Since July 20, 1841, in New York City, Dun & Bradstreet has helped businesses receive business and credit information along with many other services including debt collection. Dun and Bradstreet debt collectors help businesses collect payments without alienating customers which is an asset to business owners who require their debt collection services. Before working with D&B collections, take the time to learn about the services they provide to business owners, but also to learn about Dun & Bradstreet debt collection laws and regulations so that you can be informed.

1. Familiarize yourself with the laws and regulations of Dun and Bradstreet debt collection agencies.

2. Find out about the services offered by Dun and Bradstreet collection services.

3. Learn who to contact at Dun & Bradstreet collection services if you have any problems or questions.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn about the laws and regulations of debt collection agencies like Dun & Bradstreet collections

Since debt collection is something most business owners have to deal with, it's important that to be familiar with the laws and regulations of debt collection agencies such as the Dun & Bradstreet Collection Agency. There is information about laws and regulations for debt collection agencies from government websites as well as classes and workshops to help inform business owners about the legalities of debt collection.

I recommend: Familiarize yourself with the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); it's the main law that the D&B collection agency must be compliant with in order to do business with you. Review the debt collection FAQs for consumers and learn more about the FDCPA at the Federal Trade Commission. Take a class or attend a workshop to learn about debt collection laws and regulations at D&B.

Gather information about Dun and Bradstreet collections agencies and the services they provide

For more than 160 years, the Dun and Bradstreet debt collection agencies have been providing businesses with consistent and credible business information. As part of their debt collection services, Dun & Bradstreet debt collectors will contact customers according to the service plan you choose. The D&B website also features a tool to help businesses decide which debt collection service best fits their business needs.

I recommend: Learn about various debt collection services provided for businesses from D&B Small Business Solutions. Read D&B Debt Collection Agencies company profile overview at Database Systems Corp. to learn about the various kinds of debt collection services and late payment reminders systems that D&B debt collectors use to collect from delinquent customers.

Get D&B collections information about who to contact if you have questions or issues

The D&B collections website offers a wealth of information for their clients from a data of industry and company information of businesses in the U.S. and Canada to information for businesses that receive federal contracts or grants. There is also help available online to answer any of your questions or concerns.

I recommend: Use the D&B Million Dollar Database provided by D&B debt collection to find help online as well as to research company and industry information of approximately 1,600,000 U.S. and Canadian public and private businesses. For businesses that are federally supported, or have receive government contracts, go to the D&B for U.S. Government Contractors & Grantees website to learn about registering your business with D&B.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Staying abreast of Dun & Bradstreet debt collection laws and regulations will help you to remain within the law when dealing with delinquent accounts. Research often to ensure that you know of any new developments and requirements.

Dun & Bradstreet debt collections, also called D&B debt collections, will attempt to collect your business debts. Using third party debt collection agencies, such as D&B debt collection agencies, can help preserve your relationship with your customers. It's a Dun & Bradstreet debt collection agency's job to be the "bad guy" on your company's behalf.

But before you retain Dun & Bradstreet collection services, make sure that's the best course of action for your business. D&B debt collection agencies and others like them will ease your workload, but don't jump the gun on a customer who may have misunderstood the terms of service. Before turning an account over to a D&B debt collection agency, work through this checklist.

1. When should you use either D&B debt collections or another agency?

2. What can D&B collection agencies or another debt collector do?

3. Which of the offered Dun & Bradstreet collection services makes the most sense for the circumstances?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Decide if you should retain either D&B debt collections or another agency

Slow-paying and no-paying customers are frustrating for any business, but before you call in the big guns like a D&B debt collection agency, make sure you should and that you can. Take into account whether or not the customer in question has a good prior history with your business and make sure you understand federal laws about collecting debts.

I recommend: The Federal Trade Commission updates fair debt collection laws online as the government modifies them. These laws tell you when your business has the right to turn an account over to a debt collection agency. If you're not ready to hire an agency but want to try and collect the debt yourself, Work.com, Inc. has an excellent guide on how to write your own debt collection letters.

