 |
|
| New Service Agreements |
|
OAA will send out new service agreements to our client agencies during the next few months. An important change in the agreement is that you will now be asked to identify if the accounts in your program can be garnished. There will be no disruption in service during the transition to the new agreements. You will continue to receive exceptional customer service from us!
If you receive the service agreement and do not have signing authority for your program, please forward it to the appropriate person or department. If you have any questions about the new service agreements, please contact Chris Gasperini, OAA program manager, at 503-945-8203, or by e-mail.
|
|
|
|
| Auto-messaging Pilot Program |
|
Auto-messaging is a service that allows OAA to place telephone numbers on a call list and leave a pre-recorded message for debtors. The pre-recorded message will play if a person or an answering machine picks up the call.
OAA is currently using the auto-messaging service to contact debtors who have missed a scheduled payment. Since the auto-messaging service is making these calls, revenue agents have more time to focus on collections. Once the pilot program is completed, OAA will evaluate other uses for the auto-messaging service. We’ll keep you updated on the success of this program.
|
|
|
|
| Countdown Clock on Accounts |
|
By statute, certain types of accounts assigned to OAA are subject to a countdown clock. If you don’t know if your accounts are in this category, ask anyone at OAA and they can check for you.
The countdown clock is set for one year when these types of accounts are received at OAA. The clock is reset to 365 days each time a payment is received. If the clock runs out before the next payment is received, the account is automatically returned to the assigning agency.
|
|
|
|
| The OAA Support Unit |
|
OAA’s Support Unit is made up of six office specialists and one student office worker. They perform many tasks in support of our collection efforts. Some of the unit’s most important tasks include:
- Researching suspended accounts;
- Assigning accounts to revenue agents and specialized collection teams;
- Documenting returned mail;
- Processing apportionments;
- Distributing mail; and
- Documenting the accounts that receive calls from the auto-messenger.
The list below outlines just a few of the unit’s everyday accomplishments:
- The Support Unit works hard at getting all information into the database for agent review and collections on the same day it is received from the client agency.
- OAA receives approximately 180 pieces of returned mail daily. By documenting returned mail, the agents are notified to begin looking for a better address to contact the debtor.
- Each member of the Support Unit can process about 20 apportionments per day! This includes sending a screen print to the client agency stamped with “Potential Reversal” to notify of a possible apportionment.
- OAA gets mail twice a day and the Support Unit distributes it to the agents and specialized collection teams.
- When the Support Unit documents calls from the auto-messenger, it alerts our revenue agents to follow up with the next step in the collection process.
We would like to thank our Support Unit for all of the hard work they do to support OAA’s collection processes for our client agencies!
|
|
|
|
| Debtors Want to Know |
|
Why do I owe so much for my Multnomah County parking ticket?
- After 30 days without a payment, the cost of a ticket will double.
- Sixty days from the citation date, the court will mail you a default notice warning that your account will be sent to collections if it isn’t paid.
- If the ticket isn’t paid after 90 days, your account is assigned to the Department of Revenue for collections. This adds $65 in collection fees.
- If your ticket was originally $24, it will be $113 after it’s assigned to the Department of Revenue.
|
|
|
|
| Success Stories |
|
Through the collective efforts of the OHSU/PERS team, a $21,422 payment in full was received for a PERS account. Team members Peggy and Linda worked together to set up a payment plan with the debtor. The debtor failed to make a payment and the revenue agents issued a wage garnishment. After one garnishment payment was received, the debtor paid the debt in full.
Congratulations to Peggy, Linda, and all the OAA revenue agents on their good work and successful collections.
|
|
|
|
| Chris' Corner |
|
Recent articles in the OAA Communicator have focused on our restructure into teams based on type of debt. Our new team-based structure has been very successful, as measured by an increase in collections. In our continuing effort to provide the best possible service, our collection teams began meeting with our client agencies to learn more about the different types of accounts that are assigned to us for collections.
This issue includes an article about OAA’s auto-messaging pilot program. I am very excited about this new tool and its potential to streamline our work processes. We have also been busy preparing for the upcoming legislative session. Look for future articles about legislation affecting us or our client agencies.
If you have any questions about the articles in this issue or would like to schedule a meeting with the OAA team collecting for your agency, please contact me at 503-945-8203, or by e-mail.
|
|
|
|
| Subscribe to OAA Newsletter |
|
Our newsletter, the OAA Communicator, is now in an electronic format. If you would like to receive notification when it is published, please subscribe here.
|
|
|
|
| Contributors to this Issue |
|
Vicki Bishop, Peggy Buak, Beth Buck, Chantele Collier-Ngin, Chris Gasperini, Jan Jackman, Marilyn Lamberson, Danette Nemeyer, and Kelli Welch.
|
|
|
|
