Words from our Executive Director

Bloody Brilliant by Michael Cale

What makes us different?  Good question.  What is it about Wilber and Associates, P.C. that truly makes the difference and sets us apart from the competition in the business of receivables management?  Many collection agencies claim to be best.  They have this or that revolutionary program or process which they claim no one else offers, or no one else can do like they can.  With a lot of skill and flash they will present with slick brochures and packets that they are somehow set apart by the ‘latest and greatest’.  Savvy clients rarely buy it.  Most collection programs, processes, and systems are, in the final analysis, just a repackaging and reoffering of basic collection principles that have been around for decades.

Is it our people?  Agencies that provide good service are generally populated by good people, and good people drive business, and good people make our industry work.  Wilber and Associates, P.C. is certainly blessed with good people.  We, and companies like ours, search diligently to make sure we have on staff the best talent available for the task at hand.   I could write affectionately about the people who make our company great, and at length, (and I may well make it the topic of a future article) but then so could many of our competition.  How does the declaration ‘Our people make us great’ ring in your ears?  It might be absolutely true, but yep - tired and clichéd.

Is it our technology?  Technology is important, that is for sure.  EDI?  We do that.  Online access?  Of course, what collection agency these days doesn’t offer online access?  Auto dialer?  Absolutely.  Customizing reporting?  Please, why bother mentioning it?  Of course we do that, and many, many other things that you may hear our competition offering as ‘cutting edge’ or something unique to their service when, in fact, everyone better be able to do it by now if you are going to offer quality service at the level our clients expect.

Is it compliance?  Training?  Our audit and review process?  Our Associations and Memberships?   I see lots of our competition at various trade shows around the country.  Certainly nothing unique there.  Is it that we are the number 1 vendor with all of our clients?  Every collection agency I’ve ever known claims to be number 1 with every client they have, including the agencies that we compete against!  How dare they?  Didn’t they get the memo; our marketing department has already declared Wilber and Associates, P.C. to be number 1!?

Is it maximized Net – back?  Or superior results by people you like and trust in an environment that is committed to preserving your reputation in your industry while maximizing recoveries?  Though important, these things tend to be results from solid client - agency partnerships.  Agencies that truly believe that they are privileged to be of service, and are honored by a relationship with a client, had better be able to maximize net-back, work as a partner, and be generally easy to get along with.  Anything to the contrary is disaster, not to mention miserable, as recovery opportunities are lost.

No, I don’t think these factors are necessarily the difference.  Important?  No question.  But not the difference.  So what is the answer?  What is the one, tangible, real, bloody brilliant difference between us and the competition?  What sets Wilber & Associates P.C. apart?  What can you point to and say, yep, that’s it.  Well, it can be summed up in one sentence and it is so simple.  At the end of the day what sets Wilber & Associates, P.C. apart is ‘The credible specter of litigation’.  The bloody brilliant difference is that we are a Law Firm, dedicated, motivated and set about the task of collecting more of your money, faster than anyone else in the business.  Our competition can’t say that.  The real perception is that collection agencies don’t sue people, and everyone knows it.  Our being a law firm gives you power, and facilitates recovery when traditional collection agencies fail.  So now you know.  Want proof?  Call us and let us show you how.  You will be amazed by the bloody brilliant difference.