Connect with us

Technology

Monk Launches Voice Collections, Bringing AI Phone Calls and Callbacks to Accounts Receivable

Published

3 months ago

on

Monk’s collections agent, Julia, can now place outbound collection calls and answer inbound AR questions from a dedicated business number, so finance teams can use the channel that collects best without adding headcount.

Multimedia: Watch Voice Collections in action: https://youtu.be/w09PoN1yACE 

NEW YORK, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Monk, the AI-native accounts receivable platform, today launched Voice Collections. Its collections agent, Julia, can now place outbound collection calls and answer inbound customer questions about invoices and payments from a dedicated phone number for each organization. The feature brings the phone, long the most effective collections channel and the hardest one to scale, into Monk’s Intelligent Collections.

Roughly $10 trillion sits in unpaid invoices worldwide, and the average invoice now takes 59 days to clear (Allianz). Most accounts receivable runs on email, and most of it waits. More than half of B2B invoices in the United States are overdue at any given time, and 92% of businesses are typically paid after their due date (Chaser, 2026). Phone calls recover overdue invoices two to three times better than email (Dunwise), yet 91% of finance teams still rely on email as their main follow-up channel and only 56% use the phone, because calling every overdue account by hand does not scale and a single human dunning call can cost $12 to $18 (HighRadius).

Voice Collections gives teams that coverage. Julia can call on the accounts a playbook flags for phone follow-up, and answer when a customer calls the same number back to ask about an invoice, a payment, or a bank detail. Businesses that follow up on 100% of overdue invoices are 76% more likely to be paid within a week (Chaser), and a voice agent is what makes full coverage possible.

Monk’s collections agent is already proven on the accounts it handles by email. Across Monk’s first 100 customers, Julia reaches customers with a 24% higher response rate than standard dunning and resolves 88.2% of collections with zero human intervention. Voice extends that reach to the phone.

“For years the assumption was that customers would not talk to an AI on the phone,” said George Kurdin, Founder and CEO of Monk. “The evidence now points the other way. People engage with a good voice agent, and in AR the phone was always the channel that collected best. We built Voice Collections so finance teams can finally use it at the scale email gave them.”

That assumption is worth retiring. In a University of Chicago Booth field study of roughly 70,000 interviews, people interviewed by a voice AI agent were 12% more likely to receive an offer, 18% more likely to start, and 17% more likely to still be there after 30 days, and 80% chose the voice AI over a human when given the choice. The setting was recruiting rather than collections, but the finding travels: given a capable voice agent, people lean in rather than hang up. A call also does something email cannot, which is secure a verbal promise to pay in the moment.

Built for finance, with the phone agents kept with strict guardrails

Voice in finance has to be constrained, and Monk designed Voice Collections around that from the start. The agent is read-only on the phone. It answers questions, confirms details, and routes the next step. It will not rewrite an invoice, change a payment status, or accept a sensitive payment change by voice.

The agent is also reference-based. If a caller asks about an invoice, Julia asks for both the company name and the invoice number before looking anything up, and it will not search broadly from a single detail. Every inbound and outbound call is kept in the collection record alongside the email history, so a callback is part of the same thread the team already sees, and anything that needs judgment escalates to a person.

“Voice in finance has to be careful by design,” said Joe Zhou, Co-Founder and CTO of Monk. “Julia will not browse across accounts or move money over the phone. A caller has to bring the company name and invoice number before it confirms anything, and every call lands in the record. In finance a 1% mistake is still unacceptable, so we built for that first and added the reach second.”

Teams run autonomous collections on Monk

Monk runs collections for finance teams at companies like Unify, Pump, Siro, and Elate, and Voice Collections extends what those teams already do by email onto the phone.

“We chose Monk to help automate our collections, a process previously demanding several hours a week of manual, one-off outreach,” said Will Stewart, Head of Finance and BizOps at Unify. “Today, our Monk agent is always running in the background and I have a single dashboard to manage AR from.”

At Pump, which manages volume across more than 1,500 customers, Monk has helped collect over $10 million in recent months.

