Dealer Collections Training for
Used Car and BHPH Dealers
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Dealer collections training is the foundation for healthy cash flow, lower charge offs, and a stronger customer experience across used car, Buy Here Pay Here, Lease Here Pay Here, and subprime operations. This page explains proven strategies that turn past due accounts into on time payments while protecting compliance and reputation. From building a clear policy and scripting right party contacts to aligning analytics, technology, and field work, you will learn how to design a collections system that scales. Whether you are launching a new department or leveling up an experienced team, the guidance below highlights practical playbooks, measurable KPIs, and real world procedures your staff can use today. Explore related resources like Buy Here Pay Here Collections Training and Used Car Dealer Operations Training to deepen topic mastery as you standardize your end to end collections lifecycle.

Helpful related resources: Buy Here Pay Here Collections Training, Used Car Dealer Operations Training, Dealer Compliance Best Practices, Blog.

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This dealer collections training guide focuses on payment performance, customer communication, loss mitigation, and compliance alignment for independent and franchise used car dealers. It connects everyday activities to measurable outcomes so managers can coach and scale with confidence. For deeper learning, explore resources like Buy Here Pay Here Payment Performance Education and Dealer Risk Management Training, as well as event insights on Education and Events and Dealer Workshops and Training.

Explore more: Buy Here Pay Here Payment Performance Education, Dealer Risk Management Training, Education and Events, Dealer Workshops and Training.

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2023 Conference Photo
2023 Conference Photo
2023 Conference Photo
Sales Techniques
Advanced Marketing Strategies
Underwriting Best Practices
Collections Management
Smart Inventory Control
Service & Reconditioning
Human Resources
AI Dealership Integration
... and much, much more!

What is Dealer Collections Training

Dealer collections training is a structured approach that equips your team with the processes, scripts, systems, and compliance guardrails necessary to collect payments consistently and build customer trust. It covers the entire lifecycle from payment reminders to late stage loss mitigation. The goal is to reduce delinquency days, improve right party contact rates, increase promises kept, and prevent avoidable repossessions while maintaining a positive customer relationship and a clean audit trail.

Why Collections Excellence Matters

Collections is not just about calling past due accounts. It is a customer service and risk management function that protects your portfolio, funds growth, and preserves your reputation. When done right, collections improves payment predictability and lifetime value while lowering cost per collected dollar.

  • Stabilizes cash flow and supports inventory turns
  • Reduces charge offs and involuntary repossessions
  • Boosts customer satisfaction through respectful, consistent communication
  • Strengthens audit readiness and regulatory compliance

Core Curriculum Pillars

A comprehensive dealer collections curriculum should be built on these pillars. Each pillar below links to focused guidance you can explore for deeper mastery.

Practical Tools and Templates You Can Deploy

Operationalize training with standardized tools that make execution simple and auditable.

  • Collections playbook with daily, weekly, and month end cadences
  • Call, text, and email scripts with compliant disclosures
  • Promise to pay tracker and follow up automation rules
  • Hardship and extension decision matrix aligned to policy tiers
  • Field visit checklist and GPS or starter interrupt guidelines where allowed

KPIs That Drive Accountability

Track leading and lagging indicators so managers can coach in real time and protect the month.

  • Portfolio delinquency at 1 to 29, 30 to 59, and 60 plus days past due
  • Right party contact rate and attempt to contact ratio by channel
  • Promises made, promises kept, and average days to cure
  • Extensions used and roll rate between delinquency buckets
  • Charge off percentage and recovery rate net of costs

Educate team members on what each KPI means, where it is sourced, how it is calculated, and the behaviors that influence it. For deeper portfolio strategy, visit Buy Here Pay Here Portfolio Management Education.

Compliance Essentials for Collections

Compliance is embedded in every contact. Build procedures that reflect federal and state rules, your privacy policy, and vendor controls. Train on call recording disclosures where allowed, consent for texts and emails, honoring do not call requests, dispute handling, accurate credit reporting where applicable, and secure payment handling. Document your policy, maintain change logs, and test controls regularly. Align scripts and templates with your governance policy and update them as regulations evolve. For more detailed guidance, see Buy Here Pay Here Legal Compliance Education, Buy Here Pay Here Federal Compliance Training, Buy Here Pay Here State Compliance Education, and review your Privacy Policy.

Roles, Skills, and Training Pathways

High performing teams define clear roles, career paths, and coaching rhythms. New collectors need fundamentals such as empathy, active listening, identity verification, payment negotiation, and documentation. Senior collectors refine hardship assessment, extensions, and late stage case handling. Team leads focus on queue management, QA reviews, and KPI coaching. Managers own policy adherence, vendor management, and cross functional coordination with sales, service, and accounting. Explore Dealer Staff Training Development and Dealer Management Training for structured pathways.

Conversation Framework for Payment Success

Provide a repeatable framework to raise promises kept without sacrificing rapport.

