Daily Digest - October 31, 2025

Brought to you by: TCN | By Mike Gibb

Mike Gibb
October 31, 2025

🎉Happy Birthday to: John McNamara of Avtal and Chip Hellmann.

🚨New Training Bytes Video Released!

Check out the newest Training Bytes video! Each week, an expert from the accounts receivable management industry will share how he or she would handle different scenarios that collectors often face. This week, Jennifer Peck from The Stark Agency shared the most important skill a collector should be practicing every day. Thanks to Peak Revenue Learning for sponsoring this series! Click on the image below to view this week’s episode!

📝 Quick Notes

📖 Interested in joining a book club to discuss this book? Let me know.

ARMTech Early Bird Registration Expires TODAY!

Collector Accused of Garnishment After Account Had Been Settled

Judgments can be tricky. For the owner and for the subject. A collection operation is facing claims it violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act for garnishing an individual’s wages after the debt had allegedly been settled and for potentially misrepresenting that it was the lawful successor of the judgment despite filing any paperwork to show the judgment had been assigned to it.
More details here.
This series is sponsored by WebRecon

A MESSAGE FROM TCN

TODAY‘S WEBINAR

UPCOMING WEBINARS

TCPA Claim Dismissed as Court Draws Line Between Calls and Texts

A District Court judge in Florida has granted a defendant’s motion to dismiss claims it violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, ruling that text messages are not phone calls.
More details here.

Consumer Advocates Urge Stronger Protections for Victims of Coerced Debt

A nationwide survey released this week by the National Consumer Law Center and the Center for Survivor Agency and Justice has found that victims of coerced debt face overwhelming barriers when trying to remove fraudulent or forced debt from their credit reports. The findings, detailed in the report “Disregarded and In Debt: Understanding Barriers to Relief for Victims of Coerced Debt”, were released in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month and highlight how existing credit reporting laws often fail to protect those subjected to economic abuse.
More details here.

Judge Halts CFPB’s Open Banking Rule Amid Ongoing Rewrite

A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction halting enforcement of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Personal Financial Data Rights Rule — a key component of the agency’s open banking framework — until the CFPB completes its reconsideration and revision of the rule. The ruling delivers a major win to banking trade groups and leaves the future of open banking hanging in the balance.
More details here.

How are Collections Teams Seeing Better Payment Rates with AI Agents?

For decades, recovery rates in collections hovered between the ceiling of 20%-30%. It didn’t matter how many agents you hired, how many scripts you rewrote, or how many seats you added; the ceiling held firm.
More details here.

WORTH NOTING: Prices are never going to come back down, according to experts ... Five questions you should be asking when evaluating new technology ... Artificial intelligence is now better than lawyers at legal research, according to a new study ... A deep dive on how the pull back at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is hurting people with second mortgages ... If you are all thumbs around the house, here are some tips on how to be handier ... A flight expert weighs in on how to travel best around the holidays ... A list of 183 million stolen email passwords has been posted online in one of the biggest data breaches ever ... A look at which states are the most stressed.

Funny Friday, part I

Funny Friday, Part II

Webinar Recap: The Benefits of Minority-Business Enterprises: Trends & Opportunities

In a recent webinar hosted by AccountsRecovery.net and sponsored by Payout, industry leaders Cleveland Brown (CEO, Payout), Michael Lamm (Founding Partner, Corporate Advisory Solutions), and Sean Williams (CEO, Williams Rush & Associates) discussed how Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certification is reshaping growth and partnership opportunities in the credit and collections industry.

Moderator Mike Gibb opened the session by noting that diversity and inclusion are “good business.” The panelists emphasized that MBEs not only help companies meet diversity and procurement goals but also open doors to government and corporate contracts that prioritize supplier diversity. As Cleveland Brown put it, “We’ve done the work—we’re certified in a lot of states. Partner with us, and we’ll make your life easy when it comes to working within these checkboxes.”

The discussion highlighted that MBE certification provides dual advantages: access to exclusive contracting opportunities and a stronger competitive edge in RFP processes. Michael Lamm noted that many Fortune 500 companies now have formal diversity spending programs and that even private investors are showing increased interest in supporting MBE-certified businesses. Sean Williams added that while obtaining certification is valuable, success comes from strategic application—networking, building relationships, and forming partnerships with experienced organizations.

🧠 Key Takeaways:

Pursue Certification: If eligible, seek MBE, WBE, or DBE certification to qualify for diversity-focused contracts and broaden business opportunities.
Leverage Partnerships: Collaborate with certified MBEs to enhance your RFP bids and meet supplier diversity requirements.
Engage in Industry Networks: Participate in conferences and supplier diversity events (such as NMSDC) to establish connections and stay informed on evolving trends.

As the panel concluded, one point was clear: MBE participation isn’t just about compliance—it’s a pathway to growth, innovation, and meaningful collaboration in a rapidly diversifying marketplace.

Transcript

Summary

Webinar Recording

Webinar Recap: High-Performance Collector: Habits, Metrics, and Coaching That Drive Results

In a fast-changing collections landscape, what truly separates a good collector from a great one? That was the central question explored in the recent webinar, “High-Performance Collector: Habits, Metrics, and Coaching That Drive Results,” sponsored by Abstrakt. The session featured insights from Beth Conklin (State Collection Service), Bettina Hagey (Credit Control Corporation), Melissa Lovato (Magnet Solutions), and Greg Reffner (Abstrakt).

The panelists agreed that high-performing collectors succeed not only through skill but through mindset, organization, and adaptability. As Conklin noted, “Being prepared and organized sets a great collector apart from the rest.” The discussion emphasized the value of coaching and mentorship, as well as the need to prioritize mental health and resilience in a role that often involves rejection and emotional strain. Hagey highlighted that even simple habits like getting enough sleep can directly affect focus and positivity, while Reffner cited research showing that “coachability and curiosity are the two most important traits that determine success.”

Technology also emerged as a key enabler. Lovato described how real-time assist tools help agents handle objections confidently, while Conklin shared how her team uses AI integrations within Microsoft Teams to provide instant access to client and compliance information.

In closing, the panel underscored that high performance is not innate—it’s cultivated through structured training, feedback, and a culture of continuous learning.