Teleperformance has struck a deal to take on the major shareholding of Improved Financial Solutions (IMFS) in a bid to strengthen its debt collection offering.

The acquisition would give the outsourced contact centre and CRM provider “new service offerings” and “leading technologies” which would help serve customers more efficiently in the current climate, the company said.

Jeff Smith, Teleperformance UK chairman and ceo, said: “We are delighted to announce the acquisition of IMFS, which is a highly professional debt collections agency.”

“Most of the work in this sector is telephone based and we are finding with our expertise and training abilities we are able to create long lasting relationships with customers, who approached in the right way, are fully prepared to work out ways that they can better manage and settle their debts,” he added.

The collection agency, which has over 40 staff handling consumer and commercial debt including credit and store cards as well as loans, has gained up to 95% of its total annual income from consumer debt within the financial services sector.

Over 25,000 people are employed in the UK in debt collection – a figure that could rise further as the effects of the recession continue.