Voice AI is now infrastructure

The timing reflects how far voice AI has come. It has moved from demo to infrastructure: Vapi has processed more than 1 billion calls, Bland handles over 3.5 million calls a week, and ElevenLabs raised a $500 million round at an $11 billion valuation in early 2026. Monk builds Voice Collections on that foundation and adds the part finance actually needs, which is the AR context, the controls, and the audit trail.

Voice Collections is available now as an opt-in feature. Monk configures the dedicated number and call behavior with each organization before turning it on in Collections. See it in action: https://youtu.be/w09PoN1yACE.

About Monk

Monk is the AI-native accounts receivable platform that helps finance teams turn revenue into cash. Its agent, Julia, runs collections, cash application, and forecasting as one connected system. Monk resolves 88.2% of collections with zero human intervention, reaches customers with a 24% higher response rate than standard dunning, reduces DSO by more than 40%, automatically matches 80% of incoming payments with a full audit trail, and gives finance teams back roughly 26 hours a month. Teams onboard in under a week and see results in their first month. More than $1.5 billion in receivables is managed on the platform, including for customers like Profound and ElevenLabs. Monk has raised $25 million and is based in New York.

Media contact
Kendall Warson
kendall@monk.com
+1 415-827-6585

Sources: Chaser 2026 Accounts Receivable research; Dunwise dunning research; HighRadius collection call cost analysis; University of Chicago Booth field study on AI in recruiting; voice AI figures compiled by Enterprise DNA; Federal Reserve data; Allianz Worldwide DSO survey.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monk-launches-voice-collections-bringing-ai-phone-calls-and-callbacks-to-accounts-receivable-302833768.html

SOURCE Monk

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Technology

Best Broadband Provider for Small Businesses UK (2026): Love Business Group Recognised for Helping SMEs Compare Business Broadband Options by Expert Consumers

Published

4 seconds ago

on

October 25, 2026

By

NEW YORK, Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Expert Consumers has recognised Love Business Group for helping small and medium-sized UK businesses compare broadband options based on location, connectivity requirements and day-to-day operational needs. For companies searching for the best broadband provider for UK small businesses, Love Business helps SMEs assess available connection types, contract terms and business broadband features before choosing a suitable service.

Business Broadband Comparison and Switching for UK Small Businesses

Love Business – a UK business utilities comparison and switching specialist that helps SMEs compare broadband options available at their postcode, assess different connection types and business features, and get support with switching to a suitable service. Contract and renewal information can also be managed through myHUB.

Love Business is not a broadband provider or supplier. Instead, the company operates as a comparison and switching service, helping businesses review available broadband packages and move to a suitable option based on their requirements.

The comparison process considers more than advertised download speed. Business size, connected devices, cloud software, video calls, digital phone services, static IP requirements, contract length and the importance of uninterrupted connectivity can all affect which type of broadband is appropriate.

For small businesses, that distinction matters. A company with relatively light internet use may have little reason to pay for capacity that rarely gets used. A business dependent on hosted systems, frequent video meetings or online transactions may place greater value on connection resilience, upload performance and fault-response commitments.

Comparing Broadband Around Real Business Requirements

Broadband availability can vary considerably by business address, making postcode-level comparison an important part of the buying process. Love Business checks available options based on location rather than presenting a single broadband package as suitable for every company.

The Love Business broadband service covers several connection types, allowing SMEs to compare options according to operational requirements and available infrastructure. Full-fibre services can suit businesses seeking faster everyday connectivity, while dedicated leased lines address more demanding situations where consistent performance and stronger service commitments may be important.

Love Business also advises small businesses to consider employee numbers and the number of connected devices. Internet requirements can increase quickly when multiple employees simultaneously use cloud platforms, video calls, VoIP services, file transfers and other online tools.

Connection speed therefore represents only one part of the decision. Upload performance can become important for cloud backups, file sharing and video conferencing. A static IP address may be relevant for certain business systems. Service guarantees and backup connectivity can matter when an outage would interrupt revenue-generating activity.

This needs-based approach helps explain why the highest available speed may not always be the most practical choice. Selecting suitable capacity can provide a more balanced approach to performance and cost.

Business Broadband and Dedicated Connectivity Serve Different Needs

Love Business also compares dedicated leased lines for organisations with more demanding connectivity requirements.

