Jeff Chambers President

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Alliance Collection Service Inc NewsletterDecember 2014

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to be the very best at what we do, to provide services to our clients that are high in quality and reasonable in cost and to do it right the first time, every time.

ACS Welcomes Quena ArmstrongClient Services Representative

We would like to welcome Quena Armstrong to

the Alliance Collection Service, Inc. family. We

are very excited to have Quena with us and we

know that you as clients will find her to be very

helpful, professional and caring.

Quena comes with great experience in the medical

field so our medical clients will find it especially refreshing that she

will understand the difficulties of your field and all the changes you are

facing at this time.

Quena has a lot to grasp and is working hard to get up to speed on all

the aspects of the Client Services position. It will take a few weeks for

her to get up to speed so we thank you for your patience and

encouragement for her during this time.

We would like to thank the team at ACS, especially Nicole Floyd,

Haley McLemore, Brittney Banal, and Trey Roberts for taking extra

time to help during the transition.

Quena's email address is

: CSR@AllianceCollectionService.com.

Call us toll free at 888-764-3449

Her direct line is 662-821-0443

We look forward to working with Quena and you to insure that your

collections program is as successful as possible.

3 Easy Leadership Tricks to

Try TodayFierceHealthcare.com

December 3, 2014 | By Debra Beaulieu-Volk

Sound management advice for medical practices doesn't

have to come from healthcare experts. The following three

leadership tricks are from various industries and can help

you connect with employees in virtually any setting.

In This Issue

3 Leadership Tricks

Merry Christmas

CFPB Update

How to End an Argument

Words of Inspiration

Healthy Tip

Supercharge Employee Engagement

Words of Inspiration

The Emptiness of a Christmas without Christ Pierre Eade

I don't have the most vivid memory of my childhood. It's not because I'm suppressing some deep wounds from my past or trying to forget a horrible upbringing. In fact, I think I had it pretty good. The problem is that I have a pretty poor memory. But there are those few occasions that I will never forget. You know, those special moments, whether good or bad, that are etched in your mind for all your life.

One of those moments that I can recall happened when I was a young boy. It took place towards the end of Christmas day after all the gifts had been unwrapped, our meal had been eaten and the house was settling down. Well, when you have six kids in a family, it never really settles down, but relatively speaking, it was a little less chaotic.

I am the youngest in my family and my next oldest sister is about six years older than I. So, to put it plainly, I was spoiled. I don't remember one Christmas when my parents didn't get me that special gift I was longing for. One year is was an electronic, animated Etch-A-Sketch, another year it was the latest Nintendo video system, the list goes on. I had everything a little boy could ever want. Not to mention I had five older siblings who looked after me, played with me and only occasionally found pleasure in picking on me.

But on this one Christmas, at the end of the day, I found myself kneeling down by my parent's bedside next to the stand where their perfectly square digital alarm clock sat. And here I was, a boy who had everything he could possibly want, with tears, rushing down my face. I couldn't even explain why I felt so terribly sad, I had no good reasons, except for the fact that I felt lonely, empty and lost.

I remember on e of my sisters coming into the room and finding

me on my knees silently but steadily weeping. "Pierre, are you ok?" Of course I denied that anything was wrong. "Did you not get something you wanted for Christmas?" I shook my head to say no and explained through tears, "That's not it." She left the room to go get my mother who also came to console me.

I'm not sure if my sister or my mother would remember this day, but it's one I will never forget. I truly believe

it was one of the earliest points in my life where God was beginning to show me, in a very subtle, but tangible way, that life without him is void and empty. My parents did a wonderful job in not only

supplying for what our family needed, but also for everything we could have wanted, yet there was something that was missing. This was something that money could never buy, but ironically came without a price.

I now realize, looking back, that the emptiness I felt at that tender young age could never have been filled by any material gift. The only way to fill that void is through a relationship with Jesus Christ. It wouldn't be until my early twenties when God would open my eyes to the true reason for Christmas and the only gift that will satisfy, the gift of His Son Jesus Christ.

