Melissa McDougall
Fort Morgan,CO
Summary
Experienced and dependable Collections Specialist adept at persuading customers and obtaining payments. Strong researcher with top-notch follow-through and meticulous attention to detail, bringing 25-years of success in sales and service positions. Eager to take on new role with long-term growth and advancement potential. Dynamic problem solver with first-rate skills in building relationships and resolving problems. Successful at meeting high productivity, quality and performance standards. Efficient and competent professional.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Legal Debt Collection Specialist
Wakefield & Associates, Inc.
06.2004 - 11.2021
- Recovered outstanding debts by implementing effective collection strategies and maintaining professional communication with debtors.
- Promoted a positive work environment through teamwork, collaboration, and ongoing training for fellow collection specialists.
- Maintained accurate and up-to-date records in collection management systems, ensuring efficient tracking and reporting of account statuses.
- Evaluated debtor financial situations, offering customized payment plans based on individual circumstances, ultimately improving repayment rates.
- Contributed to the ongoing success of the collections team by sharing knowledge, expertise, and best practices with colleagues for continuous improvement efforts.
- Provided exceptional customer service during collections calls, leading to positive feedback from clients and improved relationships with debtors.
- Protected company reputation by handling sensitive information with discretion and adhering to confidentiality policies.
- Maintained high volume of calls and met demands of busy and productive group.
- Increased recovered funds by initiating skip tracing efforts when locating hard-to-find debtors proved challenging.
- Resolved customer disputes and disagreements through professional, calm communication to find mutually beneficial solutions.
- Developed strong relationships with customers to foster timely payments and account resolution.
- Maintained consistently high success rate of collecting on overdue accounts.
- Established relationships with customers to encourage payment of delinquent accounts.
- Listened to customers and negotiated solutions that met creditor and debtor needs.
- Prepared and submitted legal documents to initiate court proceedings.
- Developed and documented collection procedures and policies to comply with government regulations.
- Located customers with overdue accounts and solicited payment in compliance with fair debt collection practices.
Loss Prevention Associate
Kroger - King Soopers
06.2003 - 06.2004
- Collaborated with management to develop and implement loss prevention strategies, resulting in minimized theft incidents.
- Investigated and apprehended shoplifters and other potential criminals in store to increase protection and apply safety measures.
- Implemented and maintained loss prevention programs in close collaboration with store management.
- Educated store personnel and customers to apply best practices and comply with loss prevention policies and procedures.
- Developed strong relationships with fellow employees, promoting teamwork within the loss prevention department for improved overall effectiveness.
- Assisted in the successful recovery of stolen merchandise through prompt identification, reporting, and intervention during theft attempts.
- Maintained detailed records of all loss prevention activities, providing valuable data for future strategy adjustments.
Safety Coordinator /Loss Prevention Training Specialist
Super Kmart Center
02.1992 - 05.2003
- Inspected worksites, practices, and gear for compliance with established safety standards.
- Recognized, documented, and advised on removal of hazards.
- Provided ongoing support and resources to supervisors in managing safety performance within their departments, fostering a culture of accountability among leadership.
- Gathered information, prepared reports, and drafted correspondence related to cases.
- Conducted regular site inspections, identifying potential hazards and ensuring prompt resolution.
- Investigated accidents and hazardous incidents to determine cause and made recommendations for corrective action.
- Evaluated incident reports, determining root causes and implementing preventive measures to avoid recurrence.
- Inspected facilities for adherence to fire, hazard, and safety guidelines.
- Created an open line of communication between employees and management regarding safety concerns, fostering a collaborative approach to problem solving.
- Coached employees, managers, and executives on effective safety policies.
- Developed new training programs to address performance and knowledge issues.
- Reduced accident rates through the development and implementation of effective safety training programs.
- Designed programs, policies, and procedures that were implemented to reduce or eliminate workplace injuries and hazards.
- Implemented hazard communication programs for chemical handling/storage procedures, maintaining MSDS records for easy access by employees during emergencies or routine operations.
- Managed worker's compensation claims process, expediting cases and minimizing costs associated with work-related injuries.
- Coordinated with HR to develop a robust return-to-work program for employees who had been out on injury leave, ensuring a smooth and safe reintegration into their roles.
- Organized Safety Committee meetings regularly to discuss updates on ongoing initiatives while actively involving employees in decision-making processes related to health & safety matters.
- Conducted safety training and education to employees to increase awareness of safety hazards and empower employees to work safely.
- Conducted regular safety inspections and audits to identify potential hazards and prevent accidents and injuries.
- Provided new-employee health and safety orientations and developed materials for presentations.
Education
High school diploma -
Sahuarita High School
Sahuarita, AZ05.1992
Skills
- Cold Calling
- Negotiation
- Microsoft Windows
- Account Management
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Customer Service
- Communication Skills
- Organizational Skills
- Administrative Experience
- Loss Prevention
- Workers' Compensation
- Security
- Data entry
- Administrative experience
- Computer skills
- Sales
- Customer service
- Debt recovery
- Debt Settlement
- Legal knowledge
- Dispute Resolution
- Clear Communication
- Analytical and Critical Thinking
- Negotiation and Resolution
- Documentation and Recordkeeping
- Investigative research
- Skip Tracing
Certification
- FDCPA certified, 2021-01-01, 2024-01-01
- Driver's License
Assessments
Administrative assistant/receptionist, Proficient, 12/01/21
Timeline
Legal Debt Collection Specialist
Wakefield & Associates, Inc.
06.2004 - 11.2021
Loss Prevention Associate
Kroger - King Soopers
06.2003 - 06.2004
Safety Coordinator /Loss Prevention Training Specialist
Super Kmart Center
02.1992 - 05.2003
High school diploma -
Sahuarita High School
- FDCPA certified, 2021-01-01, 2024-01-01
- Driver's License
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