A collections system implementation is one of the most strategic and high-impact transformations an organisation can undertake. However, the difference between a smooth, value-driven programme and one that overruns in time, budget, or scope is often decided long before delivery begins.
The pre-implementation phase is the single most important opportunity to shape success. It’s the time when you can define what’s needed, make informed decisions, and avoid costly surprises, all before the vendor team arrives and costs start accumulating.
Here are 7 ways to set yourself up for success:
1. Define strategy and requirements
Strong delivery starts with a clear, shared understanding of your current and future collections strategies, operational needs, and success criteria. If these aren’t well-defined, misalignment and costly rework are inevitable.
During pre-implementation, ensure that all requirements are documented, prioritised, and aligned with your overall strategy, and have them reviewed by both business and technical experts. This forms the blueprint for all future decisions and keeps the team focused on the end goals.
2. Clarify resourcing and delivery
Having a clear resourcing and delivery model ensures everyone knows their roles and responsibilities. This should cover internal roles, vendor responsibilities, and any third-party support needed for areas like testing or migration.
Pre-implementation is the perfect time to secure the right resources, identify any skill gaps, and set up collaboration and escalation paths. This preparation is key to preventing critical tasks from being overlooked and ensuring smooth delivery.
3. Choose your implementation method
Selecting the right implementation methodology early (whether Agile, waterfall, or a hybrid) sets the tone for timelines, governance, and team collaboration. Your chosen method should align with internal capabilities and vendor flexibility and include clear plans for sprints or stage gates.
Early agreement and buy-in from all stakeholders helps to maintain momentum and prevent delivery misalignment.
4. Get your data in order
A collections system is only as good as the data it relies on. Before implementation, it’s essential to assess your current data architecture, identify quality issues like gaps or duplicates, and plan for data cleaning, transformation, and validation.
Additionally, defining your ETL approach, including tools and testing, ensures data is ready for migration. Early data remediation is especially important with legacy systems, as it can prevent migration delays and ensure a smoother transition.
5. Plan your migration approach
Migration is one of the riskiest aspects of a collections system transformation. Pre-implementation planning should clearly define what data will be migrated, how it will be phased, and how the cutover will be managed, including rollback options and the impact on customers.
Reconciliation and validation steps should also be included to ensure data integrity. Planning migration thoroughly from the start reduces risks and ensures a more realistic and stable delivery timeline.
6. Build a governance structure
Successful programmes require strong governance to stay on track. This includes establishing a steering committee, defining RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) matrices, and setting up structured change control and risk escalation paths.
Strong governance ensures alignment, trust, and clarity across business and IT teams, which accelerates progress and keeps the programme focused on its objectives.
7. Avoid common pitfalls
Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to fall into common traps that can derail your transformation. One such trap is the temptation to replicate existing systems “just to get live,” which misses the opportunity to improve and innovate. Instead, use the new system as a chance to challenge assumptions, assess processes, and align design decisions with your future strategy.
Additionally, ensure operational readiness, clarifying roles, creating procedures, and aligning upstream and downstream systems, so the new platform is an enabler rather than a source of friction.
Summary
The success of your collections system transformation hinges on strong pre-implementation planning. By defining strategy, aligning resources, choosing the right methodology, ensuring data quality, and establishing governance, you can avoid costly pitfalls and mitigate risks before implementation begins. This upfront effort not only helps you manage the complexity of the project but ensures your system delivers maximum value, keeping the team aligned and focused on achieving business success.
How Arum Global can help
We’ve helped hundreds of organisations make the most of the pre-implementation phase, ensuring the collections system implementation design and requirements are aligned with your business needs. Whether replacing a legacy platform or starting fresh, we ensure you get it right from the outset, helping you start strong, get aligned, and unlock the full value of your collections transformation.
We also run the only accreditation specifically for collections and recoveries platforms. With an in-depth knowledge base of over 30 vendors (including C&R Software Debt Manager, CGI CACS X, Finvi Katabat, Latitude by Genesys, Experian PowerCurve Collections, Exus EFS, Flexys Control+, Telrock Optimus, Qualco QCR, Tietoevry Collection Suite Nova, Lateral, and Financial Cloud, as well as many others), and regular engagement with the market, we offer unmatched insights and recommendations tailored to client needs.
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About the author
Mike Knight
Lead Consultant
Mike has 15+ years of experience in collections and recoveries, specialising in retail banking. At Arum, he’s supported multiple Debt Manager upgrades, led testing, and trained new experts. He also contributed to our award-winning Debt Respite Scheme project and process automation with Lloyds Banking Group.