Houston — The National Alliance of Buy-Here, Pay-Here Dealers announced the dates for its training conference covering underwriting and collections, which will be held in Houston on Nov. 11 to 13. More than 600 attendees are expected to attend the three-day event, which will focus on these two most important elements of BHPH operations.

Ken Shilson, CPA and founder of NABD, indicated that an outstanding group of speakers, sponsors and operators has been assembled for the show.

"Earlier this year, NABD hosted a sold out Collection Academy in Atlanta at the Manheim DRIVE facility. The Houston conference will offer additional and more advanced training on many of the subjects we discussed there.

"The program will feature role playing and other interactive training techniques to help attendees become more successful," he continued. "From taking an application properly, to closing the deal, and collecting the payment legally and efficiently — these sessions will cover it all."

Compliance and skip tracing will also be important topics included in the program.

"You can't afford to make legal or regulatory mistakes, which can cost you millions of dollars. Knowledge of the laws and compliance is an important first step. Skip-tracing techniques are particularly important in the current challenging economic environment where operators must fight for every consumer dollar." Shilson pointed out.

The general education sessions will feature a single track and all vendor presentations have been moved to workshops where attendees can choose their topics of interest, according to the NABD.

These workshops will include subjects such as payment devices, dealer management software, add-on products, reinsurance and capital. The presentations were designed to deepen attendees' understanding of each topic and help increase their profits and cash flow.

The conference will be held at the Wyndham Greenspoint Hotel in Houston, which is located near the airport to facilitate travel by attendees who live outside the Houston area.

NABD said it has arranged some very favorable room rates, and the Sunday through Tuesday format was done to minimize the time attendees must be away from their respective operations.

The program includes two receptions and a luncheon to facilitate attendee networking. The sessions will conclude in the early afternoon on Tuesday to facilitate return travel.

"The Wyndham Greenspoint was the site of our 2004 Collection Conference, and attendees were pleased with the facilities and amenities," Shilson noted.

This program is designed for those who are new to the business and anyone interested in improving their collection and underwriting systems and processes.

"This training will make you more successful," according to Shilson.

Those interested in registering may do so online at www.bhphinfo.com or by calling NABD headquarters at (713) 290-8171. Space is limited, so attendees and exhibitors who are interested in participating in this event are encouraged to register quickly.