Best Places to Work in Collections Winner Profile: Professional Account Services, Inc.

A happy collector is a productive one, so say the executives at Professional Account Services, Inc. (PASI), first place winner in the Large Company category in insideARM’s second annual Best Places to Work in Collections award program.

“Collections can be a tough job. We work real hard to have activities that get employees away from their phones for a little while and just have fun together,” Tish Meshew, Human Resources director for PASI told insideARM.

The accounts receivable management firm is no stranger to the Best Places to Work in Collections program. In 2008, PASI placed second in the Large Company category. Meshew attributes the company’s move up the ranks to its refocus on creating an enjoyable work environment.

The activities that the agency hosts for its employees allow them to form relationships that transcend standard co-worker unions, according to Meshew. “We have team building activities several times a year, where the departments compete against other departments so they can work as a team to get to know each other,” she said.

PASI’s employee-focused activities policy has helped it retain the talent it brings in. The company reported an 11.8 percent turnover rate last year, a good number for the historically transient ARM industry, and one of the better rates among Best Places to Work in Collections 2009 honorees.

In addition to making the office a fun environment, PASI provides a small on-site gym to its employees and free beverages. The company also offers flexible scheduling, with many positions offering a 10-hour, 4 day-a-week work option.

Brentwood, Tenn.-based PASI provides collection services in the healthcare sector, including self pay, insurance and worker’s compensation collections and lien filing in liability accounts. The company is the collection division of Community Health Systems, a Fortune 500 company that operates 120 hospitals in 28 states, itself named a “best place to work” by Modern Healthcare in 2009.

Accountability is an important theme at the company. An aggressive incentive program holds collectors and line workers accountable. Collection agents can make 50 percent or more of their total yearly pay through the incentive and bonus program. The program includes monthly bonuses based on dollars collected or hitting targets and weekly contests.

PASI provides its nearly 400 employees with many avenues to voice their opinions on actions, policies and processes of the agency, which keeps management accountable for the performance of the company.  Beyond the company’s open door policy, it allows employees to participate in corporate decisions through luncheons with Jim Clark, the agency’s vice president, round table discussions with the Director of Human Resources, a process improvement committee and a company newsletter.

PASI prefers to promote in house for higher management position, if a qualified employee is available. The leadership program is also a great plus for employees seeking management positions.