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A few years ago, Toledo, Ohio-based collection agency United Collection Bureau Inc. (UCB) implemented a program involving a relatively untapped segment of the workforce – people with physical limitations.
The initiative grew from the company's desire to develop programs that improve risk management and compliance. "What that led to was the exploration of programs that hit on many different cylinders in the organization," says Jeff Horner, UCB's chief development officer and senior vice president of government services.
The result, according to Horner, is improved morale, positive competition, lower turnover, higher tenured employees and improved consumer satisfaction – all of which has led to improved risk management and greater compliance companywide. The program began at UCB's office in Columbus, Ohio, where approximately 12% of the workforce is disabled.
Horner tells Collections & Credit Risk that the program might not be a good fit for every collection agency.
"I am very fortunate because I have owners and executive management who will look at these types of creative programs to help us achieve the goal of compliance and to reduce risk," Horner says. "Our owners and executive management team are constantly searching for ways to feed that culture of compliance."
Horner says companies need to consider their physical facilities and equipment, and be prepared to modify them to accommodate people with physical limitations. Federal and state programs are available to pay for the assistive technology, but companies likely will have to make the initial expense, and then wait to be repaid by those programs.
The location of the company also should be a factor in the company's decision whether to hire disabled workers "because they tend to be in more urban areas than rural areas because it's easier to get around to get what they need," Horner says.
Whatever they decide, Horner says, "it is important for companies in our industry to seek out initiatives like this program that do fit with their organization to help them achieve higher levels of compliance and customer satisfaction. That's the key. That is what brings the real value to us."
For more on this topic, check out the October issue of Collections & Credit Risk.
