Credit Issues & Collections Workshop

Description

Evolving Credit & Collections Strategies for Today’s Cooperative Members

Today’s credit and collections professionals are navigating far more than overdue accounts. Rising costs, changing member expectations, new technologies, comparison to regulatory requirements, and increasing financial hardship require cooperatives to balance financial responsibility with exceptional member service.

This highly interactive workshop is designed specifically for electric cooperative professionals who work directly with credit, collections, member services, billing, and accounts receivable. Through real-world scenarios, collaborative discussions, and practical exercises, participants will compare practices, explore emerging trends, and leave with ideas they can immediately apply within their own cooperative.

NEW FOR 2027

One of the most valuable discussions from a previous workshop centered on understanding how investor-owned utility (IOU) Public Service Commission (PSC) regulations compare with cooperative practices. This year we take that conversation even further.

Participants will examine how PSC requirements often establish the minimum regulatory framework while cooperatives retain the flexibility to develop policies that reflect their own membership, local communities, board philosophy, and service expectations.

Rather than asking whether every co-op should operate the same way, we’ll explore:

• How do state regulations influence a cooperative’s minimum requirements 
• What flexibility do cooperatives have to customize policies. What risks and rewards go along with this flexibility?
• How local demographics influence collections strategies 
• Balancing consistency, compassion, and financial stewardship 
• Best practices from cooperatives across the region

PRACTICAL WORKING SESSIONS

• Regulatory & Policy Comparison
• Prepaid Metering & Emerging Collection Strategies
• Difficult Member Conversations
• Technology Supporting Credit & Collections
• Roundtable Exchange Sessions