Author: Matt Kulik

Have Consumer Expectations Changed in Debt Collection?

By on July 18th, 2025 in Customer Experience, Industry Insights, Machine Learning
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As recently as 15 years ago, consumer expectations about the debt collection experience looked starkly different than they do today. Back then, people expected debt collection communications to come as a piece of physical mail, and consumers were more likely to answer the phone for an unknown number before spam calls and call labeling and blocking became the norm. Companies who were looking to collect on a debt often used aggressive tactics, and customer satisfaction wasn’t a priority as long as some of the money owed was recovered. 

Now, consumers want empathy, understanding and convenience from the companies they interact with, especially in financial services. These shifts in consumer expectations continue to spark changes in debt collection trends and have led to more businesses investing in digital strategies to better engage with consumers. Join us as we take a more in-depth look at how consumer expectations in debt collection have changed and what it means for your business. 

Customer Satisfaction is a Key Debt Collection Trend 

Consumers today want their problems in financial matters resolved sooner rather than later. A recent survey done by TCN on consumer expectations found that financial companies are seeing a decline in customer satisfaction. One of the main drivers of this trend is people reporting that customer service efforts aren’t solving their problems effectively. A key benchmark used in this survey looked at how often financial service businesses were able to solve customer problems on first contact.

Only 13% of survey respondents said that their problem is always solved the first time they reach out. The more someone is forced to call back or wait for a follow up, the less likely they’ll be to engage with the company moving forward. For debt collection, that means fewer payments the longer a consumer has to wait. These survey findings stem from the debt collection trend of consumers wanting to fix problems on the spot. This notion is part of the reason why self-service portals and mobile apps have become the preferred method of resolving financial matters. 

One key digital debt collection strategy is offering your customers more options that are easily accessible to them. In fact, 59% of consumers in debt want more flexible payment options. If your business is trying to improve its debt collection performance, giving your customers more options will often lead to higher levels of satisfaction. The proof of this digital debt collection trend can be seen with TrueAccord. Roughly 98% of TrueAccord customers resolve their debts with self-serve options and don’t ever interact with a human in the process. 

Preferred Communication Channels for Bill and Debt Notifications Have Changed

Today, there’s no shortage of ways to send customers bills and debt notifications. For many companies out there, these notifications are sent through channels that are convenient and/or familiar to them, which doesn’t always align with consumer preferences. The more in-tune businesses are with consumer preferences, the more likely their communications will be engaged with. For businesses looking to recover debt, that means better collections performance and happier customers. 

Let’s walk through an example. According to the same TCN survey, 47% of consumers prefer to be contacted by email for bill and debt notifications. Around 25% of Gen Z and 22% of Millennial customers prefer to be notified by push notifications through mobile apps. Your digital debt collection strategies need to take these expectations into account to maximize engagement. Even though email was the most desired communication method, every consumer is an individual with their own preferences. 

Some of the best digital debt collection strategies leverage AI and machine learning to test and uncover the best channel for every individual. TrueAccord uses its patented machine learning engine Heartbeat that learns from every customer interaction to determine the best step to take with each consumer. It’s a personalized approach to debt collection where consumer expectations and preferences are at the core of every communication. The result is collecting more from happier people. 

Convenience is King in Digital Debt Collection Strategies

In financial industries like banking and debt collection, convenience has emerged as one of the most important consumer preferences. With how critical messages in these industries often are, consumers want ways to be able to easily address them so the problem doesn’t linger and cause prolonged stress. For further proof of this trend, a recent survey by the American Bankers Association showed that 55% of consumers prefer mobile banking. Only 8% of people surveyed go to a physical branch for their banking needs. 

The consumer trend of wanting more convenience through self-serve options is carried through into the debt collection industry. TrueAccord, for example, has been able to honor this consumer trend with its self-service portal. It’s a low friction way consumers use to pay off debt and should be a key strategy leveraged for digital debt collection. 

Based on research done by McKinsey, consumers who digitally self-serve resolve their debts at higher rates and are much more likely to pay off the debt in full. Plus, the customer satisfaction is much higher with self-service portals compared to making a payment over the phone. These trends emphasize the importance of convenience. But just don’t take it from us, here’s what a real TrueAccord customer had to say: 

“Thank you for being patient and for having a portal that makes it easy to make the payment without filling out a bunch of stuff and having to make an account or something.”

