Case Study
HiBid
External collections write-offs cut in half, and payback in one quarter
HiBid had 30 to 40 salespeople making collection calls that were not their job. Stuut went live 21 days after first data, brought 6,878 accounts into one outreach programme, and paid for itself within three months.
Proven Results That Matter
Thirty people doing a job that was not their job
HiBid is an online auction platform serving thousands of auctioneer customers with a lean finance function. Before Stuut, the long tail of its receivables portfolio was difficult to cover consistently — particularly because many customers were more responsive by phone than by email.
Thirty to 40 people across sales and customer support were expected to make five to ten collection calls each week, even though collections fell outside their primary roles. There was no centralised record showing which accounts had been called, emailed, or left untouched, and the collection specialist needed to prioritise the large customers on payment plans that represented the majority of AR.
A year of evaluating AI calling products
Chris Stiegal, HiBid's CFO, spent more than a year evaluating AI calling products before choosing Stuut for its natural voice and its ability to centralise long-tail collection activity.
Stuut went live 21 days after receiving HiBid's first data and brought 6,878 accounts into a consistent outreach programme.
"We reduced the amount sent to our collections agency and ultimately written off by 50%. Stuut paid for itself within three months."
Chris Stiegal, CFO, HiBid
What 2,782 calls produced
During the reporting period the agent placed 2,782 calls, achieved a 38.7% connect rate, and generated 241 commitments representing approximately $55,000. HiBid collected $4.9M on invoices actively managed by Stuut.
Within the first quarter, HiBid reduced the amount sent to an external collection agency and ultimately written off by 50% — which allowed Stuut to pay for itself within three months.
The operating model stuck
Sales and support no longer make collection calls. HiBid has avoided hiring another collector, and its collection specialist divides her time between collections and other priorities while focusing her collection work on the highest-value accounts.
Stuut provides consistent long-tail coverage and gives customer-facing teams more time to sell, support, and advise customers.
HiBid at a glance
Industry
Online auction marketplace
Customers
Thousands of auctioneers
Accounts covered
6,878
Finance function
Lean, one collection specialist
Time to live
21 days from first data
Reporting period
~17 weeks
The challenge
- A long tail of receivables that was hard to cover consistently
- Many customers more responsive by phone than email
- 30–40 sales and support staff expected to make 5–10 collection calls a week
- No centralised record of who had been called, emailed, or missed
What Stuut does
- Centralised AI calling with a natural voice across the long tail
- 6,878 accounts brought into one consistent outreach programme
- The collection specialist freed to focus on the highest-value accounts
The results
- 50% less sent to an external agency and written off
- Payback inside one quarter
- $4.9M collected on Stuut-managed invoices
- No additional collector required
