Method to improve debt collection practices

• US 7,401,050 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2002
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: O'Neill, Patrick G.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, JAGDISH
• Application Number:
  US10/200,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20040015425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,185 Days
• Field of Search: 705/39, 705/35
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A method of improving debt collection from a debtor acquires pertinent debtor information in real time or near-real-time. Newly acquired debtor information is used in a debt collection decision procedure which determines the appropriate debt collection strategy to use with a debtor based upon the most recently acquired information. A preliminarily used debt collection procedure can be adapted or modified in real time, or on-the-fly, using the most up-to-date information, which is typically best acquired during a debt collection process.

Claims

1. A method for computing a debt collection strategy comprising the steps of:

determining, by at least one computing device, a first debt collection strategy to collect a debt from a debtor;

receiving, by the at least one computing device or other computing device, additional information, wherein the additional information is obtained from the debtor during an attempt to collect the debt using the first debt collection strategy;

executing, by the at least one computing device or other computing device at the time of receiving the additional information, a debt collection decision procedure using the additional information; and

determining a second debt collection strategy based on the debt collection decision procedure to collect the debt from the debtor, wherein, the first second debt collection strategy is modified based, at least in part, upon the additional information received to provide the second debt collection strategy.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

identifying, by at least one of the computing devices from said additional information, at least a second debt collection strategy to use with said debtor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of obtaining additional information includes:

displaying, by at least one of the computing devices, a predetermined debt collection script, which elicits information to be gathered from the debtor.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined debt collection script is selected using the first debt collection strategy and revised based on the second debt collection strategy.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the debt collection decision procedure includes at least one of:

rules-based software;

use of neural network evaluative technology;

application of analytic models; and

scoring and segmentation.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second debt collection strategy is determined using a debtor analysis engine.

7. A method for computing a debt collection strategy comprising the steps of:

determining, by at least one computing device, a first debt collection strategy to collect a debt from a debtor, wherein the first debt collection strategy includes a predetermined debt collection script that elicits additional information from the debtor;

receiving, by the at least one computing device or other computing device, additional information, wherein the additional information is obtained from the debtor during an attempt to collect the debt;

determining, by the at least one computing device or other computing device at the time of receiving the additional information, a second debt collection strategy to use with said debtor, wherein the first debt collection strategy is modified based on the additional information to provide the second debt collection strategy; and

generating, by the at least one computing device or other computing device, a revised debt collection script based the second debt collection strategy.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein a predetermined debt collection script is selected using the first debt collection strategy and subsequently revised based on a selection of the secondary debt collection strategy.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the debt collection decision procedure includes at least one of:

rules-based software;

use of neural network evaluative technology;

application of analytic models; and

scoring and segmentation.