I encourage you to make a concerted effort to get away from all the hustle and bustle around you, especially during the Christmas holiday, and spend some time with Jesus, God's most precious gift. If you are a parent, make sure that the material gifts you give your kids don't distract them from the greatest of all gifts, Jesus! Jesus told the woman at the well,

"If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. Whoever drinks of this water (from the well) will thirst again, but

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• Act like the dumbest person in the room. This

counterintuitive suggestion comes from a post by

management experts Jack and Suzy Welch on

LinkedIn. Jack Welch is well known for

transforming General Electric while its CEO and

now serves as executive chairman of the Jack Welch

Management Institute at Strayer University. "Sure,

as a boss, people will turn to you for all the answers,

and you'll want to supply them. But instead, show

people that your job is to have all the questions,"

they wrote. "Greet every decision and proposal with

'What if?' and 'Why not?' and 'How come?' ... In

time, this approach will breed an atmosphere of

vigorous engagement and straight talk, drawing the

best ideas out of the group, and yes, even exposing a

buried crisis that may be about to blow."

• Make your requests stick. People are far more likely

to comply with a request--often more promptly and

thoughtfully--when it comes with a personalized

Post-It note attached, according to a study from

the Journal of Consumer Psychology. In the

experiment used in the study, 78 percent of the

people receiving a survey with a hand-written sticky

note asking them to complete it did so, compared to

48 percent who received the survey packet with a

note scrawled onto the cover letter and 36 percent

who got instructions via cover letter alone. "This

technique obviously can't be applied to every

situation--you probably don't want to attach a

handwritten sticky note to, say, 40,000 newsletters,"

wrote Alison Davis in Inc. But have you thought

about how you can make communication more

personal?"

• Count your blessings out loud. George Ferenczi,

M.D. discussed the problem of sagging morale in

today's physician office world, in a

recent column for Medical Economics. He not only

acknowledged the reasons behind his and his

colleagues' frustrations, but also listed the reasons

medicine remains a profession he loves. Sharing

these positive reminders, such as the joy of always

learning something new, sets a motivating example

not just for one physician's office team but the

industry at large.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We at Alliance would like to wish you all a Merry and Blessed Christmas! We appreciate you and we appreciate the sacrifices made by generations of people before us that allow us live in a free country on a beautiful planet made by a wonderful God. We thank Him for you and for the sacrifice He gave for us all. May He bless and protect you, your home, your family, and all that you do in the coming year.

Thank you for being our friends and clients.

The Christmas Story - From the Holy Bible, Book of Luke, Chapter Two

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:10,13,14)

http://www.christiangrowthnetwork.com/keep_Christ_in_Christmas.html Grow Up

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Healthy Tip

Health: 10 Tips for Healthy Living During the HolidaysSOURCE: MAYO CLINIC, MAYOCLINIC.COM; CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL, CDC.GOV;

BEAUTYANDBEDLAM.COM; SAFETYATHOME.COM

1. Get a flu shot. Flu season peaks in January/February, but the sooner you protect yourself, the better. Who should get the flu vaccine? According to the Centers for Disease Control, healthcare workers; individuals 50 years of age and older; people with chronic medical conditions; children ages 5 and younger; and pregnant women. Contact your physician for more information.

2. Traveling for the holidays? If you're making your trip to snowy regions, be sure to prepare an emergency kit with: blankets; food and water; jumper cables; kitty litter or sand for traction; flashlight; batteries and battery-operated radio; first aid kit; plastic bags (for sanitation); and maps. If stranded in your car, stay with your car and keep moving your arms and legs; put a bright cloth on your antenna; and run the engine and heater for 10 minutes every hour, no longer.

3. Be prepared for power outages in your home; have on-hand: batteries, a battery-operated radio and lamps; extra medication; and non-perishable food.

4. Manage stress - don't over-commit yourself to avoid anxiety. Take "time outs" and delegate ... you don't have to do it all, and you don't have to do it all at once. According to the American Psychological Association, nearly 50 percent of women in the United States experience a heightened sense of stress during the holidays; 60 percent report feeling sad or nervous, and more than half report symptoms of fatigue.

