Ask a group of people to sum something up in one word and it paints an interesting picture. The words used by a handful of professionals from across the credit and collection industry to describe 2025 paint a picture of hope, of optimism, of an excitement for what the future is going to bring. Check out what has these executives so stoked about what happened in 2025 and what it will mean in 2026.
Debbie Frank, Credit Bureau Services
Hope.
Entering this year, our agencies faced rising inflation and higher operating costs. Yet what has stood out most is the steadfast spirit of determination across the credit and collections industry to advocate and educate. Hope reflects the belief that even in difficult times, innovation, and collaboration, have open new doors of opportunity. For me, this year was about focusing on the consumer and finding ways to make it more convenient for them to self-service while in collections. Hope that my digital communication strategy cut cost and was beneficial to the people that I serve. As I look back on 2025, I am proud that my focus remained grounded in both my business and in prayer. Holding onto hope has been a bridge of where I am today and where I want to be in 2026 in doing work that matters.
Patrick Newman, Bassford Remele
Introspection.
What makes for good ARM industry counsel in this modern era? How do we adapt? How do we add value? 2025 yielded many questions; looking forward to formulating more answers in 2026.
John Erickson, Credit Service International
Crossroads.
The ARM industry is truly at a crossroads, standing between a legacy operating model and a rapidly forming digital future. On one path, leading agencies are operationalizing engagement data with machine learning, standing up tech and data science roles, and using RPA to strip manual work out of core processes, all of which point to a brighter, more efficient, and more consumer-friendly ecosystem. On the other path, continued consolidation among key creditor verticals, more sophisticated and demanding contracts, and creditors’ own in‑house digital and AI capabilities are shrinking the relative share of delinquent portfolios that third parties are likely to touch.
Smaller agencies—still the majority of industry participants and often led by aging owners—are being squeezed by rising compliance complexity, escalating tech expectations, and the practical challenges of competing for increasingly sophisticated placements, driving more M&A and exits. A post‑rollback federal environment, offset by aggressive and fragmented state activity, only adds to the cost and complexity of staying compliant at scale. In many positive ways, the industry is changing forever, and 2025 will be remembered as the crossroads where technology, consolidation, demographics, and regulation all converged to redefine what comes next for ARM.
LaDonna Bohling, Contract Callers
Resilient.
In the face of relentless regulatory pressure, legal challenges, and evolving consumer expectations, we haven’t backed down- we’ve adapted, tightened our standards, and kept moving forward. That persistence, especially under scrutiny, is the truest measure of resilience.
Roger Weiss, CACi
Agility.
Nearly every aspect of our industry faced rapid and continual change. As consumers navigated economic uncertainty, we adapted with longer, more flexible payment options. As quality domestic talent became harder to find, we expanded digital self-service tools and strengthened near-shore support. And as clients confronted increasing budget constraints, we responded with creative, cost-effective solutions designed to meet their needs and ease their burden.
Jon Balon, Williams & Fudge
Adaptability.
In a year marked by constant change—whether driven by industry shifts, evolving client needs, or unexpected challenges—we’ve embraced adaptability as more than a skill; it’s become part of our culture. Staying positive in the face of uncertainty has allowed us to pivot quickly, innovate boldly, and maintain momentum even when tomorrow looks different from today. By rallying around adaptability, we’ve not only navigated complexity but turned it into opportunity, proving that resilience and flexibility are what keep us strong as a team and competitive as a company.
Ask a group of people to sum something up in one word and it paints an interesting picture. The words used by a handful of professionals from across the credit and collection industry to describe 2025 paint a picture of hope, of optimism, of an excitement for what the future is going to bring. Check out what has these executives so stoked about what happened in 2025 and what it will mean in 2026.
Debbie Frank, Credit Bureau Services
Hope.
Entering this year, our agencies faced rising inflation and higher operating costs. Yet what has stood out most is the steadfast spirit of determination across the credit and collections industry to advocate and educate. Hope reflects the belief that even in difficult times, innovation, and collaboration, have open new doors of opportunity. For me, this year was about focusing on the consumer and finding ways to make it more convenient for them to self-service while in collections. Hope that my digital communication strategy cut cost and was beneficial to the people that I serve. As I look back on 2025, I am proud that my focus remained grounded in both my business and in prayer. Holding onto hope has been a bridge of where I am today and where I want to be in 2026 in doing work that matters.
Patrick Newman, Bassford Remele
Introspection.
What makes for good ARM industry counsel in this modern era? How do we adapt? How do we add value? 2025 yielded many questions; looking forward to formulating more answers in 2026.
John Erickson, Credit Service International
Crossroads.
The ARM industry is truly at a crossroads, standing between a legacy operating model and a rapidly forming digital future. On one path, leading agencies are operationalizing engagement data with machine learning, standing up tech and data science roles, and using RPA to strip manual work out of core processes, all of which point to a brighter, more efficient, and more consumer-friendly ecosystem. On the other path, continued consolidation among key creditor verticals, more sophisticated and demanding contracts, and creditors’ own in‑house digital and AI capabilities are shrinking the relative share of delinquent portfolios that third parties are likely to touch.
Smaller agencies—still the majority of industry participants and often led by aging owners—are being squeezed by rising compliance complexity, escalating tech expectations, and the practical challenges of competing for increasingly sophisticated placements, driving more M&A and exits. A post‑rollback federal environment, offset by aggressive and fragmented state activity, only adds to the cost and complexity of staying compliant at scale. In many positive ways, the industry is changing forever, and 2025 will be remembered as the crossroads where technology, consolidation, demographics, and regulation all converged to redefine what comes next for ARM.
LaDonna Bohling, Contract Callers
Resilient.
In the face of relentless regulatory pressure, legal challenges, and evolving consumer expectations, we haven’t backed down- we’ve adapted, tightened our standards, and kept moving forward. That persistence, especially under scrutiny, is the truest measure of resilience.
Roger Weiss, CACi
Agility.
Nearly every aspect of our industry faced rapid and continual change. As consumers navigated economic uncertainty, we adapted with longer, more flexible payment options. As quality domestic talent became harder to find, we expanded digital self-service tools and strengthened near-shore support. And as clients confronted increasing budget constraints, we responded with creative, cost-effective solutions designed to meet their needs and ease their burden.
Jon Balon, Williams & Fudge
Adaptability.
In a year marked by constant change—whether driven by industry shifts, evolving client needs, or unexpected challenges—we’ve embraced adaptability as more than a skill; it’s become part of our culture. Staying positive in the face of uncertainty has allowed us to pivot quickly, innovate boldly, and maintain momentum even when tomorrow looks different from today. By rallying around adaptability, we’ve not only navigated complexity but turned it into opportunity, proving that resilience and flexibility are what keep us strong as a team and competitive as a company.
