Collection Specialist - Full-time

GENERAL SUMMARY: Under the direction of the National Quality Customer Service Assistant Manager, this incumbent will assist in leading Sears Home Improvement Products in providing, identifying, establishing, promoting, and monitoring of non-funded jobs to insure swift and superior collection efforts are operational and functional throughout all District locations. This position will help develop and manage inter company collection efforts and maintain customer relationships and by developing strong communication channels to improve performance. This position will help in developing and maintaining processes and techniques, such as trend analysis and reporting mechanisms to identify causes and resolution methods of customer delinquencies for the services and products provided. This position will work closely with management in troubleshooting and negotiating reasonable resolutions for customer complaints that have caused them to be delinquent in their payment. This position will maximize all available resources to insure that Sears Home Improvement Products is leading the industry in providing excellent customer service. SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY: * Responsible for collecting annual revenues in excess of $75,000.00. * Responsible for managing an average of 150 files in any given month. * Improving and maintaining customer service response time. * Improve and maintain high and acceptable level in customer satisfaction ratings of additional service. * Has the authority to make monetary resolution decisions, up to $400.00 before supervisor involvement and approval is needed. JOB RESPONSIBILITIES : * The incumbent will be responsible for monitoring various mechanisms to assist in customer collections. Help in building efficiencies to improve internal practices and process through communicating causes. * Receiving of jobs that have been completed, but Sears Home Improvement Products has yet received payment or necessary documents for funding. * Reduce percentage of uncollected jobs by improving and increasing collection efforts. * Communicate with Regional Managers, District (Sales/Installation/Service) managers, customers and all other necessary resources concerning non-funded jobs. Through this communication gather all facts necessary to establish resolution plan and action necessary to collect funds. * Identify deficiencies in policies and procedures to improve receivables on the front line business. * Produce written correspondence as needed to cause customer (internal/external) response or involvement in collecting funds. Will work closely with Management in producing such written correspondents to insure and protect companies' best interest. * Insure written agreements have been executed to safeguard company interest. * Establish and maintain high level of customer satisfaction through efficient/timely customer resolution. * Work closely with Legal Case Manager by communication and escalating cases to improve collection efforts and to safeguard company interest. * Work with Accounts Receivable and Credit on charge back disputes. * Work with Funding on processing receivables. * Work with Quality Central administrators to insure that services are opened and monitored when additional work is needed to collect funds. * Collect and provide data that will help in identifying deficiencies within current sales and Installation processes that would reduce percentage of non-funded jobs. * Insure that all systems and reporting mechanisms for responsible jobs are accurate and up to date. * Perform all other duties as assigned.

Education/Training * High School Education or equivalent. * Minimum one year preferred two to three years in customer service related field. * Minimum one year in collection related field. Experience * Knowledgeable of company procedures and practices. * Knowledgeable of products and services that are provided. * Strong persuasive selling skills. Role specific abilities/skills * Excellent customer and interpersonal skills. * Good written and verbal/phone skills. * Great listening skills. * Customer service oriented. * Excellent at problem resolution concerning customer complaints. * Strong organization skills. * Strong in computer skills, typing, Microsoft Word and excel programs.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Vet.