Collections systems in Australia and New Zealand: upgrade or replace?

Keep an open view of the market

There's a strong tradition in the region of maintaining trusted partnerships with established technology providers, including platforms such as Experian's Tallyman and PowerCurve Collections (PCC). These systems are widely used and well understood across financial services and utilities.

However, with cloud-native architecture now the norm, and integration capabilities advancing rapidly, the range of options available to ANZ organisations has expanded significantly. Cloud infrastructure from providers like AWS and Azure supports a more agile technology environment, enabling even established institutions to challenge legacy thinking and consider global innovations with local application.

Organisations that broaden their market scan rather than defaulting to the known often uncover smarter ways to meet evolving business and regulatory needs.

Implementation vs upgrade: similar timelines

One of the most common myths is that switching to a new system is far more complex and time-consuming than an upgrade. Yet, timeframes for both approaches are often comparable:

• Major system upgrades (for example, moving from older to newer versions of incumbent platforms) typically take 9 to 18 months, depending on the level of configuration and testing required.
• Full system replacements, including data migration and user training, usually fall within a similar delivery window, particularly where a structured approach is taken to data readiness and phased rollouts.
• In either scenario, a well-managed programme enables organisations to build in best practices and strengthen the foundations for automation, AI, and customer-centric engagement.

New platforms, new possibilities

Choosing a new collections system opens the door to broader strategic gains. These include:

• Stronger integration capabilities, including API-first architecture and real-time event streaming, making it easier to connect with CRMs, analytics platforms, and payment solutions.
• Advanced features such as GenAI-enabled strategy design, predictive segmentation, and automated customer journeys.
• Futureproofing through scalable, cloud-based models that support fast policy or regulatory changes (something particularly important across Australia's and New Zealand's evolving compliance landscape).
• While upgrades to existing platforms can also unlock some of these capabilities, there's often more flexibility and pace available through a new build approach, especially when internal limitations or legacy customisations have built up over time.

Use contract renewal as a strategic lever

Many ANZ organisations are approaching renewal points with their current technology providers. These moments present a valuable opportunity to:

• benchmark the market both locally and globally,
• reassess the organisation's long-term technology and customer strategies,
• ensure commercial and contractual terms reflect current expectations, and
• validate that the chosen platform continues to align with operational goals.
• Even where the incumbent system is likely to remain, this process ensures any gaps or weaknesses are addressed, and that the business is not missing out on capabilities available elsewhere.

Making an informed choice

There's no one-size-fits-all answer. For some, staying with an enhanced version of a familiar platform like PCC or Tallyman may be the right fit. For others, the opportunity to implement a new system aligned to today's data, customer, and digital ambitions could prove transformative.

The most important factor is taking a structured, open, and forward-looking approach, not just defaulting to historical relationships.

Supporting your next step

arum has worked extensively across the ANZ region with organisations using a variety of collections systems including deep experience with Tallyman and PowerCurve Collections (PCC), as well as newer entrants to the market.

We understand the realities of delivering change in regulated, customer-centric environments and the trade-offs involved in upgrade vs replacement decisions.

If you're starting to explore options or approaching a decision point, take a look at our helpful resources below or contact us directly to discuss your needs.