Stay On Top of Consumer Expectations in Debt Collection with TrueAccord

It can be challenging to stay on top of consumer expectations in debt collection. But with the right partner, your business can improve debt collection performance while increasing customer satisfaction. 

TrueAccord is a leading digital debt collection agency that’s powered by machine learning to provide a consumer-friendly experience that honors their preferences. Schedule a consultation today to learn more about how our platform can handle your delinquency needs. 

5 Credit Union Growth Strategies to Boost Business

By on June 27th, 2025 in Industry Insights
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Credit unions are vital pieces of the communities they serve. They’re pillars of financial literacy that support the local economy by offering personalized service to members. Credit unions often need continued growth to not only stay competitive in the market, but to also better pursue their mission as an organization. 

However, certain market factors like facing competition from large financial institutions can make it challenging for credit unions to thrive. The good news is that with the right approach, membership expansion is achievable. Learn five credit union growth strategies to help your business below. 

1. Make Membership Engagement A Priority

One of the clearest paths to growth is for credit unions to get more members. And a good strategy to achieve that is to prioritize membership engagement. Some of the most successful credit unions leverage technology to have more points of contact with their members. Online touchpoints like accepting membership applications online, a strong social media presence and mobile apps (for mobile banking) all add value to customers. 

Digital touch points make it easier for your credit union to introduce more convenience to your customers. The happier your members are, the more likely they are to share their experience, which often leads to membership growth.

2. Leverage the Potential of Your Unique Markets

At their core, credit unions operate with a relationship-based business model. This approach is one of the main motivations behind specialized services that serve niche markets. The question is, can your business do more in those unique markets? We’ll expand on this strategy by walking through an example. 

Let’s say you’re a credit union that offers specialized loans for musical instruments. While the service is promoted, there’s more that can be done to gain more traction in the market. For starters, your team could reach out to local schools, music stores and teachers. A limited time promotion, sponsorship or contest could drive more customers to this core service.

3. Focus on Community Outreach

Community outreach and a credit union’s financial health often go hand-in-hand. Businesses that put extra focus on serving the community can see increased membership growth and loyalty. Some community outreach initiatives that credit unions could leverage include: 

  • Free Community Events: Host financial literacy workshops that are free for members and the local community. You can also ask attendees about future workshops they’d like to see to help build an event calendar. 
  • Sponsorships: Look for sponsorship opportunities in the local community. Whether it’s backing a little league team or partnering with a local non-profit, make sure the sponsorship aligns with your credit union’s mission. 

Partner with Local Businesses: Look for other local businesses that focus on serving the community such as a local insurance agent. There’s a lot of opportunity to grow your credit union’s businesses by cross promoting services with them.

4. Update the In-Branch Experience

An approachable tech solution for credit union growth is to update the in-branch experience with digital signage. These signs are programmed to enhance the customer experience by displaying relevant information such as the current wait time, what documents are needed for specific services, finance tips, and more. 

Digital signage also provides the benefit of being a brand ambassador for customers that keeps them engaged when they’re not working with an employee. Industry experts agree that digital signs are a key part of optimizing the branch experience for customers. Digital signs add value without removing the personal rapport expected at credit unions.

5. Embrace an Omni-Channel Approach to Debt Collection

Every credit union has delinquent accounts, and every dollar recouped is another dollar that can be re-invested in the community. An omni-channel approach to debt collection seamlessly combines each communication channel into a consumer-centric approach. The heart of this strategy is all about communicating through a customer’s preferred channel. Research shows that initiating contact with customers on their preferred channels can lead to a 10% increase in payments. 

One bad interaction with a customer can damage your brand reputation. That’s why it’s important to provide a debt collection experience that caters to customer needs and preferences. With surveys showing that 46% of consumers expect to be contacted through their preferred channels, how can your credit union fully leverage digital debt collection?

*Is your credit union interested in learning about how to automate digital communications for your internal collections strategy? Learn more about TrueAccord’s sister company Retain and how you can increase recoveries with a consumer-centric experience.

TrueAccord Specializes in Digital Debt Collection for Credit Unions

At TrueAccord, our omni-channel approach is fueled by a patented machine learning engine called Heartbeat. It determines the right channel, to send the right message, at the right time, all while maintaining compliance. 

If your credit union is looking to collect more from happier people, TrueAccord can help. Our platform can handle your credit union’s charged-off accounts with an approach loved by consumers. Contact our sales team today to learn how we can support your business goals.