Interview: Wil Davis, President of Ontario Systems

A. Initially, no, we weren't thinking of collection software. Ron Fauquher and I began the company in Ron’s garage in 1980 as a custom software shop. We developed a wide-range of products with an emphasis on manufacturing, which was our background prior to starting our own company.

One of our early clients was a collection agency that wanted to automate its accounts and its management while integrating this new application to the PBX system. The idea intrigued us and we took the project. Early on, it became apparent that there could be a larger market for this type of product than just this initial client. From there we became a receivables management information systems company.

A. Ontario Systems is defined by its SPIRIT of service. This company philosophy guides every business decision we make.

The Meaning of S.P.I.R.I.T.:

Stewardship - We believe that all of life is a gift, and work is a part of that gift. We should use the resources we are given wisely. These resources include time, money, opportunities and talents.

Professionalism - We strive to treat our clients, vendors and each other in a professional and courteous manner. We believe this contributes to a positive atmosphere and helps to maintain our position as the market leader.

Innovation - As a software development company, it is our responsibility to constantly provide our customers with the latest technology available. As the market leader, we must provide innovative solutions our clients cannot find elsewhere.

Responsibility - Employees should act as if the company is their own. We expect employees to take responsibility for their work, professional development and contributions to the team. We also expect employees to professionally address issues where they feel the company is falling short of its goals and principles.

Integrity - We desire to be known as a company of integrity. We expect each employee to act with integrity during every interaction with a customer, fellow employee or other business associate.

Tolerance - Each person has been given the gift of a unique spirit and personality. We expect employees to accept and embrace the different gifts and abilities that have been given each of us.

We began the business with the premise that the only sustainable competitive advantage any company has lies in its intellectual property — in other words, people are the only, truly unique resource we have with which to build our businesses. So, for all successful enterprises, in the long term, the question of how to attract and harness human capital is the ultimate question. To me, that means that we must answer the question of "how do people really want to work?" And then we create a corporate culture that allows them to become everything they were created to be. Rather idealistic, I would admit; but, I think it is the REAL top priority of an intellectual property based enterprise — and, as I've already stated, my prejudice is that ALL businesses are really driven by intellectual property, not just the so-called "high tech" businesses.

A. We launched the FACS product in 1984 at the ACA National Convention. FACS remained our flagship product for 20 years and has more than 35,000 users logging onto the system everyday.

Closely following FACS, the introduction of a seamlessly integrated predictive dialer called Guaranteed Contacts provided the market with both of the primary tools required for receivables management and has given our customers tremendous advantages of efficiency and effectiveness. That combination has been a true “home run.”

A. Increased security regulations have provided an interesting challenge for everyone in the receivables management industry. We are supportive of the steps taken to protect a debtor’s privacy and are committed to meeting or exceeding all government regulations. We have several people working diligently to ensure our systems protect privacy and are secure.

Consolidation also has an impact, which has been positive for Ontario Systems. As companies grow larger, they require systems that can handle increased volumes and multiple locations.

As margins continue to shrink, the need for increased productivity and profitability continues to rise. Robust software that maximizes the capacity of every employee is no longer a nicety but a necessity. It is important that organizations automate the process as much as possible, leveraging their staff’s time and talents to situations where human contact or intuition is required, to ensure maximum productivity. Because of this, the industry continues to become more mature and sophisticated from a technological standpoint.

A. A baseball coach wouldn’t dream of giving the team golf clubs for batting. It simply wouldn’t work and the team would lose. It’s important for leadership to provide the team with the tools they need to do the job right. This includes software to make each person more efficient and productive. The right tools give people every opportunity to reach their full potential and succeed. This can create a positive atmosphere and a cycle of success, where success breeds success. Of course, creating a culture of excellence takes a great deal more than appropriate software but I will suggest that it is difficult to create an excellent culture if you don’t give the team the proper tools.

A. The market response to the new Artiva family of products has been exceptionally strong, creating significant growth for Ontario Systems. We are working to meet the challenge of increased volumes and growth.

A. We expect privacy and security regulations will continue to increase and play a significant role in our industry. We each have a responsibility to protect the information our clients entrust to us and ensure it is not used improperly.

Business in general, including the ARM industry, will continue to work towards productivity gains which can best be achieved through technology and its proper application. We expect that our clients will continue to look to our products to increase their productivity and profitability in an increasing competitive marketplace.