Collections strategy by delinquency bucket
Enter accounts, balances, roll rates and cure rates for each bucket, along with your agents’ capacity. See where calls, SMS and the collection agency go, and the expected recovery.
Expected recovery
The 3,000 calls go first to 31-60 days, where a call adds €121 per account over the cheaper treatment. The calls left over go next to 1-30 days.
Spending the same calls from the earliest bucket onward would recover €91,050 less.
Recovery by bucket and treatment
Each bar shows a bucket’s expected recovery, split by the treatment that brings it in.
Strategy by bucket
| Days past due | Called | Sent SMS | With agency | Call adds per account | Recovery | Balance rolling forward |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-30 days | 1,500 | 2,500 | 0 | €60.30 | €1,433,250 | €440,000 |
| 31-60 days | 1,500 | 0 | 0 | €121 | €519,000 | €390,000 |
| 61-90 days | 0 | 0 | 800 | €35 | €180,000 | €432,000 |
| Over 90 days | 0 | 0 | 1,200 | −€52.75 | €202,500 | €306,000 |
| Total | 3,000 | 2,500 | 2,000 | €2,334,750 | €1,568,000 |
Get the result by email
The next step is to use collections rules and a score to pick which accounts in each bucket get a call, then test them on past months before they go live. Start free
Calculation method
Average balance = Balance ÷ Accounts Call value per account = Average balance × Call cure rate − Phone cost per account SMS value per account = Average balance × SMS cure rate − SMS cost per account Agency value per account = Average balance × Agency cure rate × (1 − Agency commission) Call adds per account = Call value per account − max(SMS value per account, Agency value per account) Call capacity = Agents × Accounts per agent monthly Balance rolling forward = (Balance − Average balance × (Called × Call cure rate + Sent SMS × SMS cure rate + With agency × Agency cure rate)) × Roll rate
The tool treats accounts in each bucket alike for one month, with no repeat contacts, promises to pay or payment plans. Calls go to the buckets where a call adds the most per account until capacity runs out.
Collections strategy by bucket
A collections strategy assigns calls, SMS or a collection agency across delinquency buckets. This calculator uses your accounts, balances, roll rates, cure rates, treatment costs and agent capacity.
Calls go to the buckets where they add the most per account over the cheaper treatment, up to your capacity. The expected recovery helps you compare that allocation with calling the earliest bucket first.
Common questions
What does a collections strategy look like across delinquency buckets?
It assigns calls, SMS or a collection agency to accounts in each bucket. This calculator uses your cure rates, costs and agent capacity to estimate the expected recovery.
How should I allocate collection agents across buckets?
The calculator ranks buckets by what a call adds per account over the cheaper treatment. Calls go to the highest-value buckets until capacity runs out.
How do cure rates and roll rates affect collections strategy?
A cure rate shows the share of accounts a treatment cures or collects in a month. A roll rate shows the share of the balance not cured that moves to the next bucket, or is written off from the last bucket.
Which delinquency buckets should get calls, SMS or an agency?
That depends on your cure rates, treatment costs and agent capacity. The calculator compares what a call adds with the value of SMS or the collection agency in each bucket.
Does this calculator cover pre-collection?
The calculator works across delinquency buckets, using accounts, balances, roll rates, cure rates and treatment costs. It does not include accounts before they are past due.