of winter desperately searching for any glimmer of hope to get us through long, cold days. If you’re anywhere near the Northeast, you have had more than enough snow to last a lifetime at this point. We need something to make us happy… This collection agency stays positive by having a great place to work, a ton of charity work and hearing good economic news.

Recently several bank analysts raised the spirits of consumers, creditors and lenders by projecting a positive economic forecast due to the steady decline of charge-off rates. Although this is encouraging news, consumers should be completely informed before feeling too financially confident and should also continue to practice conservative spending habits. Slowing charge-off rates are encouraging but keep media reports in perspective by knowing all the facts and also realize it is possible to have another fiscal downturn; so be certain to take steps to protect your financial future.

In 2007, charge-off rates among the five largest credit card companies escalated along with record unemployment levels. Although the Securities and Exchange Commission reported waning charge-off rates in the second quarter of 2010, much improved from four-years ago; charge-off rates still comprise about 6.3 percent of total credit card portfolios. This figure is still well above historical five year averages. Positive economic reports, regardless of the overall circumstances have definitely left creditors and consumers feeling very optimistic and lenders are feeling more comfortable with the state of the consumer.  Bank analysts project consumer lending in 2011 to slightly increase in credit card, auto and commercial loan portfolios. This may dramatically help the economy if all goes well.

 This collection agency welcomes good economic news while we all suffer through the snowy, dark days of winter but through all that, be certain to stay conservative and realistic even as trends improve. Let the lessons of the past shape your future spending and credit behavior. Even with reported improvements, the economy still sits on shaky ground and lending most likely will not be as abundant as it was pre-recession mostly due to the ongoing increase in unemployment rates. Secure your financial future by staying informed, saving for a rainy day and practicing reasonable spending and borrowing in every type of economy.

This collection agency will be exhibiting at the popular Yankee Dental Congress this week. This is one of the largest gatherings of dental professionals in the county with vendors taking to the exhibit floor and educational programs to help these professionals.

We are always thrilled to get out on the road and meet face to face with our clients as well as potential clients as we can truly show just how different we are. While they may be looking for the next great dentist chair or state of the art equipment, they are also looking for solutions to other issues such as effective business techniques and how to be more profitable.

Securing past due fees from patients is a big concern in the dental world. A dentist or a doctor needs to develop a great relationship with a patient to earn their trust. When business gets in the way, it can present an awkward situation. That’s where we come in and can show that among all the other collection agencies out there, we have the solution through diplomacy and a kinder approach. We do very well at these shows because we understand their challenges and can meet their needs.

The other thing that makes us very different is the amount of energy and resources we put behind our community. At Yankee Dental, we’ll donate a portion or our proceeds from orders we write on the show floor do the Ask Dr, Debt program http://www.askdoctordebt.com/. This program is run by the ACA, the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals. It provides unbiased advice to consumers struggling with debt problems.

So if you’re a dentist or office manager and you’ll be at Yankee Dental, stop by our booth, say hello and if you want to write up and order, we’ll put part of the proceeds to good use.

The premier event for people in the dental profession is just around the corner; Yankee Dental Congress. And we’re pleased to have it in Boston where one of our offices is. If you’re one of the thousands of professionals that attend this event, we are hoping to see you there and show you just what we can do to help you with your accounts receivables. Stop on by Booth #1231 and let us have a few minutes of your time.

Let’s get right to the main points. There is a fine line between care and collections. We understand this. And when a collection agency is asked to contact the patient of a dentist to secure a past-due payment, they need to do so with care and compassion. American Profit Recovery has perfected this approach and we do all that we can to help a dental practice secure their late payments and keep their patients coming back.

When we speak to dentists and their staff at shows such as Yankee Dental Congress, they express their need to have a third-party collection agency take some of the collection work off their staff but they also express their need to have it done diplomatically. Countless dental and medical practices have come to rely on our approach to get them paid and keep their relationship intact with their patient.

Take a look at the video below with one of our experts in the dental collections field and then please, if you’re at Yankee Dental on January 27-29, stop on by and say hello.

It’s January and although most lawns are hibernating for the winter, now is a good time for lawn care businesses to weed out problems in their accounts receivables processes. This helps them develop strong policies, settle their books and start the New Year on lush ground. This collection agency is dedicated to working with business owners and operators in the lawn care industry. APR’s years of experience in this industry have helped us hone in on methods which help accounts receivables processes bloom.

-A lawn care business should establish a solid payment and billing policy to manage customer’s expectations and let them know the time-frame in which their payments are due.

-To achieve the best results, a lawn care business should act early and approach customers with accounts that are 30-days overdue through a gentle reminder sent in the mail.

-Knowledgeable and enthusiastic employees an provide the best service and convey policies effectively with methods infused with customer service to help your lawn care business better recover monies owed.

-Lawn care companies who pursued outside help from a reputable collection agency for stubborn accounts, those unpaid for 90-days or more, increased their bottom line and retained customers.

We opened our doors in 2004 and since that time we have worked with businesses in a myriad of different industries including a specialty in lawn care and landscaping. As a result, we’ve been endorsed by a number of organizations including PLANET, Real Green, Scotts, and many others. In the upcoming months, APR will demonstrate at different trade shows, summits and annual meetings including New England Grows in Boston. Event details can be found in the Upcoming Events section of the APR website: www.americanprofit.net/events-upcoming.htm

In the meantime, check out this video on our lawn care specialty;

We know the Monday after New Years is the toughest Monday of the entire year. If you’re like me, you’re having a tough time getting going and the true day to get your year back in gear is Tuesday. Since that’s the case for many, take a little time and sit back and think about the goals you want or need to set for your business. I’m guessing one of these is to make more money. Aside from shedding those extra pounds, that is probably the biggest one of all.

The fact is, you may already be making the money you want. You’re just not getting it from your customers. For a variety of reasons, your customers are not paying on time, or paying at all. If you fix that, you may just be on your way to achieving one of your New Year’s resolutions. This collection agency can help you get that resolution underway. That and a little advice on the internal procedures you need to implement, you may just be surprised at the turn around in your cash flow.

You may have another resolution and that’s to be nice to people. You’re in luck; we can help you with that as well. As far as collection agencies go, we were founded on the belief that everyone should be treated with respect. Our faithful team member Al Scott here in our Marlborough office always says, “you get more bees with honey…” That’s what we do here. We treat all consumers with respect and dignity. After all, you work hard for your customers and you don’t want to lose them.

So as you start the New Year and set both personal and professional goals, think of the money you could be leaving on the table without a structured receivables policy and help from a reputable collection agency. You might just be on your way to one of you best years ever…And, you might be able to check off one of those New Year’s resolutions.