thomson reuters clear

2021 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

MIN N E S OT A F A MIL Y S U P P OR T & R E C OV E R Y C OU N C IL

Thomson Reuters CLEARA useful tool for locate and data validation

9/27/2021 MFSRC Annual Conference 1

CLEAR Uses

• Locating persons• Locating assets• Out of jurisdiction court records• Locating business filings• Case file data verification• Incarceration records• Social media searches• Licensing searches

9/27/2021 MFSRC Annual Conference 2

2021 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

MIN N E S OT A F A MIL Y S U P P OR T & R E C OV E R Y C OU N C IL

Potential Users• Intake staff• Court prep staff• Child Support Officers/Specialists (enforcement and legal)• Interstate workers• Collections staff• Fraud Investigators• County Attorney’s and Paralegals9/27/2021 MFSRC Annual Conference 3

Dakota County’s Usage• Dakota County currently has a three-year

contract with Thomson Reuter for CLEAR.• We currently have 20 licenses/users spread

across our agency.• Two of those licenses are enhanced with the

real time incarceration feature. (RITA)• Our Fraud Unit has two licenses with one of

the RITA licenses.• Collections staff have six licenses.• Child support staff have 12 licenses and the

remaining RITA license. The child support licenses are spread across the child support staff with all Court-Review Child Support Specialists having a license and the rest are spread across enforcement and interstate workers. Workers without a license coordinate with CLEAR license holders to request reports.

• While search volume varies per month per user, our agency averages approximately 1300 searches per month.

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CLEAR Searches

Data sets and searches

Search Possibilities• Person Search-Most common and comprehensive• Phone• Business• License• Vehicle• Property• Watercraft• Court-Not as comprehensive as MGA but great for out of

state, also has the ability to purchase/request court documents. (Dakota County does not have this feature.)

• News• Web analytics• Search all• Intellectual Property

Data Sources Some of the data sources used for the searches include:• Credit Bureaus• Utility company records, including cellular telephone

providers• State Licensing bureaus• Law enforcement and courts• Bankruptcy filings• Marriage and divorce records• Death records• Real property• Marijuana business records• Work affiliations• Social media sites• Proprietary sources

9/27/2021 MFSRC Annual Conference 5

Success Stories

9/27/2021 MFSRC Annual Conference 6

• Used in a contempt hearing to show assets and businesses held by NCP.• Located ALF’s using as little as a cell phone number and first name.• Confirmed that an NCP was still in the United States after they claimed to be

deported.• Used to confirm several out of state NCP deaths.• Confirmed NCP’s ownership of companies for a court action.• Able to connect with clients who do not provide contact information in

voicemails. • Using alerts and a real time incarceration user, we were able to track an

inmate in federal custody from holding in the local jurisdiction to the federal penitentiary they were eventually incarcerated at.

• During pilot period, we found new information, such as addresses, and phone numbers not previously known to the agency in approximately 70 percent of searches conducted.

9/27/2021 MFSRC Annual Conference 7

Questions?For further information contact:Michael Hamm: Michael.Hamm@CO.Dakota.MN.US(651)554-5864

Thompson Reuters Contacts:Gregg Angell: Gregg.Angell@thomsonreuters.com(612)749-6176

Denny O’Connor: Denny.OConnor@thomsonreuters.com(253)298-9688

Collections 101

MCHHSA Conference 2021

Shawn Wagener – Scott County

Collections 101

• These proven collection strategies are from years of private industry collecting. I have tried and perfected some of the same methods in the public sector with much success, but always check with your supervisor and possible county attorney when implementing anything new!

Locating Clients

• Current Pricing:

• 1 user unlimited searches $130.00

• 2-5 users $90.00 each

Features

Unlimited Access to Content/Products

24-hour Customer and Technical Support

Free training with LexisNexis consultants

Easily accessible on-line tutorials & guides

SIGN IN & AUTHENTICATION

PERMITTED USE CERTIFICATION

DPPA COMPLIANCE

ADVANCED PERSON SEARCH

SEARCH TIPS* Search only by SSN if available

Good for Rev Recap when a woman has multiple last names.

DECEASED

REPORTS

▪ Additional report options on right hand side of results

▪ Check with your administrator on your plan, there could be additional fees

Setup person alert

• In Lexis Nexis enter the social security # of the surviving spouse in advanced person search.

• Select Setup Person Alert on left side of result screen

Then click Death Records. Save it and you will receive an email if a death record is added.

