Changes to Brighthouse debt collection

[the_advisor]

Two years ago Brighthouse made significant changes to the way it collects arrears, which saved millions of pounds. This was done by streamlining the debt collection workforce and cutting back on company assets used to collect debt which was mainly leased vans.

 

Before the changes where made each store in the company estate had it own van which was only used for debt collection purposes, the debt teams in store mainly consisted of 2 full time CAA's ( Customer Account Advisors ) and it was there job to ring customers in arrears and also go out in the van visiting customers homes to arrange payment and collect goods etc.

 

The company decided to make cuts to save cost, and removed all the vehicles from the stores, this meant that the CAA's became store bound and became office based, thus the FCAA ( Field Customer Account Advisor ) was born, basically the FCAA had a company van and covered 3 - 4 stores on a rota basis running the stores debt, there was also a cut back in staff.

 

As of Monday the 16th May 2011 every store in the Brighthouse estate will be each getting a Transit van and it is now down to the store to come out and visit customers in arrears, basically just the same has it used to be 2 years ago as the changes Brighthouse made have not worked and the company debt levels have increased significantly.

 

So as of next week the people you speak to on the phone regarding any late accounts will be also visiting your address, although as the job became office based lots of the CAA's who are now expected to drive the vans and do visits dont have driving licences so there is a good chance the knock on the door will come from the store Manager or there deputy who ever has a licence basically.

 

I would advise to be vigilant and read your terms and conditions and know your stuff, many of the employees who are going to be out knocking on doors as of next week wont be experienced in home visits and collections.

 

If any one should need advice I will monitor the forums daily and assist where I can, as I have said before I'm only offering advice not information on how to rip Brighthouse off.

[dx100uk]

just to make things clear here

 

it matters not 'who' knocks on your door

they have no legal powers to do or demand anything

like any 'visitor' if you wish

you can tell them to go away and they must.

 

as for any kind of threats or demands of entry etc etc - NEVER do it.

 

dx

[Jacko2011]

Thisis how Ph work aswel. I used to do this job

[the_advisor]

What you will find Jacko is that they are near identical companies in the way they work, they have slight things that are different and obviously one is more established than the other, the reason for this is that when Perfect Homes was formed a load of top Brass from Brighthouse jumped ship and joined them and took the business model with them.

 

Buy to view is another example the top guy there Graham Clarke used to be the retail Director for Brighthouse he got binned when the new CEO took over Brighthouse, Graham then went to Buy to view, I know loads of people who work for Buyv now who where poached from Brighthouse.

 

All these sub prime lenders have roots into each other...

[Lefty]

That's very useful information, the_advisor. Thanks for that.

 

I have found (over the years I have spent assisting on this site) that BrightHouse are getting much, much better at consumer law compliance, and have made great steps to improve their overall image. This is, of course, simply because they are the market leader in this sector, and they no longer operate "under the radar" so to speak, like the old Crazy Georges days... Of course, there are still many areas where BrightHouse fall down, and do tend to drop back into their old ways - but this is always down to poor in-store training... very much like the situation you have described with "anyone with a license" now expected to do debt recovery...

 

By far the biggest star of this forum these days is Buy As You View. Although, technically, longer established than BrightHouse, they are still some years behind in becoming a household name...

 

As for Perfect Home... Well, they haven't even been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century yet...

 

Lefty

[selique1]

Bright-house have made giant strides because they have someone at the helm who has taken compliance seriously,

BAYV used to be the leader and it saddens me to read you think they are years behind when in 2004 the business was sold for over £100 million to 3i

it was the biggest deal ever to come out of Wales.

 

The companies debt was admirable and complaints from customers were almost non existent.

 

Profits were healthy and they always contributed to local charities so much so the former Chairman was awarded an OBE for his charity work.

 

When Mr Clarke moved from Bright house to BAYV this was the start of the demise of this great business.

 

I am certain if you look back at the timings of when BAYV deteriorated with their customer service you will see a number of synergies

between the New Management arriving and the old leaving.

 

Remember Crazy George now Bright house were stopped from trading in France whilst Mr Clarke was there because the pricing was so ambiguous

& the french government stepped in.

 

He is no different nowadays and you will see numerous complaints on this forum in relation to ambiguity around Service Cover etc.

 

The now Chairman Adrian Hill also must be held responsible as he is allowing this to happen and does nothing to change things.

 

The business has just been sold for £34 million to another VC which has to be a reflection of the current management and not the economic climate.

 

Remember these businesses are recession proof and this climate should be fantastic for ALL of these businesses.

 

How can such a great business be dismantled in just 9 years to this extent. There is only 1 answer, the people at the top are just not good enough.

 

Perfect Homes is run by another part of the ex Clarke Brigade and these people all operate the same way and try and mirror the model of the old Bright house and how it was pre 2005.

[dx100uk]

this thread is 18mts old

 

little oint in posting now.

 

thread closed

 

dx