The “Getting to Know” series is sponsored by Applied Innovation. Applied Innovation is helping to shape the future of accounts receivable management. Product development is driven by customer feedback, agency profitability and compliance and includes platforms addressing client portal access, document management, payment negotiation, Regulation E focused electronic payment authorizations and TCPA communication authorization platforms. Partner with a company who understands your business challenges and evolves to provide cutting edge technology to overcome those challenges and achieve success.
The best advice that Ken Rowen has ever received applies to how everyone in the accounts receivable management industry should operate — treat everyone well, regardless of their job title or station in life. It is following sage advice like this which has helped propel Ken up the ranks of the industry and into more and more challenging roles along the way. Read on to learn more about Ken, why he thinks a career in the ARM industry can be very fulfilling, and how he earned his stripes as a fixer.
Name: Ken Rowen
Job Title: Administrative Director of Operations
Company: CMRE Financial Services, Inc. (a Meduit company)
Length of Time at Current Company: Nearly five years
Length of Time in Industry: I’ve been involved in ARM industry (both consumer and B2B) going back to early ’90s
How did you get your start in the industry?
Got my start working in a call center for Sears during my undergraduate days back when they owned their own credit card. I worked in a “credit central” location as a collections rep and later promoted to skip tracing specialist.
What is your career highlight so far?
For my current company, I got brought in to bridge the gap between ownership and rest of company. We have been in business since early ’70s. In partnership with my team, we created some significant improvements in areas of KPIs/metrics, QA, continuous feedback cycle for agents and drove bottom line growth of double digits consecutively for years. It was challenging to help improve on a successful business in terms of people, process, and technology.
When or how are you most productive?
It depends upon the circumstances because portion of role has been projects/solo work and the other piece has been leading teams. For projects and solo work, I am most productive when I am given some room to work and have a decent idea of needs for project. As a leader, I work best in a collaborative group building consensus and developing gameplans.
Which industry professional do you admire most?
It’s hard to pick just one. I like to take the good and avoid the bad which others demonstrate.
What is one thing you do better than everyone else?
Based upon the feedback I have received, I think that would be acting as the “fixer” to help identify both what are causing issues and create solutions.
What do you like most about this industry?
For the good players in the industry, I think we perform some of the most challenging work which allows our clients to remain financially solvent while also preserving their relationships with consumers/patients.
What is one thing you wish you could change about this industry?
I wish there was a single entity to create clear guardrails for the industry. The CFPB is attempting to get there with Reg F, but they fall short because they don’t control things like TCPA and court decisions impacting those perceived guardrails.
Describe a typical work day.
It really varies based upon area of need, fires that need to be put out, etc.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
Teaching.
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What is your guilty pleasure?
Buying things on OfferUp.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Treat everyone well from the bottom up.
What are you currently reading?
Personally, I don’t have the patience for books right now. I enjoy reading articles and blogs.
What is one fact you’d like everyone in the industry to know about you?
It can be a very fulfilling career if you are a “good actor” and treat consumers with dignity and empathy. We serve an incredible need for clients in terms of financial recovery and consumer relationships.
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
I can’t think of anyone.
The “Getting to Know” series is sponsored by Applied Innovation. Applied Innovation is helping to shape the future of accounts receivable management. Product development is driven by customer feedback, agency profitability and compliance and includes platforms addressing client portal access, document management, payment negotiation, Regulation E focused electronic payment authorizations and TCPA communication authorization platforms. Partner with a company who understands your business challenges and evolves to provide cutting edge technology to overcome those challenges and achieve success
