Recently, our leadership team took part in an exercise I found both enlightening and humbling. Each of us reached out to a client for a brief but candid conversation about three things: what Vertican could start doing, what we should stop doing, and what we must keep doing to make their work life easier. 

These “Start-Stop-Keep” conversations are part of our ongoing commitment to listen, learn, and evolve. They gave us valuable insight into how you experience our software day to day – and they reaffirmed something we’ve always believed: the best ideas often come directly from you. 

One recurring theme we heard was that Collection-Master is not “modern”. A few clients shared that the interface feels visually dated. That’s fair feedback – and they’re not wrong. The graphical user interface (GUI) does need refreshing, and we’re considering how best to make improvements. 

But I challenge the notion that Collection-Master is not modern. While it may not look as sleek as some newer applications, under the hood, it is more advanced and powerful than many realize – in several important respects. 

In 2018, we set out to transition our Collection-Master firms to Q-LawE because, at the time, we recognized that a SQL foundation provided a more accessible and scalable path toward a full SQL backend. Q-LawE’s smart automation capabilities are extremely robust, and it too will receive the same NextGen upgrade as Collection-Master. 

More Than Meets the Eye

When most people think of “modern” software, they picture clean design, minimal clicks, and intuitive screens. These things matter. But true modernity is not skin-deep – it’s built on infrastructure, scalability, security, and adaptability.

Collection-Master’s underlying architecture is extremely sophisticated and adaptable. It’s designed to handle complex, high-volume legal collection workflows, and it continues to evolve in that mission. Many of the most advanced firms in the industry rely on its data model and automation capabilities because it was built with a depth and flexibility that has stood the test of time. 

So, we’ve continued to invest heavily in Collection-Master, implementing TLS 1.3 with modern ciphers ensuring privacy and data integrity. New features such as Vertican File and Serve (VTFS), Call Screen Field Level Events, new commission rate features and End-of-Day Automation are completed or planned for our upcoming release.  

A Legacy That’s Still Leading 

Vertican has been in business for more than 40 years, and we are proud of our history. Many long-time clients still refer to Collection-Master’s original name, CLS (Collection Legal Software). That familiarity speaks to the software’s impact and longevity – but it also sometimes reinforces a misconception that Vertican and our products are the same as decades ago.   

We’re not. And they’re not. We’ve each evolved dramatically – our team, our technologies, and our vision have grown. And so has Collection-Master. 

I want to be very clear about this, as we’ve said all year long: Collection-Master is here to stay. 

We are investing in it, innovating on top of it, and building its future. It remains the most powerful, configurable, and proven platform in the receivables industry – and we are continuing to expand its capabilities without forcing our clients to start over. 

Why “Migration” Isn’t the Answer – Then & Now 

Another important insight we’ve gained is that migrating firms from one platform to another – moving documents, workflows, and data – is extremely challenging and often unnecessary. 

Every firm we serve has built a highly customized environment over years, some over decades. Those customizations reflect how you work, how your clients operate, and how your business runs. Converting data is one thing; reinventing your firm’s operating procedures is another. 

As my mom, Nina, used to say, “Sometimes your eyes are bigger than your stomach.” When we first envisioned large-scale migrations to Q-LawE, we underestimated the complexity and the disruption it could cause. In retrospect, this was a miss on our part. But our pivot, which is even better than moving firms to Q-LawE is building NextGen. 

So rather than forcing everyone into a one-size-fits-all migration path, we’ve paved a better path: to continue evolving both Collection-Master and Q-LawE separately and deliver new capabilities ON TOP OF them without requiring conversion at all. This thinking has led to one of our most significant innovations in recent years. 

NextGen: Modern API Power, No Migration Required 

NextGen is a powerful API layer built on top of our existing on-prem applications like Collection-Master. It allows us – and you – to tap into the latest technologies without abandoning the systems you’ve invested so much time and effort into customizing. 

Through NextGen, we’re opening the door to seamless integrations, advanced analytics, and cloud-powered services that enhance what Collection-Master can do today – and prepare it for what’s next. 

This is modern technology at its best: not a wholesale replacement, but a strategic evolution that delivers new capabilities with minimal disruption. Feel confident that Vertican has been an industry leader for more than 40 years, and we have had your back all along.  

The Next Frontier is HERE: AI and Ask Goldie Support 

We’re not stopping there. Another area where we’re pushing modern boundaries is AI, and our new AI-powered support tool, Ask Goldie, is just the beginning. 

Ask Goldie already helps users get quick, accurate “How To” answers about our software, reducing time spent searching documentation or waiting for support. But the next evolution is even more exciting: we’re developing Ask Goldie “To Do” – where your Goldie agent doesn’t just tell you how to perform a task but does it for you. 

Imagine instructing Goldie to create a new workflow, configure a report, or execute a process – and watch it happen automatically. That’s the future we’re building, and it’s coming sooner than you think! 

Looking Ahead 

Vertican has always been about empowering our clients with data, efficiency, compliance, and profitability. Those priorities haven’t changed – but the way we deliver them will continue to evolve. Modernizing doesn’t mean starting over; it means building on a powerful foundation – and that’s exactly what we’re doing.