Want to be a DC? | Staff & Training

The NCR are very strict that only qualified people offer consumers advice.

After all, only a Debt Counsellor is allowed to perform the functions of a Debt Counsellor (not an agent, attorney, Alternative Dispute Resolution Agent, mediator or anyone else).

So, it is important to understand what work you will do, and what functions your staff will handle.

The NCA and regulations set out a bit of a vague description of what that involves so… its tricky. But you never want an admin person doing what they should not, you will quickly get fined for that.

‘You never want an admin person doing what they should not’

Having well trained and efficient staff will help your practice offer consumers (and credit providers) the best service.

So, once you figure out what their jobs will be, you will want to source good staff.

“your DC support staff and the service providers assisting you with the process are of extreme importance, and they need to be as dedicated and passionate as the Debt Counsellor as the process, from start to finish, takes hard work and dedication” – Adri de Bruyn, DC Experts

A smaller practice might need someone to answer the phone, set up appointments, send reminders and take messages, and maybe a PA or office clerk to help keep things organized in the office.

You may outsource things like accounts, IT or legal. If you find staff with multiple skills, you may be able to handle even more of those things internally.

Your staff’s salary will relate to how much experience and skill they have.

If you are planning on a bigger practice, then you will want to ensure that your ratio of Debt Counsellors to support staff is balanced. This is a challenge and many Debt Counsellors, who progress from a small practice to a medium size, soon find they do almost as much HR work and managing their staff as they do helping clients.

Whatever happens, make sure your admin staff are doing admin, and not the functions of a Debt Counsellor.

Also remember to budget for ongoing training of staff.

Some staff members may eventually want to become Debt Counsellors themselves (many who do may later want to start their own practice). You will also have to keep your staff up to date with new processes, software and procedures.

You will also find that unfortunately staff changes over time, and new staff require training to get them up to speed. So, set aside funds for training.