Dave Cochrane has over 20 years of experience in debt collection, call center management, marketing and sales. He began his career at FCT in 2012 in the frontline role of Legal Liaison Managed Services where he managed vendors on behalf of our creditor clients. He quickly used his experience to progress forward within the organization by growing operational revenue and adding value to client meetings. He enjoys his role as director of operations because of his team’s focus on delivering for our clients, and for providing value clearly and concisely. He enjoys the unique challenges that each client offers and the satisfaction that comes from finding ways to overcome those challenges and meet each goal.
How long have you been with FCT?
I have been with the company for 7 years as of November.
What does your daily role look like?
I manage the operation of our Default Solutions business which has a presence in both London and Oakville. I provide overall direction on how we will achieve growth, reduce expenses, and improve customer satisfaction. I am trying to focus on how we can position the operation group to best serve our market in the coming years.
Now that the holiday season is over, what can you tell us about holiday spending and the state of debt in Canada?
Traditional holiday shopping and the way we conduct transactions have changed. With the introduction of Amazon, Wish, and other online points of sale, credit cards have become ubiquitous. The credit card is now the official currency of North America, and we need to ensure that we are spending within our means and not incurring huge debt. Credit card interest rates can be very unpredictable and also very steep. We know with certainty that insolvency events are increasing and many economists and banks are planning for significant increases in bad debt for 2020, so now, more than ever, we must live in a way that is sustainable financially and without dependence on our credit cards.
How did you get on this career path?
My experience is in marketing but as most people do, I worked during college. I started with a collection agency/debt buyer 17 years ago to help pay the bills, finish school and buy a house. I found that I was quite good at helping people understand why they should pay their bills and viewed this as a “sale”. I was just selling them on the idea of good credit and financial responsibility.
What is your favourite part of the job?
I love the industry and the job because no two days are ever the same and I get a ton of variety. I am someone who likes to be challenged and in this world, you are often only as good as your last month! I know that for some this can be stressful, personally, it keeps me driven and motivated to deliver better results for our customers month over month in all aspects of the work that we do.
Which accomplishment at FCT are you most proud of?
That’s a tough one but I would have to say our overall revenue improvement this year is likely the accomplishment that I am most proud of. We set aggressive but achievable goals and were able to deliver on those goals while staying within our expense budget—to me, that is something to celebrate.
What are you most excited to work on?
I am really excited that we at FCT have been investing in data, technology and process that will help us all align and provide the opportunity to expand upon our 2019 growth into 2020 without having to overwhelm our frontline staff. I am excited for what is to come and for the reputation that our organization has built in the default industry.
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