Reflections from ACA International in Louisville, KY

By Jeff Spurgess:

As I reflect on this past week at the ACA International Convention in Louisville, KY, I can’t help but think back over the 34 years I’ve spent in this industry—and the incredible progress both our profession and my longtime peers and partners have made. It’s been quite the journey since January 27, 1992, when Barry Jennings hired me to be a collector at Transworld Systems.

Then: Recruiting in the ’90s

When I was hired, the job posting said it was for a “National Financial Concern.” That sounded impressive—even if I wasn’t entirely sure what that meant. But I was a finance major from Central Michigan University, and hey, it had finance in the title. Seemed like a perfect fit, right? The thought process that launched every great career!

I went through a two-interview process and heard all the success stories: people with my background making a bazillion dollars. “You’d be a perfect fit,” they told me. No clue what I’d be doing, but I was sold.

But once I started, things got…interesting. My trainer, a guy from Philly named Sean, made weird phone calls under different names—sometimes Sean, sometimes David—and let’s just say his tone wasn’t exactly customer service friendly. I figured he was having a rough day…ahh… every day!

By mid-afternoon on my first day, I realized I’d be on the phones too, and I needed a second name. Wait, what?! I was a finance guy. I didn’t even like calling to order pizza—and I lived in the pizza capital of the world with Little Caesars and Domino’s in my backyard.

The phone scripts, the good cop/bad cop routines, the awkward calls—I was awful! Three months in, I was still pressing buttons with a shaky hand (thankfully not rotary dial), writing on sprocket-fed workcards, and barely collecting dust. That’s when Barry gave me the classic nudge: “You might want to start looking for another job…”

But honestly, the thought of job hunting was worse than staying the course. So I did the only thing I could think of: I followed the scripts. Made a ton of calls. And things started working out just fine.

Now: Modern Recruiting

Fast forward to today, and recruiting looks a lot different. For starters, we call every person who applies through our Indeed ad. We focus on people who communicate well and show a strong work ethic.

Our interview process includes a detailed one-on-one discussion about the job: what the phone calls are like, what the expectations are, and how the pay structure works. Once hired, our new team members go through months of structured, hands-on training covering everything from compliance to communication to consumer empathy.

Today, we have advanced phone systems, an actual system of record, digital tools, and a support structure designed to help employees succeed. And most importantly, we’ve built a culture—both in the office and on the phone—that’s grounded in treating people with respect. Whether we call them “consumers”, “debtors”, “customers”, or “credit recipients” (still not sure what term we’ve landed on), we strive to help them understand their options and know we’re here to support—not harass—them.

The ACA Experience

Historically, I haven’t attended a ton of ACA events. I’ve always been in the trenches—handling operations, HR, marketing, and helping drive the direction of our company. But this was my second ACA event since November 2024, and I have to say, it’s been refreshing and energizing to be among so many passionate professionals.

It’s great to see so many industry members committed to the same values we’ve held for years: compliance, compassion, and culture. The vendor community was equally impressive—genuinely invested in helping our agencies succeed. And the best part? Watching agency leaders and staff openly share their ideas, tips, and tools for success. It’s an industry where we compete, sure, but we also collaborate.

Our CIO Kevin, who’s worked in several other industries, commented on how unique that is. He’s right—it’s rare to see competitors so willing to help one another grow.

Looking Ahead

This event reminded me why I love this profession. Debt collections may not have the glamour of Silicon Valley, but it’s full of people who genuinely care about helping consumers—and about building better businesses.

To all who made ACA International in Louisville a memorable and productive week: thank you. Let’s keep pushing forward, together.