When choosing a collection agency to manage your accounts receivable, it’s crucial to verify that they hold the necessary certifications and demonstrate a commitment to data security. This will ensure they can meet your needs, while safeguarding your Consumers’ information safely and securely. Compliance certifications also indicate the agency’s dedication to professionalism, ethical standards, and adherence to industry regulations.

As an established collection agency with 40 years of expertise, we have recognized and integrated essential certifications that a collection agency must have to guarantee the provision of effective and compliant collection services:

ACA International Blueprint Quality Management System® Certification

ACA International, the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals, sets standards and guidelines for ethical debt collection practices. The Blueprint QMS Certification signifies that your collection agencies adhere to a set of industry-specific professional practices and policies while helping to reduce errors, enhance communication, and improve your bottom line. Currently only 1% of the more than 6,000 collection agencies, have achieved this certification. In addition, an agency that is a member of ACA International demonstrates its commitment to high ethical standards and best practices. ConServe has maintained the Blueprint Certification for over 23 years, signifying our commitment to quality and compliance, allowing us to provide exceptional collection services to our Clients and their valued Consumers.

SSAE 18 SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 2 Engagements

Established by the Auditing Standards Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), SSAE 18 effectively replaces SAS 70 as the Authoritative guidance for reporting on service organizations. The SOC 1 and SOC 2 reports evaluate controls at a service organization that are relevant to the security, availability, and processing integrity of a service organization’s system. In addition, the reports also evaluate the confidentiality of the information and the privacy of personal information that the service organization’s system controls.

FISMA Compliance

FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act) is an on-going compliance program that mandates annual self-assessments in addition to an independent 3rd party assessment that must be conducted every 3 years in order to earn an Authority to Operate (ATO) issuance. Being FISMA Compliant ensures your agency’s Information Security Program is structured to align with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-53 guidelines.

PCI-DSS Compliance

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards for handling credit card information. If your collection agency processes, stores, or transmits credit card information, you’ll want to ensure they are PCI-DSS Compliant in order to feel confident that your Consumer’s sensitive financial data is protected and secure.

State and Local Licenses

Collection agencies are required to acquire licenses to operate in certain states to guarantee compliance with local regulations and laws. As your Consumers may relocate to different states, it is crucial to partner with an agency that is licensed and bonded (where applicable) to conduct collections nationwide, where your customers currently live or may relocate to in the future.

Professional Collection Specialist (PCS) Designation

Offered by ACA International, the PCS designation signifies that the agency’s collectors understand collection practices, ethics and compliance. An agency whose employees have dedicated time to achieving this certification demonstrates their dedication to upholding industry standards and delivering quality service.

Conclusion

Aligning with a collection agency that holds these certifications can guarantee that your collection agency follows industry standards and ethical guidelines. This, in turn, helps protect your business from legal and reputational risks, while ensuring your Consumers are treated fairly and respectfully during the collections process.

As a top performing nationwide collection agency, we take pride in maintaining all the critical compliance certifications required to ensure we meet and exceed industry standards. Our focus on ethics and compliance, enhanced with performance analytics and cutting-edge technology, has created the synergy of The ConServe Advantage^Ⓡ®, enabling us to develop win-win scenarios for our Clients and their Consumers. Partner with us and experience the peace of mind that comes with working with a certified, reputable, and compliant collection agency.

Ready to learn more about how our collection services can benefit your business? Schedule a meeting with our collection experts now.