The member is an owner
Aggressive collections do not just lose a customer: they erode the institution’s membership base. The cost of poor collections is not measured in that one case alone.
Collections for credit unions (savings and credit cooperatives)
A credit union does not have customers: it has members. That difference, which sounds like a nuance, changes the entire recovery strategy. Collecting well at a credit union means recovering the money without breaking the bond that brings that member back.
01 / The sector data
Two years of sustained deterioration
Delinquency at the country’s large credit unions reached 8.3% in June 2026, according to the SEPS (Superintendency of Popular and Solidarity Economy). In June 2023 it was 6.42%. The deterioration has not reversed, even after the 2024 recession.
And the problem is not evenly spread: microloans reach 10.81% and consumer loans 7.24%. These are precisely the products that sustain a credit union’s business.
That is why there cannot be a single strategy for the whole portfolio: microloans and consumer loans deteriorate differently and recover differently.
Source: Superintendency of Popular and Solidarity Economy (Superintendencia de Economía Popular y Solidaria, SEPS). Microloans, which sustain the business of most credit unions, are the most deteriorated product.
02 / Why collection works differently
Four differences that change the strategy
None of them appears in a bank collections manual.
The bond is local
Many members live in cantons where a credit union’s reputation is built by word of mouth. A mishandled incident gets around fast.
The profile is different
The average credit score of a credit union member is lower than that of private bank customers. The same collection treatment performs differently.
The SEPS has its own rules
Risk rating, provisioning and write-offs do not follow the rules of the Superintendency of Banks (Superintendencia de Bancos). The provider has to work within that framework.
03 / How we work
Three decisions before the first contact
The order is the same at every credit union; the content is not.
01
Segment by product
Microloans and consumer loans deteriorate differently. We segment by product, member profile and real likelihood of payment before defining the contact strategy.
02
Contact while protecting the relationship
Certified agents and audited contact protocols. All collection activity is carried out under personal data protection regulations and our own compliance frameworks.
03
Document from day one
If the case escalates, nothing has to be reconstructed: the case file reaches legal action ready to go.
04 / Decisions we support
What your board needs to back up
All of them are backed by a prior portfolio audit.
Provisioning level
With evidence of real collectability, not just portfolio aging.
Portfolio write-off
What should be written off and what can still be worked.
Portfolio sale
Value it before negotiating the price.
In-house team prioritization
Where to focus your own people and what to outsource.
05 / FAQ
What we're always asked
Ask another question ↗01Do you work with credit unions in every segment?
Yes. The strategy changes with the size and structure of the portfolio, but the model adapts to credit unions in any segment.
02Can you handle microloans only?
Yes. Many credit unions start with the most deteriorated product and expand based on results. The scope can also be limited by region or by delinquency bucket.
03How are members protected during collections?
With contact protocols defined by channel, certified agents and quality control over actual communications. Ethical collections are not a slogan: they are what prevents complaints to the regulator.
04Can written-off debt be recovered?
Yes. A write-off is an accounting decision, not the extinction of the obligation. As long as the statute of limitations has not run, it remains legally enforceable.
06 / CredentialsRankings and certifications
Trust and recognition across the region.
International rankings and certifications audited by independent third parties back every action we take on your portfolio.
01 · Paris · Annual ranking
Leaders League
Ranked Firm 2026A distinction awarded from Paris. Each year it ranks the top asset recovery firms in Latin America.
02 · International legal directory
Chambers and Partners
Top Ranked · Latin America 2026One of the most influential legal directories in the world. Its ranking is built by interviewing each firm's clients.
03 · Workplace culture
Great Place to Work
Certified · EcuadorInternational workplace culture certification. A stable team manages your portfolio better.
04 · Anti-bribery management system
ISO 37001
Certified · Anti-BriberyInternational anti-bribery standard, audited by an independent third party. Ethical, traceable management of every portfolio.
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Three countriesEcuador · Peru · Colombia