Dear all. I understand the various concerns expressed over the Credit Today 'debt collector of the year awards' but have to put the other side forward. The sincerest aim of the awards is to investigate and reward firms who are truly customer-centric, demand the highest quality people skills from their often call-centre-based staff and that maintain high levels of staff training. By running an awards scheme like this, we are addressing the issues connected with debt, not seeking to congratulate the undeserving. The issues related to debt and how this is dealt with by the industry are hugely important and ones we address constantly in Credit Today magazine. We don't fall down on the side of the creditors, we investigate the issues and have taken the industry - where it is deserved - to task over shoddy processes and bad treatment of consumers. We are seeking out professional excellence and applying the same ethics we apply to our magazine coverage to the judging of these awards. As debt levels have spiralled in the last few years, the debt collection sector has undergone massive growth too, which is another reason for introducing the awards. Many debt collectors are call-centre staff, doing a difficult job at the debt coalface. We gather the quality of advice and treament people in debt receive in this country varies hugely and this is an issue we want to flag by rewarding those who do a professional job, no matter how personal and difficult debt resolution can sometimes be.