Commercial Collection Agency Association Members Continue to Report Decline in Accounts Placed

In the third quarter of 2010, Commercial Collection Agency Association (CCAA) members reported a decline in the dollar amount of B2B accounts they received for collection of 16.5%, when the third quarter of 2010 is compared to the same quarter in 2009.

In the second quarter of 2010 CCAA members reported a decline of 22.9%.

CCAA in conjunction with its Account Placement Survey also conducts a Collectability Survey.  A summary of the results of the Collectability Survey are:

• 10% of CCAA members indicated they experienced an increase in the collectability of accounts received during the third quarter of 2010.  In the second quarter of 2010, 16% of members reported an increase in collectability.
• 55% of CCAA members indicated collectability has remained the same as the second quarter of 2010, compared to 51% who indicated in the Second Quarter Collectability Survey that collectability remained the same as in the first quarter of 2010.
• 29% of members indicated that collectability declined in the third quarter compared to 21% who indicated a decline in the second quarter survey.

Emil Hartleb, CCAA Executive Director, stated, “These figures reflect the general condition of the U.S. economy which is experiencing a slow recovery from the recession that began in 2008.  While wholesale sales and other commercial transactions are improving, they are not improving at a rapid rate.”

The Commercial Collection Agency Association (CCAA) is an association of commercial collection agencies that have been CERTIFIED by the Commercial Law League of America.  They represent the leaders in the commercial collection or business to business collection industry, handling about sixty-five percent of the commercial accounts placed for collection.  The Commercial Law League of America is the nation’s oldest creditors’ rights organization, founded in 1895. Members of the CCAA subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics and undergo an intensive and continuing certification process.  For more information on CCAA, the certification process and its members, go to the Website: www.ccaacollect.com or call Emil Hartleb at (973) 239-0721.