Couch Lambert, LLC is a law firm specializing in consumer and commercial debt collection with operations across nine states. Headquartered in Metairie, Louisiana, just outside New Orleans, the firm represents lenders and financial institutions in the legal recovery of outstanding accounts receivable. Their work begins after traditional collections have failed. While the firm often resolves cases prior to legal action, many cases require post- judgment execution, including garnishment actions and liens.
“Our old tool had become stagnant and there wasn’t a lot of development.”
Couch Lambert had relied on the same payment processor for more than 15 years, but that platform hadn’t kept pace with today’s compliance requirements, automation expectations, or consumer preferences.
- Manual file imports and exports consumed staff time and introduced error risk.
- A lack of meaningful self-service features forced staff into repetitive administrative tasks.
Sarena Gaylor, Equity Partner and Head of Operations, oversees collections, back-office teams, and compliance. “We were getting things done,” Gaylor says, “but our team was spending time helping consumers with basic payment logistics instead of focusing on higher-value work.”
Meanwhile, outbound calls were producing diminishing returns, with right-party contact rates below 1%. Email communication is emerging as a viable alternative, but the firm was having a hard time finding a solution that would help achieve and maintain compliance with regulations.
Couch Lambert needed a flexible new debt collection platform that was compliant, customizable, and willing to grow alongside their evolving operations.
"Tratta was high-touch, high-personalization, and accommodating at every turn. They never told us no, and they always executed quickly."
Gaylor spearheaded the search for a solution that could offer payment processing capabilities and much more. Account-level visibility and automation triggers for settlement communications were necessary, as was the ability to integrate with Couch Lambert’s system of record.
After exploring several vendors and gathering peer feedback at industry conferences, she still hadn’t found the right fit. She considered asking her in-house team to work on the project, but then a consultant introduced her to Tratta.
Gaylor was pleased not only with the comprehensive suite of features, but with the Tratta team as well. Couch Lambert signed on, and the two teams began collaborating on a painstaking implementation.
The firm invested three months in compliance reviews before implementing Tratta. “Our industry is risk-averse for good reason,” Gaylor explains. “There’s always a fear of being the first to try something. No one wants to be the subject of a regulatory case study.” She had previously served as Couch Lambert’s compliance officer and personally led the due diligence.
“I had a long list of requirements,” Gaylor says. “Some were regulatory and others were internal protocols. She continues, “We weren’t just looking for a vendor. We needed a technology partner. Tratta’s team has been able to execute quickly. In our industry, requirements are constantly changing. Sometimes an update to a process is needed within 48-hours to remain compliant.” She anticipated resistance or limitations but was pleasantly surprised. “Tratta never said no,” Gaylor says. “It was more like, ‘Let us see what we can do,’ and then they actually created or implemented the change request. I’ve been really happy with the ongoing support.”
Tratta’s hands-on approach extended well beyond implementation. The platform was rolled out gradually, beginning with self-service payment functionality and expanding to include automated communications, recurring payments, and dynamic reporting.
“Our goal was to reduce the amount of time our collectors spent with consumers to complete basic, recurring tasks.”
Operational efficiency has also improved. Gaylor reports that Tratta streamlined payments while simultaneously reducing the number of staff touchpoints required to manage an account, as consumers are now able to act independently.
Before Tratta, payments outside of a one-time payment required speaking to a Firm representative, which most consumers prefer to avoid. With Tratta, consumers can schedule payments and even set up settlement arrangements without staff involvement. “People don’t want to talk to someone about their debt,” Gaylor says. “It can be embarrassing, and now, they have the option of resolving their account without having to.”
An added benefit to partnering with Tratta is the platform’s support for emails. This powerful feature allows Couch Lambert to push customized emails, with real-time performance tracking and data capture, all while staying fully compliant.
“We knew that regulatory-compliant emails would eventually be critical,” Gaylor says. “We now use these campaigns strategically and can track which messages drove consumer interaction.”
