I am thrilled to announce that the “Getting to Know” series is now being sponsored by Arbeit Software. Arbeit is a powerful, and easy to use communications platform that empowers businesses to reach more consumers. Innovative by nature, we are constantly listening to and understanding the businesses we partner with and developing long term industry relationships that allow us to be proactive in anticipating industry needs.
While Camille Lindsey may not have grown up wanting to work in the collections industry, she knew she had found a home once it happened. Quickly moving up the ranks at the agency she works at in Oklahoma City, Camille is a great example of how the industry takes care of its own. Read on to learn more about Camille and why she loves to eat frogs first thing in the morning.
Name: Camille Lindsey
Company: Account Management Resources
Length of time at current position: I will have been with AMR for 5 years this coming October
Length of time in industry: Five years.
How did you get your start in the industry?
I was initially hired at Account Management Resources (AMR), a collection agency located in Downtown Oklahoma City, as an entry-level Recovery Specialist with no prior collections experience. After just a few months, I was promoted to “Trainer” and after the successful creation of the Training Program, promoted again to Recovery Supervisor.
What is your career highlight so far?
Having the opportunity to overhaul the training program for our organization. I not only learned a lot by delving into each position in the company, but this also exposed me to many different people which helped me improve my emotional intelligence.
When or how are you most productive?
When I am “eating my live frog” first thing in the morning. Now, please don’t be confused. I do not regularly consume frogs at any point in the day. I was once told that the best habit I can have is simple — do my worst (most important) task first thing in the morning. It is easy to find a million other small lower priority items that I can fill my day with but by getting my hardest task out of the way first thing in the morning it allows me to set the tone for the rest of my day.
Which industry professional do you admire most?
Mary Shores, author, speaker and entrepreneur. Not only has she created the Conscious Communications workbook and written several others, she is also the CEO and President of her own collection agency, Midstate Collection Solutions.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
To be fair I wouldn’t say that I am better at anything than anyone else which is why I find strength in my team. I focus on filling my team with individuals who are strongest at my weakest points.
What do you like most about this industry?
Becoming a debt collector is not necessarily a popular career choice and most people end up here without first setting out to do so. The thing about collections though is that each day is uniquely its own. I enjoy the constant change that allows my days to fly by and maintains a career that does not become stagnant.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
Advancement, I am sure that’s what most people would agree on. While it’s great that we are finally seeing some progress with the new proposed rule from the CFPB, our industry still has a long way to go before we close the gap and again become current in the technological age.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
I can’t quite imagine my life not in the collection industry. As I mentioned above it may not be a popular career choice, but I find once you venture into it, it’s hard to not fall in love with what you do.
Describe a typical work day.
I arrive early to the office to get the day going, clear out my inbox, and set my action items that I plan to complete. My daily job duties include guiding the day-to-day operations of the Recovery Team. In addition, I work closely with the Quality Assurance and Compliance Departments to ensure all collection efforts adhere to current and ever-changing federal, state and local collection laws. The remainder of my day is typically spent between meetings, projects, and observing the recovery KPI’s.
What is your guilty pleasure?
As you’ll see below, since I am short on time, I find my guilty pleasure in other people’s dramatic lives, a.k.a true crime podcasts.
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What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
To be obsessive of my time. After all, your time is your most valuable resource. Everyone has heard the common phrase “Time is money.” If you cannot manage your time, you lose value in pretty much everything else and things tend to become cluttered.
What are you currently reading?
I must admit I am not an avid reader, though, I am a huge podcast junkie. My current obsession is Swindled a show that explores white-collar criminals, con artists, and corporate greed.
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you?
There tends to be quite a few negative preconceived opinions of those who work in our industry, at AMR our goal is to turn that perception around with a positive experience with each consumer we encounter. Plus, we aren’t all bad some of us are even good people who love the Packers (Go Pack Go)!
The “Getting to Know” series is sponsored by Arbeit Software. Arbeit is a powerful, and easy to use communications platform that empowers businesses to reach more consumers. Innovative by nature, we are constantly listening to and understanding the businesses we partner with and developing long term industry relationships that allow us to be proactive in anticipating industry needs.
