ACA International Brings Successful Professional Practices Program Overseas

The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals (ACA) ? held its first international Professional Practices Management System (PPMS) Foundational Training Seminar in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The Institute of Mercantile Agents Ltd. (IMA), an Australian credit and collection association, hosted the event.

?After attending the PPMS conference during ACA?s annual convention last July, a fellow colleague and I were inspired to bring this program to Australia and show our Australian collectors what professionalism could be brought to their business,? said Peter Kinnaird, CEO of the Institute of Mercantile Agents Ltd.

PPMS is a management system for collection agencies based upon developing, implementing and adhering to a set of industry-specific professional practices and policies. During the two-day seminar, the 26 attendees learned the 17 basic elements to the program, which fall into four major categories: overall management, business activities, support for these activities and client confidence. PPMS participants also learned how to write a company policy manual, how to develop standard company procedures and how to adhere to compliance issues facing Australian collectors.

This voluntary, cost-effective program is designed to educate participants on the demands facing the collection industry and, in the long run, help them build client confidence, increase profitability and provide better service. Since ACA introduced PPMS in September 2000, nine foundational training seminars have been held across the United States. Numerous attendees have hailed the seminar as the finest industry training they have experienced, so when ACA took PPMS overseas, it was no surprise that Australian participants felt the same way.

?I was initially a somewhat reluctant and cynical participant, because my business is not engaged in collections, but rather specializes in investigations, process serving and repossessions,? said Alan Harris, CEO of The Hunter Group, NewCastle, New South Wales, Australia. ?However, in the end my overall impression about PPMS is that it is the best business success concept I have reviewed in the past 18 years as a business owner.?

Shayne Milsom, Managing Director of Waterman Collections, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, agreed. ?I strongly recommend the entire collection industry get behind this program to ensure that the quality and profitability of our service is improved and that the ultimate public perception of what we do is improved.?

Industry professionals interested in additional information regarding PPMS can contact ACA International at (952) 926-6547 or ppms@collector.com.

ACA International, formerly known as the American Collectors Association Inc., is the association of credit and collection professionals. Founded in 1939, ACA International has approximately 5,300 members, including third-party collection agencies, attorneys, credit grantors and vendor affiliates. Headquartered in Minneapolis, ACA International serves members in the United States, Canada and 58 other countries worldwide. For more information visit our Web site at www.collector.com.