Collection Bureau Services

What Collection Bureau Services does

Collection Bureau Services, Inc. (CBSI) is a Montana-based debt collection agency founded in 1976 that provides past-due account recovery, NSF/closed check collections, government receivables management, and litigation support. The company operates two offices — Missoula (regional headquarters at 212 E. Spruce Street) and Billings (3333 2nd Ave N, Suite 200) — and serves more than 800 businesses, with stated capability to service accounts in all 50 states through correspondent networks. CBSI self-describes as the "indisputable leader" of the Montana collection industry and reports zero missed remittances to clients since inception.

The company's product stack centers on contingency-based collection services, augmented by in-house legal capability (two full-time attorneys on staff, making it the first Montana agency to hire an attorney full-time in 1976) and an electronic account transfer function managed by a dedicated in-house IT department. Supporting infrastructure includes a secure online client portal (secure.collectionbureau.biz) for account placement and management, an AUTOPAY Program (autopayofmontana.com) for automated installment payment processing, and credit-bureau reporting integrations with Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. The technology stack is functional rather than differentiated; no proprietary AI/ML capabilities, patents, or API products are disclosed.

CBSI monetizes exclusively on a contingency fee basis under a "No Recovery, No Fee" policy, generating transaction-based revenue only on successfully collected balances. Client acquisition is sales-led through local field representatives who visit client locations, supplemented by inside sales via toll-free phone lines and the website. The customer base is vertically segmented across healthcare providers (primary), government agencies (primary — State of Montana, counties, cities), utilities, financial services (banks, credit unions, CPAs), legal and professional firms, and property management. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, M&A, or parent company, and operates as a closely held Montana corporation.

Name

Collection Bureau Services

Legal name

Collection Bureau Services, Inc.

Website

https://collectionbureau.biz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Collection Bureau Services, Inc. is a Montana-based debt collection agency founded in 1976, offering contingency-based past-due account recovery, in-house legal and IT support, and an AUTOPAY installment program for over 800 businesses across Montana and all 50 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Missoula

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Contingency-Based Collection Services: Primary revenue from contingency fees on successfully collected debts. Services include past due accounts, NSF/closed check collections, current/delinquent accounts, and government collections including litigation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Collection Bureau Services (CBSI) is a Montana-based debt collection agency that recovers past due accounts, NSF and closed-check debts, current/del delinquent accounts, and state/county/municipal government receivables on a contingency basis. The agency bundles legal and litigation support (two full-time attorneys) and a full-time IT department for electronic account transfers, and reports recoveries to Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. An AUTOPAY Program provides automated installment/time-pay payment processing for consumers.

Product overview

Collection Bureau Services (CBSI) is a debt collection agency offering an integrated suite of services centered around account recovery. The core product is their Collection Services, which handles past due accounts, NSF checks, and government collections. This core is enhanced by Legal and Litigation Services (with two full-time attorneys on staff) for accounts requiring legal action, and an IT Services module for electronic account transfers. An AUTOPAY Program is offered as a complementary billing service through a partner site (autopayofmontana.com) for installment payment processing. CBSI operates in all 50 states with offices in Missoula and Billings, Montana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Collection Services Core contingency-based debt collection service for past due accounts, NSF or closed-check collections, current or delinquent accounts, and state, county, and municipal government receivables. Served to Montana businesses and organizations across all 50 states via CBSI's national correspondent network, with systematic work of every account regardless of age, size, or location.
• Legal and Litigation Services In-house legal and litigation support for debt recovery, including litigation requirements and supporting personnel, delivered by two full-time attorneys on CBSI's staff. Provided to business and government clients with accounts that require legal action to recover.
• AUTOPAY Program Automated payment processing program for consumer installment plans and time-pay arrangements, operated through the dedicated autopayofmontana.com portal. Provided to consumers seeking structured repayment of debts placed with CBSI by client businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Since inception in 1976, CBSI has never missed a remittance to a client.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ACA InternationalcoreOthers · 1 January 1976Member of ACA International (formerly American Collectors Association) since 1976. This membership provides industry credibility, best practices, and networking within the accounts receivable management industry.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• PRA Group Inc. Public, global debt buyer and third-party collection operator purchasing and collecting charged-off consumer receivables at scale. Broader incumbent that competes with independent agencies like CBSI for creditor account placement, with vastly larger portfolio, technology stack, and balance-sheet capacity.
• Encore Capital Group: Public global debt buyer/collector operating Cabot Credit Management and Midland Credit Management across consumer and SMB verticals. Competes for creditor account placement with independent agencies like CBSI, with materially larger scale, captive debt-buying capability, and international footprint.
• Transworld Systems Inc. National B2B third-party debt collection, debt buying, and accounts-receivable management provider serving small-business and enterprise creditors. Direct overlap with CBSI's B2B recovery model and multi-vertical positioning, with substantially larger scale and broader product set (early-stage through litigation).

Direct peers

• IC System: Minnesota-based third-party debt collection agency serving consumer and commercial creditors across the U.S. Highly comparable to CBSI in business model (contingency-based, multistate, multi-vertical B2B recovery) and customer base (healthcare, government, utilities, financial services), differing mainly by larger scale and Midwest rather than Mountain West geographic anchor.
• Coast Professional Inc. Specialized third-party collection agency focused on higher education and government receivables with a contingency-based model. Comparable to CBSI's contingency model and government/regulated verticals, though more concentrated in student loan and educational recovery.
• Williams & Fudge Inc. National third-party collection agency with strong higher-education and consumer verticals operating on contingency fees. Direct peer to CBSI on multistate contingency debt recovery, with analogous verticals (education, healthcare, government) and B2B client base.
• CBE Group: Iowa-based contingency debt collection agency with comparable consumer/commercial verticals (healthcare, government, utilities, financial services). Closely aligned with CBSI in operating model, multi-vertical focus, and mid-sized independent-agency positioning.
• State Collection Service Inc. Wisconsin-based third-party debt collection agency focused on healthcare, government, and higher education receivables. Highly comparable to CBSI in vertical mix, contingency model, and mid-sized regional independent positioning.
• EOS Solutions Inc. B2B-focused debt collection services provider with multi-vertical reach. Comparable to CBSI in B2B contingency model and mid-sized independent structure, with overlap in healthcare and financial-services verticals.

Regional players

• National Credit Services Inc. Regional third-party debt collection agency operating with a contingency model across consumer and commercial accounts. Comparable to CBSI in mid-sized independent structure and contingency-based recovery, with regional rather than Montana-specific focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/collection-bureau-services-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Collection Bureau Services