Scenario:

Payment due dates represent the most common outbound communication need in collections: reminding account holders of upcoming obligations, confirming receipt of payments, and following up on missed commitments. Research shows that for debts 30 days past due, 23% more customers make payments using digital methods compared to traditional phone calls (McKinsey), yet most collection operations lack the capacity to reach every account holder proactively through their preferred channel.

Traditional Process Challenges:

Manual payment reminder calls are time-consuming for collectors, often delayed or missed entirely due to workload prioritisation, impossible to execute consistently across thousands of accounts, and frequently result in no contact due to low right party connection rates. Account holders receive no proactive communication until they're significantly delinquent, creating missed opportunities for early intervention when recovery probability is highest.

AI Agent Solution - Step-by-Step

1. Trigger Identification: The AI agent monitors your collection management system and identifies that an account holder has a payment due in three days, creating an opportunity for proactive reminder contact.
   
   

2. Record Review: The agent accesses the complete account record to gather payment history, preferred communication channel, previous interaction notes, outstanding balance details, and any special arrangements or hardship indicators, ensuring the outbound contact reflects their specific circumstances.
   
   

3. Contact Initiation: The agent reaches out via the customer's preferred channel (SMS, email, or phone) with a personalised message: "Hello [Name], this is a reminder that your payment of $[amount] is due on [date]. I can help you confirm your payment method or discuss options if you need assistance."
   
   

4. Information Delivery: The agent provides clear payment due date information, confirms the exact amount owed, explains accepted payment methods, and verifies the customer understands how to complete their payment. For customers who have already paid, the agent confirms receipt and provides transaction details.
   
   

5. Query Management: The customer asks, "Can I set up a payment plan instead of paying the full amount?" The agent accesses payment plan eligibility criteria in your system, evaluates the account against approval parameters, and provides an accurate response: "Yes, I can set up a payment arrangement. Based on your balance, I can offer [X] payments of $[amount]. Would you like to proceed?"
   
   

6. Transaction Completion: The agent processes the payment plan setup immediately, collects initial payment information if required, schedules the payment dates in your collection system, and sends written confirmation of the arrangement to the customer's preferred contact method.
   
   

7. Compliance Verification: The agent verifies FDCPA disclosure requirements have been met, confirms communication occurred within permitted contact hours for the customer's time zone, documents the customer's consent for the contact method used, and ensures all verbal disclosures were provided before discussing account details.
   
   

8. CRM Update: The agent logs the complete interaction, including customer response (agreed to payment plan, confirmed payment already made, requested callback, or expressed financial hardship), any concerns raised about account validity or payment amount, and actions taken including payment plan terms or escalation requirements, creating visibility for your team on campaign effectiveness.
   
   

9. Follow-Up Scheduling: Based on the interaction outcome, the agent schedules appropriate follow-up contact: payment confirmation check one day after the due date, payment plan reminder three days before the next installment, or immediate escalation to a human collector if the customer disputed the debt or expressed confusion about the account, ensuring continued proactive engagement and preventing broken payment promises.