By: Schibsted Partnerstudio. The article was also published on e24.no
It is the high level of human contact that drives me, even after nearly 40 years,” says Ole Marius Thorstensen.
“We engage in an incredible amount of dialogue with our customers and our clients. At the most, we have had 2 million cases in a year, so there is an enormous amount of data and communication,” he says.
Since 2011, Thorstensen has held various management roles at Kredinor, including the position of CEO and COO. Recently, he has taken the role managing director of Kredinorstiftelsen, and his motivation and commitment are still clearly present.
According to Thorstensen, he has always been strongly motivated, and he is clearly proud to be part of one of Norway’s largest debt collection companies.
“When Norwegian companies demand payment through us for a product the customer has already purchased, they are doing this to secure jobs and ensure growth and development,” he says, adding:
“I find it meaningful, without a doubt, to work in debt collection. We make a positive contribution to maintaining payment flow and profitability in the business community,” says Thorstensen.
Focus on solutions
Thorstensen has often noted a biased view of the industry.
“When people talk about our industry, it’s often about how much individual Norwegians owe,” he says.
After four decades, he has no difficulty convincing customers and others of the company’s compliance with ethics and morals.
“For one thing, we have laws and regulations to adhere to. Secondly, we are interested in finding good solutions for those customers and clients who contact us,” he says, adding:
“Kredinor’s clients are naturally interested in receiving their payments. It is our job to manage this in a way that is also acceptable for their customers. The goal is to ensure that they continue as customers and want to shop at the same place in future,” says Thorstensen.
He adds that Kredinor resolves nine out of ten cases they receive. Legal action is only necessary in about ten per cent of cases.
“In other words, we are good at finding solutions, thanks in particular our strong focus on customer services. Friendly and professional customer follow-up is undoubtedly essential in our industry,” he says.
Focus on customer service
Laws and regulations are a significant part of customer service training at Kredinor. Communication, particularly how to manage more challenging conversations, is an equally important aspect of training, according to Thorstensen.
“Customer service entails a role as mediator between the customer and supplier. It is crucial that they know how to understand and deal with people, especially when someone is distressed about the situation,” he says.
He is clearly proud of the work the customer service agents do.
To secure effective payment, Kredinor has also facilitated communication through channels other than over the phone.
“Not everyone wants to call us, This is why we have developed a good chat service. We also offer self-service at My page, where end customers can find information and agree to instalment plans,” he adds.