By David Lee, Product Manager at Intelligent Banking Solutions
In my last post, I introduced the concept of agentic AI — technology that doesn’t just tell you what to do, but actually does it for you. That shift takes a lot of repetitive work off the collector’s plate.
But AI isn’t only about handling tasks. It can also help answer one of the hardest questions in collections: “What should I do next?”
The Challenge: Too Many Decisions, Too Little Time
Every collector’s day is filled with choices:
- Which account should I call first?
- Is this customer more likely to respond to a phone call, text, or email?
- Should I push for a promise to pay, or focus on setting up a long-term plan?
Experienced collectors develop instincts for these decisions. But even the best can’t review every note, every payment history, and every trend before picking up the phone. That kind of analysis takes time — time collectors don’t have.
How AI Helps: Turning Data into Direction
This is where Carmen comes in. By analyzing account history, payment patterns, promises kept (or broken), and even notes from past interactions, Carmen can recommend the best “next move.”
- If a customer typically responds after 4 p.m., she’ll suggest holding the call until later in the day.
- If someone always keeps their promises, Carmen will flag that a promise-to-pay is a strong option.
- If a previous note shows frustration after frequent calls, she might recommend sending a text instead.
In other words, Carmen reads the data so the collector doesn’t have to. Instead of spending five minutes digging through an account before making a call, the collector gets a two-sentence summary and a clear suggestion: “Call this customer at their work number after 4 p.m. and aim to secure a promise-to-pay.”
Why This Matters
Collections is about people, and people are complex. The right timing, channel, and tone can make the difference between a successful resolution and another broken promise.
AI doesn’t replace the human side of collections — the empathy, the conversation, the trust. But it gives collectors better tools to make those human interactions count. It removes guesswork and helps every collector, from new hires to seasoned pros, perform at a higher level.
Looking Ahead
Carmen’s ability to recommend “what’s next” is just the start of how AI can support collectors in real time. In my next post, I’ll talk about dashboards and insights — how SAFIRE-IQ turns performance data into a daily management tool for collections leaders.