Find out what Dun and Bradstreet collections (or a similar agency) can do

The Dun & Bradstreet collection agency can't make the impossible happen. If your customer closes up shop and flees to Estonia, even the D&B debt collectors probably can't recover your money. But once an account gets delinquent enough to hire a debt collection service, a good service like a D&B debt collection agency will make more progress than your business can on its own.

I recommend: The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse lists credit laws by state. These are in addition to federal fair debt collection laws, and a D&B collection agency (or other agency) will be restrained by these state laws. To understand how an agency works, you need to interview those at the agency. The law offices of Alexander L. Ullenberg prepared a list of questions to ask a potential debt collection agency.

Select Dun & Bradstreet collection services that match your needs

D & B debt collection services vary in price and services, so review the packages before you select a service. Read the fine print about fees so they don't surprise you later, and make sure you understand which services Dun & Bradstreet collections will provide and which may come from a strategic partner.

I recommend: Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. offers several debt collection services. Look over the options and choose the D & B debt collection service that fits your needs. Receivable Management Services partners with D&B collections and works with international collections.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't hire Dun and Bradstreet debt collectors (or any other debt collectors) in a fit of anger. Make sure you want to turn an account over to Dun and Bradstreet collection services before you risk a good customer.
• •  While you don't want to lose a good customer, don't wait too long to hire a debt collector like Dun & Bradstreet. Debt collectors say that the longer a business waits to collect a debt the less money it will recover. If a customer ignores your requests for payment, it's time to call Dun & Bradstreet debt collectors.

Dun & Bradstreet Collections is a division of the larger Dun and Bradstreet company which provides debt collection for companies whose clients have not properly paid them. Keeping up-to-date on the latest news to come out of that division, as well as news and trends that is being written about the Dun and Bradstreet debt collection agencies will allow you to make the decision on whether to hire them to collect your debts. And if you do hire them, you'll know which of their collection products to use for your business.

So before you go out and hire a debt collection company like Dun & Bradstreet debt collection, learn where to locate quality news sources. Think of your news search as an tutorial in "Dun & Bradstreet debt collection news and trends."

1. Find reputable publications that publish articles on D&B Collections reports on a frequent basis.

2. Go to the official website of D&B debt collections for the latest news that the company is releasing.

3. Subscribe to newsletters and reports published by D&B debt collections for the latest news.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate publications which cover Dun and Bradstreet collections

Dun and Bradstreet collection services collects business debts as well as publishing comprehensive reports on the financial standings of various businesses. Their reports, news and other pertinent information is often covered and cited in business journals and periodicals. Find some quality publications with search engines which will take you to the news of their latest reports.

I recommend: Visit the website for Kauklin Media's Inside ARM online publication. They cover "insights on accounts receivables management." You may search their database for a comprehensive list of articles on Dun & Bradstreet collection services. Also, Business Spectator covers survey reports and other releases published by Dun and Bradstreet debt collection agencies.

Check out the official Dun & Bradstreet debt collection website for the latest articles

Dun & Bradstreet debt collectors are often releasing articles about the day-to-day operations of their debt collection business. Aside from the articles, podcasts, conference calls and other news events are archived for the interested individual. This is a helpful resource if you're trying to track down the credit rating or debt collection scenario of a particular company with which you wish to do business.

I recommend: Visit the official website for Dun & Bradstreet collections and check out their "news releases" section. You'll get the latest news straight from the horse's mouth. They also provide a fact sheet as well as webcast archives on everything from their investor relations conference calls to other presentations.

Get D&B collections newsletters and reports

Dun and Bradstreet has partnered with the Small Business Association of America. Because of this partnership, small business owners are allowed to subscribe to a myriad of collection agency news products at a reduced costs. Browse through the many products to determine which will help enhance the bottom line of your business.

I recommend: Subscribe to the Dun and Bradstreet online business directory to get the latest reports and news on countless companies. These reports are called Power Profiles. Obtain further credit reports on companies to find the latest news and spot the latest trends from the Dun & Bradstreet debt collection agency.