Collections Officer

• Specialist Motor Finance
• Poulton, Chester (CH4), CH4 9RF
• Permanent
• Published: 20 hours ago
• Up to £30,000 per annum

Hours of work: We operate Monday to Friday between the hours of 8am -4pm, 9am-5pm or 10am-6pm (On site) + 2 Saturdays (home working) per month 8am-12pm. 

Working week is 37.5 hours with Saturday hours worked will be paid in lieu.

Location: Chester business park

Established in 2014, Specialist Motor Finance have built up a reputation for providing a strong product range, offering quick decisions through the application process and a collaborative approach to working with our customers throughout the life of their agreement.

We are seeking an exceptional individual to join our Customer Finance Support team, where your day to day role will involve communicating with customers who have failed to meet their contractual payments towards their Hire Purchase agreement.

You will assess each customer’s circumstance on a case-by-case basis to ensure the right outcome is achieved and where possible and affordable, negotiate a payment or an arrangement to bring the customers agreement up to date as soon as possible.

Your key responsibilities:

• Communicate with customers who have failed to meet their agreed payment date, showing forbearance and support to help them get their agreement up to date.
• Ensure that all customer agreements are reviewed thoroughly to understand the customer’s situation, making sure that all previous agreement notes are checked for previous customer communications and arrangements in place.
• Review arrears repayment plans on a regular basis to ensure they remain in line with the customer’s circumstances.
• Identify, recognize and work with customers whose circumstances are often vulnerable.
• Communicate with our customers both verbally and in writing in a clear, fair and not misleading way.
• Completing all actions that are agreed with customers in the relevant time frames to ensure the best customer experience is achieved.
• Where applicable signpost customers to relevant non-for-profit organizations for support and advice
• Support colleagues and the department to ensure all department aims are achieved.
• Work towards achieving daily and monthly targets both individually and as a team.
• Deliver outstanding customer service at all times in line with our vulnerable customers and debt collections policies and procedures.
• Conduct all tasks in line with regulatory rules and expectations and in particular consumer duty and treat customers fairly.
• Carry out additional tasks where reasonably expected.
• Liaise from time to time with 3rd parties in relation to the management of the customer’s account.
• Raise any procedural, departmental risks and concerns in line with company process and escalation routes.

The benefits of working at SMF:

• Pension scheme up to 8% employer contribution
• 26 days annual leave + 8 days bank holidays
• Employee referral programme
• Perks at Work
• Above and Beyond awards
• Income protection scheme
• Employee of the Year
• Long Service awards
• Life assurance
• Discounted gym membership
• Employee assistance programme
• Paid volunteer days
• Purchase additional annual leave.
• Social events

The successful candidate will be required at all times to act within the standards expected within
Consumer Duty and comply with The Conduct Rules which set the minimum standard of individual
behaviour expected when carrying out a role at Specialist Motor Finance. These rules include:

• You must act with integrity.
• You must act with due skill, care and diligence.
• You must be open and cooperative with the FCA, the PRA and other regulators.
• You must pay due regards to the interests of customers and treat them fairly.
• You must observe proper standards of market conduct.
• You must act to deliver good outcomes for retail customers.