5. Monitor children - every minute, 17 children require emergency treatment due to unintentional injuries.

6. Practice fire safety - don't leave lit Christmas trees, candles, fireplaces, space heaters or stoves unattended. More than 400 American lives are lost to fires during the holiday season.

7. If you are diabetic, remember to monitor your blood sugar levels; make wise decisions regarding your food, and avoid overeating.

8. Do NOT drink and drive. Save the numbers of your local cab companies in your phone; designate a non-drinking member of your party as the driver; or plan to stay overnight at your location.

9. Wash your hands thoroughly - for at least 20 seconds - and often; this will help limit the spread of germs.

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4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

CFPB Issues Latest Semi-Annual Report to Congress

ACA International

Director Richard Cordray reviews the bureau's complaint process and current

and pending regulations, including those related to the debt collection industry.As required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has released its sixth semi-annual report to Congress and the president, focusing on its actions from April through the end of September this year.

In the report, CFPB Director Richard Cordray reviewed consumer complaints, enforcement actions and the issuance of proposed or final rules in the industries regulated by the bureau, including debt collection. He also discussed supervisory activities and guidance by the bureau.

"As we continue to emerge from the continuing effects of the devastating financial crisis of 2008, we find that debt collection is central and cut across virtually all credit products: credit cards, mortgages, student loans, payday loans, and other consumer loans," Cordray said in the report. "Currently, about

30 million consumers-nearly one out of every 10 Americans-are subject to debt collection, for amounts that average about $1,500 each."

Consumer Complaints

The CFPB states that it continues to work toward growing its complaint-handling capacity and plans to include other products and services to the complaint database.

"Collecting, investigating and responding to consumer complaints are integral

parts of the CFPB's work, as Congress set forth in the Dodd-Frank Act. The bureau hears directly from consumers about the challenges they face in the marketplace, brings their concerns to the attention of companies, and assists in addressing their complaints," according to the report.

In the report, the CFPB specifically calls out the debt collection industry as "generat[ing] more complaints to the federal government each year than any other consumer financial services market."

According to the report, "[m]any companies in this industry play by the rules.

But others cut corners and seek to gain an advantage by ignoring the rules. These bad actors are a detriment to every company that is faithfully following the law, and their actions harm consumers."

Debt collection complaints were added to the CFPB's Consumer Complaint

Database in November 2013.In fall 2014, the bureau received 86,900 debt collection complaints. According to the report, a majority of those complaints were about a debt not owed (36 percent.)Earlier this year, the CFPB proposed giving consumers the choice to add unstructured narratives on the consumer complaint database. In response,

ACA International issued strong opposing comments arguing that publishing the proposed narratives would create privacy issues and further exacerbate the flaws inherent in the database's current composition, causing more harm to consumers, companies providing financial services and the bureau itself.

10. Practice food safety - refrigerate leftovers within two hours of preparation, and eat your refrigerated leftovers within four days or freeze them immediately.

Supercharge Employee Engagement

February 8, 2012 | By Debra Beaulieu-Volk FierceHealthcare.com

The healthcare industry in recent years has taken lessons from other industries. In addition to what car manufacturers can teach medical practices about efficiency and how amusement parks demonstrate customer service, lessons in achieving superior employee engagement may be found in a can of soup.

In a brief video created by Harvard Business Review, Doug Conant, former president and CEO of the Campbell Soup Company, describes some simple ways he helped bring the company's dismal employee engagement levels to world-class levels in about a decade.

The company reported that for every two employees who were actively engaged, one was looking for another job, but that changed to 17 highly engaged employees for every one that's not. Consider the following tips:

• Handwritten notes. During his 10 years as CEO for 20,000 employees around the world, Conant wrote about 30,000 personal notes to employees in recognition of their contributions to the company. The keys to making the notes work, he told HBR, was that they were not gratuitous but called out specific employee actions he wanted to commend. The fact that he took the time to handwrite them in the age of email mattered too. In fact, Conant said it was not uncommon when he was traveling to other offices to see his hand-written notes posted on employees' cubicle walls.