  • Connect: verify identity, set a respectful tone, and confirm account details
  • Understand: ask open questions to discover cause, capacity, and timeline to cure
  • Align: restate options consistent with policy such as partial, split pay, or extension
  • Commit: secure a specific amount, method, and date, then set follow up trigger
  • Document: log the conversation, note disposition codes, and send confirmation

Digital Collections and Payment Enablement

Modern collections blends respectful human contact with self service tools that make it easy to pay. Use a payment portal, card on file where permitted, and clear reminders by preferred channel with consent. Automate early stage nudges and escalate to live outreach for mid and late stage accounts. Integrate with CRM, DMS, and dialers to ensure accurate data, time stamping, and notes. For technology strategy, see Buy Here Pay Here Technology Integration Education and Used Car Dealer Technology Integration Training.

BHPH, LHPH, and Subprime Considerations

Program design varies by structure. BHPH often manages in house servicing with higher contact frequency, starter interrupt or GPS where allowed, and flexible arrangements under a defined matrix. LHPH adds lease return rules, mileage and wear evaluations, and different default paths. Subprime indirect servicing emphasizes lender communication and accurate documentation. For tailored guidance, review Buy Here Pay Here Real World Collections Training, Lease Here Pay Here Collections Training, and Subprime Real World Collections Training.

Scaling to Multiple Locations

Multi store operations benefit from centralized policy and reporting with local execution. Standardize training, QA scorecards, and approval matrices. Use a shared knowledge base with scripts, job aids, and call examples. Report KPIs at store, region, and enterprise levels. Conduct monthly calibration sessions so leaders review recordings, compare outcomes, and align on coaching actions. Visit Buy Here Pay Here Multi Location Operations Training for a deeper blueprint.

Common Challenges and How to Fix Them

  • Low promises kept: tighten confirmation language, send written confirmations, and set auto reminders before promise date
  • High 30 to 60 roll: add early stage automation, adjust dial windows, and coach for next step ownership at first contact
  • Inconsistent documentation: simplify disposition codes and make key fields mandatory in your CRM or DMS workflow
  • Compliance risk: refresh scripts quarterly, conduct QA audits, and benchmark against Buy Here Pay Here Compliance Best Practices

Cross Functional Alignment

Collections outcomes are influenced by underwriting, sales expectations, and service quality. Share feedback loops with underwriting to tune credit policy and deal structure. Coordinate with sales for delivery day payment education and preferred channels. Collaborate with service to minimize downtime that threatens ability to pay. Consider Buy Here Pay Here Underwriting Education, Buy Here Pay Here Sales Process Training, and Buy Here Pay Here Service Operations Training to align the full lifecycle.

Reporting Rhythm and Coaching

Adopt a daily huddle for queue priorities, a weekly review for KPI trends, and a monthly calibration for call quality. Score two calls per collector each week against your QA rubric. Share best examples in team meetings and capture them in your library. Tie coaching goals to leading behaviors such as same day follow up on broken promises, number of quality conversations, and completion of hardship assessments when applicable. For leadership development, explore Dealer Leadership Development Training.

Getting Started Checklist

  • Map your current process from due date to charge off and document gaps
  • Define target KPIs and acceptable thresholds by delinquency bucket
  • Standardize scripts and approval matrices, then load into your systems
  • Launch a training calendar with role based modules and QA scorecards
  • Align data, automation, and reports for real time visibility and coaching

Related Learning Paths

Continue building mastery with curated pages across operations, compliance, and growth strategy.

Dealer Collections Training FAQs

Track portfolio delinquency by bucket, right party contact rate, promises made and kept, average days to cure, extensions used, roll rate between buckets, and charge off trend. Pair scorecards with call quality reviews to connect behavior with results.

Use clear confirmation language, secure specific date and method, send written confirmation, schedule reminders before the promise date, and set proactive follow up. Coach collectors to align options with policy and the customers stated capacity.

Start with policy overview, identity verification, respectful scripting, payment negotiation basics, documentation standards, system navigation, and escalation rules. Blend short simulations with live call shadowing and daily coaching huddles.

Automate reminders and self service options for early stage accounts and reserve live calls for accounts that do not respond. Increase contact intensity, add senior review, and evaluate extensions or field work for mid and late stage accounts under your policy matrix.

Centralize policy, scripts, and QA scorecards. Train consistently, log changes, and audit recordings and notes. Control vendor permissions and verify consent for messaging. Align with your privacy policy and maintain state specific guidance for staff reference.

Underwriting, sales delivery, service operations, and technology integration all impact payment performance. Explore topics like Buy Here Pay Here Underwriting Education, Dealer Technology Training Education, and Used Car Dealer Operations Best Practices.

Combine a risk based decision matrix, escalation and approval tiers, compliant scripts, documentation standards, and QA auditing. Reference pages such as Buy Here Pay Here Collections Policy Education and Dealer Compliance Best Practices for templates and checklists.

Additional Resources

Stay informed with industry updates, practical guides, and session insights that help your team sustain strong payment performance year round.

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