Fintech Takes x C&R presents Collections Conversations Episode 5: The Missed Payment Is Not the Problem

Welcome back to Collections Conversations, a new miniseries from Fintech Takes, sponsored by our friends at C&R Software – now with a fresh batch of episodes!

The series digs into how generative AI is reshaping debt collections; what it enables, what it complicates, and why it might finally force the industry to retire the word “collections” altogether.

In Episode 5, I sit down with Rochelle Gorey, Co-Founder and CEO of SpringFour (now part of C&R Software) to talk about why the industry’s instinct to ask “where’s the money?” instead of “why isn’t the money there?” is costing lenders more than they think.

For most borrowers, the missed payment isn’t the problem itself. It’s the symptom of an underlying cause. And yet the collections system is rarely designed to address that distinction, which creates a mismatch between what institutions do and what customers actually need.

Rochelle explains what SpringFour actually does, and why it works. The platform connects borrowers facing hardship with vetted local nonprofit and government resources across household spending categories (like food assistance, employment support, and student loan help). Reduce household expenses, and you can create the cash flow that helps borrowers get back on track. Surface those resources earlier, during origination or servicing, and some borrowers may never miss a payment at all.

And because this is Collection Conversations, we close on AI: how it could make hardship support more personalized and scalable, but only if it draws on trusted referral data (you don’t want an AI agent sending a financially stressed borrower to the wrong kind of help!).

This episode is brought to you by C&R Software.

More than just debt collection, C&R sets the global standard for AI-native, humanized credit management. They simplify the complex with end-to-end credit-risk lifecycle support, powered by automated workflows, AI-native intelligence, and real-time, data-driven decisioning. Learn more at https://hubs.ly/Q03Wl1DY0.

Sign up for Alex’s Fintech Takes newsletter for the latest insightful analysis on fintech trends, along with a heaping pile of pop culture references and copious footnotes. Every Monday and Thursday: https://workweek.com/brand/fintech-takes/

And for more exclusive insider content, don’t forget to check out my YouTube page.

Follow Alex:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgfH47QEwbQmkQlz1V9rQA/videos

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexhjohnson

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AlexH_Johnson

Follow Rochelle:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rochelle-nawrocki-gorey-6a4178b/

Learn more about C&R Software here: https://hubs.ly/Q03Wl1DY0