Debt collectors and digital marketers may not seem like they have much in common. 

One is focused on persuading someone to pay a bill; the other is trying to sell them a new pair of sneakers or a vacation package.

But at the core, both rely on the same thing: understanding consumer intent.

Marketers have gotten really good at it. They know you’re planning a beach trip the second you Google “best sunscreen for sensitive skin.” 

They know you’re ready for a new couch because you lingered too long on Wayfair’s mid-century section. 

Every click, search, or online behavior is treated as a breadcrumb leading to your intent.

Collectors, on the other hand, have traditionally relied on outdated, lagging indicators – credit bureau reports, phone calls, and whether someone picks up the phone. 

But in today’s environment, that’s like trying to predict the weather by checking last month’s forecast.

It’s time for collectors to think more like marketers.

Why Traditional Data Falls Short

The collections industry has leaned heavily on credit bureau data for decades. 

The problem? 

Credit bureau files are often stale and incomplete. 

They don’t capture sudden life changes like job loss, divorce, or medical emergencies—the exact events that cause people to miss payments.

As one collections leader noted in a recent industry webinar, “Credit reporting data is old, archaic, and doesn’t give you the full picture.” Instead, agencies and lenders are experimenting with behavioral and contextual data:

• Cash flow from open banking connections
• Changes in spending patterns
• Digital engagement with payment portals
• Even early social signals

Marketers figured this out years ago: recency matters. 

If you shopped for running shoes yesterday, that’s a stronger intent signal than the fact that you bought sneakers six months ago. Collections should treat consumer payment intent the same way.

What Collections Can Learn from Marketing

Marketers don’t just send one message to everyone. 

They slice and dice audiences, test messages, and adjust strategies based on response.

Collectors can take a page from the same playbook:

• Marketer’s world: If you Google “home refinancing,” you’ll be retargeted with loan ads across every platform you use for the next month.
• Collector’s world: If a consumer starts searching for debt consolidation loans, that’s a signal they’re trying to solve their problem. Collectors should recognize that as an opportunity for engagement.

Humor break: 

Marketers can figure out you’re interested in kitchen gadgets just because you watched one sourdough TikTok. 

If they can do that, collectors should be able to tell you’re stressed about debt after five “debt relief options” searches in one week.

The New Intent Signals Collectors Should Be Watching

Here’s how intent data translates from marketing to collections:

1. Digital Behaviors

• Portal logins and drop-offs
• Clicking a payment link but not completing the transaction
• Opening, but not responding to, email or SMS messages

These are the collection’s equivalent of “cart abandonment.” If someone got as far as the payment page, that’s the intent – just interrupted.

2. Life Events

• Job changes on LinkedIn
• Moving to a new city
• Social signals (marriage, divorce, major purchases)

Just like marketers know you might need furniture after moving, collectors can recognize that job instability often signals financial distress.

3. Payment Patterns

By looking at rolling 90-day behaviors, collectors can sort consumers into three buckets:

• Consistent payers (keep doing what works, maybe even reward them with a “thank you” note)
• Inconsistent payers (need encouragement and flexible options)
• Non-payers (need stronger engagement strategies)

This isn’t guesswork; it’s data-driven intent modeling.

Hyper-Personalization: The “Journey of One”

Marketers call it “personalization.” 

Collections can call it meeting people where they are.

• For consistent payers: send positive reinforcement. A simple “Thanks for staying on track, keep it up!” email can go a long way.
• For struggling payers: use empathetic messaging, offer smaller payment plans, and provide reassurance.
• For disengaged consumers: use firmer but compliant language, coupled with clear next steps.

Some in the industry dream of the “journey of one”, tailoring outreach so specifically that every consumer essentially has their own strategy. 

That may sound ambitious, but marketers are already doing it with personalization engines. 

There’s no reason collectors can’t aim for the same.

AI as the Great Equalizer

Here’s the good news: you don’t need a 50-person data science team to start thinking like a marketer.

AI tools can now process portal activity, phone transcripts, and even free-text survey responses, surfacing insights about consumer intent.

And according to McKinsey, more than 50% of companies already use AI in at least one function, a number that keeps rising.

Smaller, scrappier agencies may actually have an advantage: fewer committees, less red tape, and the ability to pivot quickly. 

“The smaller and scrappier are going to win the race.”

The Compliance Question

Of course, with great data comes great responsibility.

Collectors must balance innovation with regulation. That means:

• Obtaining consumer consent when sharing or using origination data
• Avoiding practices that could be considered intrusive or unfair
• Building transparency into how data is used

Marketers already navigate this world with GDPR and CCPA. 

Collections should take a page from that playbook, too.

The Future: When AI Talks to AI

Here’s where it gets wild. 

In the not-so-distant future, consumers may have their own AI agents negotiating with collectors’ AI agents.

Imagine:

• The consumer’s AI says, “She can pay $50 this week, but not $200.”
• The collector’s AI counters, “$75 with a grace period, and we’ll confirm.”

It may sound futuristic, but so did predictive shopping algorithms a decade ago. 

Now they’re everywhere.

Closing: From Dialers to Data-Driven Journeys

The days of mass-dialing and hoping for the best are fading fast. Just as marketers evolved from TV ads to hyper-targeted digital campaigns, collectors must evolve from blunt outreach to data-driven, personalized engagement.

Thinking like a marketer doesn’t mean treating consumers like customers; it means respecting their intent, recognizing their signals, and responding in ways that fit their journey.

Collectors who embrace this shift will thrive. 

Those who don’t? 

Well, they’ll still be dialing into the void, wondering why nobody picks up.