Collections representative vs phone representative

The differences between collections representatives and phone representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a collections representative and a phone representative. Additionally, a phone representative has an average salary of $42,827, which is higher than the $34,015 average annual salary of a collections representative.

The top three skills for a collections representative include payment arrangements, customer service and delinquent accounts. The most important skills for a phone representative are customer service, outbound calls, and telephone calls.

Collections representative vs phone representative overview

	Collections Representative	Phone Representative
Yearly salary	$34,015	$42,827
Hourly rate	$16.35	$20.59
Growth rate	-8%	-4%
Number of jobs	85,275	222,650
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 33%	High School Diploma, 37%
Average age	46	40
Years of experience	12	12

What does a collections representative do?

A Collections Representative's role is to collect payment for outstanding or overdue bills through phone calls, email, mail, or sometimes personal appointments. A Collections Representative is required to have a great deal of research and communication skills in order to reach out to people and explain how to settle their debts or even negotiate a payment term or plan. Collections Representatives must also make sure that these terms are honored and met, and create reports for the creditor regarding the delinquent accounts.

What does a phone representative do?

A Phone Representative answers customer calls, complaints, and inquiries professionally. They handle and resolve customer complaints related to its services/products and product/service sales. Besides processing applications, orders, and forms requested by customers, Phone Representatives also update customers about the products/services information. These professionals record customer complaints, inquiries, feedback, and actions taken. They develop and maintain mutually beneficial and professional relationships with each customer. Moreover, they create and maintain cordial relationships with all new customers.

Collections representative vs phone representative salary

Collections representatives and phone representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Collections Representative	Phone Representative
Average salary	$34,015	$42,827
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $42,000	Between $26,000 And $68,000
Highest paying City	San Ramon, CA	Norco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Press Ganey
Best paying industry	Finance	Health Care

Differences between collections representative and phone representative education

There are a few differences between a collections representative and a phone representative in terms of educational background:

	Collections Representative	Phone Representative
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 33%	High School Diploma, 37%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Collections representative vs phone representative demographics

Here are the differences between collections representatives' and phone representatives' demographics:

	Collections Representative	Phone Representative
Average age	46	40
Gender ratio	Male, 30.6% Female, 69.4%	Male, 34.6% Female, 65.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 3.4% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 5.5% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	8%	7%

Differences between collections representative and phone representative duties and responsibilities

Collections representative example responsibilities.

Protect A/R assets by managing a portfolio of accounts to maximize gainful sales and reduce debt losses.
Maintain effective communication and utilize negotiation skills with internal and external customers to effect collections while maintaining customer good will.
Submit all reconsideration and appeals if need.
Conduct periodic data cleaning of queues balances deny with deny appeals.
Resolve valid or authorize NSF charges due to decline credit cards or ACH transactions.
Collect and count inventories, reconcile purchases and scan UPC's and inputting price information.

Phone representative example responsibilities.

Conduct telephone sales and interviews, compile and enter information into database, manage documents and insure customer satisfaction.
Provide status of medical claims and explain EOB's.
Research and resolve incorrect payments, EOB rejections and other issues with accounts.
Answer inbound provider calls to help with billing Medicaid claims and benefits and eligibility issues.
Update alumni on current happenings in university life and act as a liaison between past and current students.
Contact hundreds of alumni and their families by telephone and raise thousands of dollars to improve school facilities and maintain school grounds

Collections representative vs phone representative skills

Common collections representative skills

Payment Arrangements, 14%
Customer Service, 13%
Delinquent Accounts, 9%
Past Due Accounts, 6%
Customer Accounts, 4%
Debt Repayment, 4%

Common phone representative skills

Customer Service, 27%
Outbound Calls, 13%
Telephone Calls, 7%
Inbound Phone Calls, 7%
Troubleshoot, 6%
Computer System, 3%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Collections Representative
Collections Representative vs Phone Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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