Debt Collection FAQ’s

A Commercial Collection Agency is a highly specialized debt collection agency that recovers bad debt from corporations or commercial debtors. Commercial agencies are more professional and skilled than consumer collection agencies because we are communicating with a business owner or a member of management. There are several important criteria to consider when selecting a commercial collection agency – see them here.

Not at all. We provide all our commercial collection services on a contingency basis – we get paid only if we collect money due to you.

We view and approach each situation uniquely (no ‘cookie-cutter’ processing!). Our goal is direct communication with the decision-maker of the debtor. This direct line of communication allows us to properly evaluate the credibility and viability of the debtor, and the debtor’s decision-maker. We provide information to our clients so that intelligent decisions regarding payment plans, credits, returns, or escalation to legal services can be made, with our guidance. Our approach is to achieve the best recovery in the shortest time, and (if at all possible) to avoid the expenses and time of legal action. No outside legal intervention occurs without the client’s written consent.

Originally called “Stanley Tulchin Associates”, STA was formed by Stanley Tulchin in 1955. Its business then, as now, was as a commercial collection agency. It was later rebranded as STA International and expanded from New York City to international offices in England and Mexico City. Today, STA is run by the next generation of Tulchin family members, as well as non-family shareholder managers. Our UK office is ISO 9001 certified and our US manager, Walter Lockhart, is a past member of the Board of Governors of the Commercial Law League of America, the most prestigious organization in the US commercial collections industry. Your trust concerning any collected funds held by STA has been earned by our 65 years of experience. In addition, STA maintains a surety bond for the benefit of our clients, as required by the Commercial Law League of America.

If a customer is more than 60 days late – and isn’t communicating – you shouldn’t wait any longer before placing the account with us. Customers who are communicating their intentions to pay – yet still become 90-120 days past due – should also be placed for collections immediately. Although we often recover accounts that are over a year past due, waiting too long to place an account can be a costly error in judgment.

When it comes to debt collection, being local is not an important criterion. Debt collection agencies almost never visit a debtor. Our communication with debtors is via phone and email; research is undertaken via the Internet and databases available to us – so location is not a factor. The effectiveness of a commercial collection agency is determined primarily by the background and training of the collectors, and the approach the commercial collection agency takes toward debt collection.STA provides localized commercial collection services for US debtors via our network of local collection law firms in every state. For international debtors, we forward claim to our network of collection agencies and law firms located throughout the world.

Absolutely. We have extensive experience providing commercial debt collection services for businesses outside the US that are owed money by companies located in the USA or elsewhere. Our collections expertise is enhanced by a best of breed network of local collection agencies and law firms in over 50 countries worldwide (all major nations). With our investment in technology (voiceover internet telephony, web-based reporting platform etc,) we are truly a globally-oriented business.

We work on a contingency basis (no fees except as a percentage of collected funds.) Contingency fees depend on the amount of the debt and the aging of the unpaid debt. More information is available here.

We are generally not a good fit for companies whose debts average less than $1,000.

There is no maximum amount. STA has collected upon many files with a value between $200,000 and $1,000,000. Of course – on large amounts, we offer a lower, customized contingency rate.