LOVE THIS!
From CBS News:
Nurse Lori Factor from Tecumseh, Okla., could be any one of the 35 million Americans who owe money to a collection agency.
The only difference is that Lori loves her debt collector.
The story goes on to explain how Bill Bartmann’s debt collection agency, CFS-2 actually works to help it’s clients get out of debt vs. constantly brow beating them.
Bill says he does not hire debt collectors. Instead, he hires people with customer care experience. And rewards them — not for how much money they bring in — but for how many free services they provide.
The goal is to get debtors back on their feet — be it through government assistance, housing, even helping build resumes.
Bill says his company will even fill out the application and schedule the interview for their clients.
“Because if I can get you out of debt, you will have more money to pay me later,” said Bill.
According to the CFS-2 website, Bartmann has found himself in the shoes of many of his clients.
Bill and Kathy Bartmann, the founders of the company, were deeply in debt due to the failure of an oil-related business after the price of oil plummeted in the 1980s.
Because they personally had been hounded by predatory debt collectors, Bill and Kathy vowed they would find a better way.
Believing they could make a difference, Bill and Kathy started a small agency. True to their promise, Bill and Kathy never treated customers the same way they had been mis-treated. They treated customers with dignity and respect, and quickly discovered that most of those customers wanted to find a way to pay back their debts if only someone would work with them instead of hounding.
In the years since 1986, Bill, Kathy, and their team have successfully used debt discounting to help more than 4.5 million American families get rid of the debt that so often tears a family apart.
And according to Bartmann, his agency is collecting on 200% more debt than his competitors.
Surprise, surprise!
Maybe grace and love do win after all…