• Management by walking around. Conant took this management technique so seriously that he went as far as to use a pedometer to track whether he reached his goal of taking 10,000 daily steps walking around the office and connecting with employees. Despite his busy schedule, Conant would spend about 30 minutes a day on these walks, which he squeezed in during varying parts of the work day. While he was out and about, employees would not only see that he was actively working to be present with them, but he kept himself physically fit as well.

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Enforcement ActionsFrom April through September, the CFPB contributed to securing orders

through enforcement actions for more than $1.6 billion in retribution for consumers who were victims of various consumer financial protection law violations, Cordray said in the report.The bureau was a party in 41 public enforcement actions completed from Oct. 1, 2013, through Sept. 30, 2014.

Among the ongoing actions is a federal court lawsuit against Frederick J. Hanna & Associates, a law firm that represents clients seeking to collect delinquent consumer debts, alleging that the attorneys violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Consumer Practices Act by the manner in which

they prepared and filed lawsuits and used client affidavits in Georgia state court proceedings.

In September, ACA reported that FJ Hanna formally requested that the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia dismiss the enforcement action

brought against it by the CFPB through a powerful motion to dismiss. The CFPB then responded with a request for the court to deny FJ Hanna's motion.In the lawsuit, which is still pending, the CFPB is seeking compensation for victims, a civil money penalty fine, and an injunction against the company and its partners.

ACA will continue to follow this lawsuit and other CFPB enforcement actions.

How to End an

Argument

"A bit of advice to wise men"

I contemplated not doing a funny article this month. Considering that December is the month that we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, and

being a believer in Him, I considered keeping this month's newsletter to holiday cheer, love toward our fellow man, and serving others; however, I chose to try to bring a smile to your face and, hopefully, a

moment of detachment from all that is going on in your world today by allowing a laugh at my expense. I am told that it is helpful so here goes.

Mrs. Toni and I never argue. Not really. Most of our "arguments" come in the form of her telling me to do something, I complaint about it, she

corrects me, and the argument is over. Last week was an exception that I am sure every woman will appreciate and every man will take as a good example.

On Monday we had both had difficult days. My drive home gives Toni about an hour to do whatever she feels needs to be done. On this particular day, she got off work, ran to the pharmacy and bank, took

our Lab to the vet, and had dinner almost done in that hour. (Yep, she's that good!) As I walked in the door, I was greeted with the conversation and laughter of the girls and Toni discussing all the

critical issues of the day.

For about thirty minutes every possible conversation was taking place

in the midst of the three cats wanting to be fed and Mack, our Lab, being nosey as he slobbered all over everything hoping for a treat from the dinner she was preparing. Toni got excited and let a euphemism

slip. It was a little one and I quickly corrected her as she would have me. I thought nothing of it, the conversations went on, and all seemed well... however, the end of the world as I know it was upon me when

the last fateful corrective word left my lips. I just didn't know it yet. Ladies, you know what I mean here. Guys, if you don't, pay attention and save yourselves.

Two other missteps, on my part, took place during about a ten minute change of clothes and our "How was your day?" conversations as dinner was cooking. We generally meet in the walk-in closet as I

change, to exchange the news of the day before moving back into the living room to face all the other things that need attention. This usually takes about five minutes. I will spare you the details but trust me when

I say that it had no more to do with anything than two slices of refrigerated bread and a bird hunt from twelve years ago.

By the time we got to bed that night, I could tell that something was up so I asked her very tactfully, "Hey Sweetie, you seem a little "off". Is something up or have I done something wrong? Maybe I didn't do

something that I was supposed to do? That was all it took.

Two hours later I was still standing at the side of the bed doing my best to defend myself over accusations that I had not only been rude, but

that I wanted to argue with everything she said, didn't care what she thought, always thought I was right, and was generally the equivalent

Mississippi MGMA Outreach Meeting Covers FICO 9

Alliance Collections Service, Inc. sponsored the MGMA Outreach meeting in Tupelo on Thursday, October 30th.

