Blog - American Profit Recovery

A culture of helping makes this one of the best places to work

American Profit Recovery is a great place to build a career. Since 2008 we have been ranked as one of the best places to work in collections. And that comes straight from our team members.

For over a decade, we’ve gone through a time-consuming survey process that methodically ranks the best places to work in the collection industry. And it is well worth the effort. This survey involves ownership and team members and gives a complete snapshot of the employee experience.

One overarching part of that employee experience is the opportunity to help others. Because we know the only way to build a healthy and meaningful culture is to provide an environment where people feel fulfilled about […]

David Greenwood2024-09-30T09:44:48-04:00August 5th, 2024|Categories: Team APR|

An insider’s look at managing negative cash flow

Many small businesses with negative cash flow, as well as larger organizations, are making the same costly mistakes.

Handling everything with internal resources.

Leaders, owners and founders tell themselves the same thing over and over again.” If we just keep calling, emailing and sending statements, eventually these customers will pay.”

The problem with that thinking is that it is a false belief, and over time, it proves to be unsuccessful. […]

David Greenwood2025-07-10T09:28:57-04:00July 10th, 2025|Categories: Accounts Receivables, Medical Debt Collections, Small Business Collections|

4 proven tactics to stop negative cash flow in your small business

Every business owner or founder has experienced the effects of negative cash flow at some point.

The question for you is, how long are you going to let this go for and how often are you going to tolerate negative cash flow?

Whether you’re running a lawn care or landscaping company, dental practice, or even a restoration company, you’re not immune to the frustrations of late paying customers and negative cash flow.

Hoping customers will pay is just not a strategy. It’s a recipe for even further financial difficulties for your small or medium-sized business.

What does your business need to do to get back your positive cash flow? Check out our four must-haves! […]

David Greenwood2025-07-03T09:08:21-04:00July 3rd, 2025|Categories: Accounts Receivables, Medical Debt Collections, Professional Services Collections|

6 clear signs you need to hire a debt collection agency

If you’re a small business owner or leader lying awake at night and stressed out over those unpaid invoices, you are not alone. Your bookkeeper tells you your bank account is shrinking, and your cash flow continuously goes negative.

For many small and mid-sized businesses, late payments are not just a minor inconvenience, they can be a slow bleed that affects areas from payroll to your Peace of Mind.

Many organizations continue to struggle with this and hesitate to talk about how this feels such as frustration as well as fears of what can happen if the financial situation doesn’t change for the business.

Let’s dive into some of the painful and all-too-common problems business owners and leaders […]

David Greenwood2025-06-09T08:45:09-04:00June 9th, 2025|Categories: Accounts Receivables, Advice, Small Business Collections|

Reducing the financial stress in your small to medium sized business

There is no doubt that there is a lot of stress when running a small business or a medium-sized organization. Countless areas require the focus of leadership and for many, the list seems never ending.

Financial stress, as you are probably aware, is at the top of the list of challenges and frustrations of small to medium-sized business owners and founders.

Partnering with the right collection agency can make a drastic difference in the amount of stress experienced by not only owners and founders but by other stakeholders involved.

Find out here how building a strategic debt collection strategy can reduce the stress in your organization. […]

David Greenwood2025-06-02T10:21:21-04:00June 2nd, 2025|Categories: Accounts Receivables, Small Business Collections|

Are You a Consumer Struggling with Debt? Take Control with These Proven Strategies

If you are a consumer struggling with ongoing debt and a mountain of unpaid bills, please know there is hope. There are effective ways to tackle the stress of debt.

If you have decided that enough is enough and you are ready to be disciplined and become financially healthy, sometimes some simple and consistent strategies can make a big difference in your life.

If you’re ready to tackle the ongoing challenge of being a consumer struggling with debt, check out our simple and highly effective strategies for navigating your way into financial health.

Assess your full financial picture

If you are a consumer continually struggling with debt, it’s time to get serious. For many families, debt can spiral out […]

David Greenwood2025-05-12T09:43:56-04:00May 15th, 2025|Categories: Advice for Consumers|

What professional debt collectors want you to know about how they handle your accounts

Debt collectors have an enormous responsibility to every business they represent.

On the one hand, a business hires a collection agency to collect from customers that have not paid them. And on the other hand, it’s important to understand that keeping your customers is of equal importance.

Hiring a third-party collection agency is a big step for many businesses.

You want to be comfortable knowing that you’ll see the results you need, and you’ll also want to make sure that the agency you hire does not alienate your customers.

Collection agencies understand that they can play a critical role in the success of your business including managing difficult conversations with your customers.

Here’s what professional debt collectors want you to […]

David Greenwood2025-05-12T09:31:26-04:00May 12th, 2025|Categories: Accounts Receivables, Advice for Businesses, Small Business Collections|

Calling customers that have not paid? Follow these important guidelines

Calling customers in good times is pretty easy and stress-free for most of us. But calling them when they have not paid their bill is a different type of phone call.

While using a collection agency can be a necessary part of your accounts receivable process, it is important for your business to use internal resources to try to resolve a past-due account before sending it to collections.

If you’re calling customers who are behind on paying your business, we have provided a brief guide on the process that you and your team should follow.

Make sure you prepare for the follow up call

Whoever is calling your customers, they should be prepared with adequate information. Not only should […]

David Greenwood2025-05-07T13:17:58-04:00May 7th, 2025|Categories: Accounts Receivables, Medical Debt Collections, Small Business Collections|

Don’t Leave Money on the Table: How to Work with a Collection Agency for Improved Cash Flow

Hiring a collection agency for your business can be an extremely smart move and a strategic advantage in improving your cash flow. If you have customers who are consistently late or who have not paid you at all, and those are piling up, it’s time to make that decision.

However, effective debt collections happen when you have the proper documentation in front of you. Having a paper trail, as they say, can increase the chances of getting the money owed to your business. Being organized and proactive can make a big difference in the amount of money you collect.

If you’re hiring a collection agency to improve your business cash flow, here are some things to consider […]

David Greenwood2025-05-02T08:57:06-04:00May 2nd, 2025|Categories: Accounts Receivables, Advice for Businesses, Small Business Collections|

What motivates consumers to pay your invoice?

You may be a small business owner or a professional in the position of finance. You may be reading this and at the same time having challenges with cash flow. The main culprit could be late and non-paying consumers.

Just about every type of business will encounter this challenge, and it’s imperative to implement a regular and consistent program for getting customers to pay you for what you have provided. Whether it is late customers or those who refuse to pay, having a rock-solid accounts receivable program is non-negotiable.

It helps to understand what motivates customers to pay a bill, whether that’s their regular habits or their past-due bills.

Understanding this can help your accounts receivable program be […]

David Greenwood2025-03-12T10:30:26-04:00March 14th, 2025|Categories: Accounts Receivables, Advice for Businesses, Small Business Collections|

How a Budget Friendly Collection Agency Can Help Improve Your Cash Flow

What if we told you you could hire a collection agency and improve your cash flow without breaking your budget? We’re confident most businesses would like to take advantage of that.

There is still a myth that the only way to employ a debt collection agency for your business is to pay large fees to achieve your goals.

However, that is not the case; low-cost debt collection solutions are available to any size business.

Do you want to improve your business cash flow without breaking the bank?

Check out these reasons why using a low-cost collection agency can be one of the smartest moves your business ever makes! […]

David Greenwood2025-03-12T10:23:41-04:00March 12th, 2025|Categories: Accounts Receivables, Advice for Businesses, Small Business Collections|

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