ADDITIONAL SEARCH OPTIONS

BANKRUPTCY REPORTS

NOW THAT YOU HAVE A BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF LOCATING…….

How often should you try to locate clients?

▪ December/January right before tax time

▪ June/July right before property/Rent refunds

▪ When you receive return mail (once a month)

▪ Anytime you feel this system will help you in the collections process of a client

When do you give up Locating clients?

QUESTIONS FOR LOCATING?

Contact Information for Accurint/Lexis Nexis

• Product Support ……………….. 1-866-277-8407

• Education and Training………. 1-800-201-6411

• Account Manager John Lee… 1-678-893-9875

Basic Collection Strategies…….

▪ Treat every client INDIVIDUALLY!

▪ Most clients just want to be heard

▪ LISTEN to what your client really wants

▪ You must feel your client out and if they react negatively (abort) and re-strategize

▪ Make a strategy by their situation. Make them feel like they are getting a good deal

Basic Collection Strategies CONT…….

▪ Clients will often make it seem like they are worse than they really are.

▪ Clients ask what is the minimum I can pay? NEVER give someone an amount! Make them give you an amount first. (explain)

APPEAL TO AGE GROUPS

▪ 18-30’S How it can impact them now, and in their future

▪ 30’s-60’s How it can impact them and their family

▪ 60’s + How to appeal to them

AGE GROUP 18-30’S

▪ Credit

▪ Rent

▪ Car Ins.

▪ School Loans

▪ Purchase a home

▪ Etc.

AGE GROUP 30’S - 60’S

▪ Co-Sign for Car

▪ Co-Sign for College

▪ Want to purchase a home

▪ Most emergencies happen in this age group that result in needing to get a 2nd mortgage or line of equity

AGE GROUP 60 PLUS

▪ People in this age group want things resolved so their family will not have to worry upon their passing but in turn say they have no money

▪ Sense of Pride

▪ You will have a lot more payment agreements or PIF right away in this group

Collection Strategies

▪ NEVER take a client off Rev Recap for making a payment arrangement (unless in writing)

▪ Even if an account is going to recoup, I always ask for payment too (voluntary)

▪ If a client wants smaller payments try your hardest to get a larger amount down

Collection Strategies Cont.

▪ Always request Auto-draft payments.

▪ Make sure they are the same day every month.

▪ If a client says they can’t pay the full amount agreed upon that month try to get a small payment over the phone and then start charging the agreed upon amount the following month (example).

How to be a successful Collector

Be confident and know yourself and what you are collecting on.

I will purposely not pick up the phone when someone is calling me unless I know who it is and want to speak to them at the time.

Know your client! Know the exact reason for the debt and the amount due . Never ask “is there a problem?” if it gets quiet.

Listen to what the client/debtor really wants. They might just be telling you they were unsatisfied (but still willing to pay the bill)

Take notes…. The number one way you can take control on the 2nd call, 3rd call, 4th call, (you get the point) is by telling them on the next call we already went over this and that has been resolved.

How to be a successful

Collector Cont.

• Make sure when a broken promise happens you address it right away… there is nothing worse than losing credibility. Say what you are going to do if they don’t follow through with a payment plan and make sure you do it!

• (Rev Recap, Court, Judgment, garnishment, bank levy)

• Avoid arguments and threats (make sure everything you say you will follow through with) Make sure you use leverage as a last resort.

• This will not work for all clients/debtors but will work for most of them.

How to be a successful Collector Cont.

The objective of your call is to get the full amount paid NOW! Treat objections as opportunities to get a commitment for full payment. Establish with your client/debtor that the objection they are posing is the only one and if the objection is dealt with then there should be immediate payment. Get a commitment from an objection.

Work SMARTER and not Harder…. In County Collections we have many resources available to collect effectively. Don’t try to cold call your clients where most will not pick up or return calls. (or the number is already disconnected ☺)

QUESTIONS ON COLLECTION STRATEGIES?

• THANK YOU!

• IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON ANY COLLECTION MATTERS THE MCRA GROUP HAS AN EMAIL CHAIN WHERE PEOPLE ASK QUESTIONS AND GIVE ANSWERS EVERY DAY.

• MCRA HAS QUARTERLY MEETINGS

• EMAIL ME AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO GET YOU ADDED TO THE LIST.

• SWAGENER@CO.SCOTT.MN.US