The group met to discuss how FICO 9, the latest scoring version used by lenders, will affect the medical community and bad debt collections.

To get a copy of the presentation points, email Ken Dulaney at kdulaney@AllianceCollectionService.com or call 888-764-3449.

Not a member of MGMA? Join your state group today. It is a great way to keep up on all things medical management.

Mississippi MGMA - www.MGMAMS.com

We Proudly Support MGMA & HFMA

If you are a person working in the medical finance arena, especially in a hospital setting, there is no better resource than HFMA.

Each state has their own chapter but you can also join online at www.HFMA.org.

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of an aged orangutan (not a monkey because I am losing my hair and that would be an insult to the world monkey population).

As I considered how I would get out of this I remembered that we had been married almost twenty five years and that there was no escape. I

decided to try something radical so I launched into a long dissertation that Colonel Sanders would have been proud of, listing out all of my wrongdoings and the strategy behind each. I put on my most "southern

gentleman" persona and proceed to pontificate. (Picture in your mind an orangutan in a white 1850's colonel Sanders outfit complete with black tie, a long skinny white beard and oversized white eyebrows.)

"Yes," I said. "I declare that I am most brilliant in my planning and execution of all the day's tactical offenses. Why, I amaze even my humble self with wonderful accuracy of my plan to insult you my dear.

You must see that each offense had an underlying objective, which of course was to inflict as much pain upon my enemy as humanly possible in order to limit casualties to my side of the conflict while

insuring that any possible counter attack by you would be quickly dismissed as a futile effort considering my majestic, wise, brilliant, self."

"Furthermore, my lovely, my plan obviously insured that any resistance would be minimal as you and I both would agree that it

would take a tactician unlike any the world has ever known to overcome a man of my stature, especially when I am motivated by the thoughts of grandiose parades in my honor. The masses will no doubt be overcome with tears as they bow to my greatness throughout

generations to come, cheering in the streets for me, the one and only man that ever lived that could overcome one such as you!"

"Yes Puddin, I planned it all out! And, I must say I have outdone myself as I stand here in my pajamas trying only just to get back into bed without being smothered in my sleep!" And with that, I bent over

to pick up my slippers and ripped my favorite pajama bottoms front to back. With the sound of humiliation still ringing in the air, I looked up over the edge of the bed and humbly asked, "So was that pretty much

the way you see it? As absurd as it all sounded, did it at least make you laugh a little?"

After a few more "I am so sorry's" and "honey, I swear, I didn't mean anything wrong's" she cracked up and that was the end of it. But consider this gentlemen. If I had not had the experience to know that I was beaten before I ever even got home I would likely still be standing

there beside the bed, trying to win an argument that had absolutely no meaning at all. I think God just reached down and knuckled me on the head and whispered in my ear "You better get real humble real quick

or this is not going to end well!" With that I figured I better make her laugh or I was going to wake up with a cast iron skillet molded to my face.

Lesson: End an argument by not letting it start, and if it starts anyway, give up quick.

Thank God for His wisdom, and for hers, because as I told her at the end of my "production", "Sweetie, I just ain't that dang smart!"

Don't let inexperience cause a rip in your pajamas. With 20 years in service, Alliance knows how to increase your self-pay bad debt cash flow while protecting your good reputation. Yep, we are that good.

Merry Christmas and God bless and keep you!

Ken Dulaney

Sales & Marketing Director

Alliance Collection Service, Inc.

Alliance Collection Service, Inc. and its employees proudly sponsor The Shepherd's Hands Charity.

This group provides financial assistance for organizations supporting women and children at risk in North Mississippi to further the ministry of Jesus Christ.

The group raised over $13,000.00 in September with its annual golf tournament. The money raised will be used to help Tupelo Children's Mansion, The Regional

Rehab Center, and many other worthy groups.

Alliance Collection Service, Inc - www.alliancecollectionservice.comCheck out our NEWSLETTERS for past issues.... IT'S FREE!

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