The verdict in three sentences
For an agency managing 12,000 collection cases a year, core collection software (400 to 1,000 EUR per seat per year) remains essential for case management, compliance and client accounts. Time is lost around it: amicable reminders, payment reconciliation, and answering creditor clients by phone and email. Custom modules at 40,000 to 90,000 EUR, connected to the core system, recover 1.5 to 3 FTEs of admin work and pay back within about a year.
The core platform and its limits
Irish collection agencies operate under the Central Bank's Consumer Protection Code for regulated debts, GDPR and the Data Protection Commission's guidance, with legal enforcement handled through solicitors and county sheriffs. Core collection platforms cover case files, contact logs, compliance scripts and client trust accounts well. They are weaker on the creditor client experience and on automating high-volume amicable collection.
| Agency need | Standard core software | Custom module |
|---|---|---|
| Case management and notes | Complete | Not needed |
| Compliance scripts and logs | Complete | Not needed |
| Client trust accounting | Complete | Not needed |
| Real-time creditor portal | Basic or missing | Per-case tracking, documents, statistics |
| Multichannel reminders | Mostly letters | SMS, email, payment link |
| Payment reconciliation | Manual entry | Automatic bank matching |
| Monthly client reporting | Spreadsheet export | Dashboards per portfolio |
2026 pricing: core software, options and custom
The figures below are 2026 orders of magnitude for an agency with 4 directors and 22 staff.
| Item | Annual or initial cost | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Core collection software | 400 to 1,000 EUR per seat per year, 10,400 to 26,000 EUR | Compliance core, keep it |
| Vendor options (portal, SMS) | 4,000 to 10,000 EUR per year | Often generic features |
| Custom creditor portal | 15,000 to 32,000 EUR | Secure access, documents, statistics |
| Reminder engine and online payment | 12,000 to 28,000 EUR | Scenarios by debt type |
| Automatic bank reconciliation | 13,000 to 30,000 EUR | Statement parsing, matching per case |
| Custom maintenance | 500 to 1,100 EUR per month | EU hosting included |
| Delivery time | 10 to 16 weeks | Rolled out module by module |
The creditor portal is often the module that wins new business: banks, utilities and credit providers increasingly pick agencies on reporting quality.
Measurable gains
Across 12,000 cases, admin work concentrates on three tasks: answering clients about case status, matching partial debtor payments, and sending reminders. Automating them frees time for higher-value work.
| KPI | Before | After 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Client calls and emails | 1,100 per month | 350 per month |
| Payment matching time | 60 h per month | 12 h per month |
| Amicable recovery rate | 34% | 41% |
| Average time to first payment | 47 days | 29 days |
| Debtor online payments | 8% | 35% |
| Client reporting time | 3 days per month | 2 hours |
Mini case study
Aoife, director of a debt collection agency in Dublin, handles 12,000 cases a year for 40 institutional clients. She orders a creditor portal, a reminder engine with payment links and bank reconciliation for 70,000 EUR, delivered in 14 weeks.
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The maths: avoided calls (750 a month at 6 minutes) free 75 hours a month, automatic matching 48 hours, so 123 hours a month or roughly 0.85 FTE. At 48,000 EUR loaded per year, that is 40,800 EUR. A 7-point rise in amicable recovery on fee-based contracts also brings extra commission, conservatively 35,000 EUR a year. With 10,800 EUR of maintenance, net gain exceeds 65,000 EUR a year: payback in about 13 months.
FAQ
Does custom software replace the core platform?
No, it connects to it: the core remains the reference for cases, compliance and trust accounts. Modules read and write through APIs or scheduled exports, keeping the project at 40,000 to 90,000 EUR.
Is the creditor portal secure?
Yes: strong authentication, encrypted documents, access logs and EU hosting. Each client only sees its own cases, with history retained for at least 6 years.
Are SMS reminders compliant?
They follow Consumer Protection Code rules: clear agency identification, reasonable contact hours and limits on contact frequency. The engine applies scenarios approved by the agency, with a card or bank transfer payment link.
How long does bank reconciliation take?
Plan 4 to 6 weeks of development: statement parsing in standard formats, matching by reference and amount, then human review of ambiguous items (usually under 10%).
What budget for a smaller agency?
An agency with 8 to 10 staff can start with the creditor portal alone at 15,000 to 22,000 EUR. Other modules follow once volume passes 5,000 cases a year.
Let's scope your project. Describe your case volume, clients and core software and we will price modules between 40,000 and 90,000 EUR, deliverable in 10 to 16 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
