Chinese Business Delegation Learns About U.S. Collections

For 20 years, the United States – China Exchange Council (USCEC) has hosted delegate exchanges between the U.S. and China for the purposes of education, commerce, and friendship. Because of his experience with multiple industries and his extensive knowledge of both U.S. and international commercial collections, Dean Kaplan was recently asked to speak to a … Read more

Fifth Annual $1,000 Scholarship Awarded by The Kaplan Group

  The Kaplan Group is very excited to announce that Rebecca Strasser is this year’s $1,000 scholarship winner!  Rebecca is beginning her first year as an MBA candidate at Gonzaga University.  Rebecca was one of over 100 scholarship applicants many of whom submitted excellent responses to our essay prompts. With such stiff competition, Rebecca should be … Read more

How to Stay Informed About Your Clients

You are probably well informed about your industry. It would be hard to run your business if you weren’t. But what about your clients? Do you know what’s going on in their business world? One of the best ways to solve debt collection problems is to prevent them from happening in the first place. When … Read more

Should You Make a Deal on that Invoice?

When it comes to companies that owe you money there are two basic types, those who won’t pay and those who can’t pay. With a company that can pay, but won’t, either because they are unhappy with the work or simply want to get away without paying, it’s best to act quickly. If a company … Read more

Is Social Media a Good Option for Solving Unpaid Invoices

  Social media is how we live today. We find recommendations for restaurants and babysitters, we find jobs and dates, we rant about poor customer service and annoying coworkers, but should we also use social media to try and get paid? Is social media a good tool for collecting on unpaid invoices? Well-meaning friends and … Read more

Should You Accept Stock Instead of Payment

  Sometimes, a company that cannot pay its bills may offer you stock, or equity instead of paying what is owed. If you have a personal relationship with the company, or truly believe that their financial problems are temporary, this can be a tempting option. It may seem that by accepting stock options, equity, or … Read more

Contract Terms that Stop Payment Problems

  As with almost any problem, the best way to stop debt collection problems is before they start. The second-best solution is to identify a problem early. Business owners are often unsure about when to turn a client over to a collection agency. Unfortunately, studies show that after seven months, the chance of collecting on … Read more

5 Surprising Sources of Financial Issues

A lot of executives, especially entrepreneurs, think of themselves as independent, but the truth is very few businesses stand alone. The financial wellbeing of your company may be much more dependent on other companies, and random factors, than you like to admit. The most obvious connections are between you and your clients. If a client … Read more

Emotional Tips for Making Difficult Phone Calls

  Being a collection agent means making a lot of difficult calls. Anything involving money runs the chance of becoming highly emotional. When you’re talking about debt, the potential for high emotions becomes increased. At The Kaplan Group, we’re used to making these phone calls and have some tips for how you can prepare yourself … Read more

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