A leased line differs from standard broadband because dedicated capacity is provided to the business premises. Leased lines typically provide symmetrical upload and download speeds and business-grade service level agreements.

That type of connection can be relevant for organisations relying heavily on cloud applications, VoIP, video conferencing, large file transfers, online services or connectivity between multiple locations.

For many smaller organisations, however, full-fibre business broadband may provide sufficient capacity at a lower cost. Love Business makes clear that a leased line is not automatically appropriate for every business. Connection requirements, downtime risk, available infrastructure and budget all need consideration before a decision is made.

Installation requirements can also differ. Standard broadband can generally be installed more quickly, while leased-line installation may require surveys, infrastructure work and a longer lead time. Comparing both categories can therefore help businesses understand the trade-offs between cost, performance, installation and service commitments.

Contract Management Through myHUB

The broadband comparison process forms part of a wider business utilities service from Love Business. Companies completing a product switch through Love Business receive access to myHUB, the company’s digital contract management platform.

myHUB brings contract information into one dashboard. Renewal dates, pricing information and switch progress can be tracked from a single account. Existing contracts held elsewhere can also be added for end-date monitoring.

The platform is designed to address a common administrative issue for SMEs: keeping track of multiple business contracts and knowing when each agreement approaches renewal.

Renewal visibility can be particularly relevant for broadband because business requirements may change during a contract period. Team growth, increased cloud usage, office relocation or the adoption of new digital systems can alter connectivity needs. A package that suited a company at the beginning of a contract may no longer be the most appropriate configuration at renewal.

Love Business combines comparison with ongoing contract tracking so broadband decisions can be revisited when contracts approach the end of the agreed term.

Transparency Around the Comparison & Switching Service

Love Business helps companies compare available options and supports them through the switching process once a suitable service has been selected. This gives SMEs a more practical route from reviewing different packages to arranging a new business service.

The company also provides information explaining how its comparison and switching service receives payment. For telecoms and connectivity contracts, Love Business receives commission directly from the provider when a customer takes a package through the service. The amount can vary depending on the selected package. Love Business states that customers are not asked to make a direct payment to Love Business for the comparison and switching service.

Making that payment structure clear gives SMEs more context when reviewing business broadband options and helps explain Love Business’s role in both comparing services and helping businesses switch.

For businesses researching the best broadband provider for UK small businesses, the broader lesson is that provider selection should begin with operational requirements rather than headline speed alone. Location, connection type, upload requirements, reliability, service commitments, contract terms and future growth can all shape the decision.

Expert Consumers’ recognition of Love Business reflects the company’s role in helping UK SMEs work through those considerations. By combining broadband comparison, specialist support and contract management through myHUB, Love Business provides a structured way for small businesses to assess available connectivity options and manage broadband decisions over time.

The full review is available at the Expert Consumers website.

About Love Business

Love Business is a UK business utilities comparison and switching service that has supported small businesses since 2007. It helps companies review energy, water, broadband, mobile, phone line, and card payment services.The company reports helping more than 500,000 businesses save over £150 million on utility costs.

About ExpertConsumers.org: Expert Consumers delivers news and insights on consumer products and services. As an affiliate, Expert Consumers may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-broadband-provider-for-small-businesses-uk-2026-love-business-group-recognised-for-helping-smes-compare-business-broadband-options-by-expert-consumers-302918082.html

SOURCE ExpertConsumers.org

Continue Reading

Technology

Best Broadband Provider for Small Businesses UK (2026): Love Business Group Recognised for Helping SMEs Compare Business Broadband Options by Expert Consumers

Published

4 seconds ago

on

October 25, 2026

By

NEW YORK, Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Expert Consumers has recognised Love Business Group for helping small and medium-sized UK businesses compare broadband options based on location, connectivity requirements and day-to-day operational needs. For companies searching for the best broadband provider for UK small businesses, Love Business helps SMEs assess available connection types, contract terms and business broadband features before choosing a suitable service.

Business Broadband Comparison and Switching for UK Small Businesses

Love Business – a UK business utilities comparison and switching specialist that helps SMEs compare broadband options available at their postcode, assess different connection types and business features, and get support with switching to a suitable service. Contract and renewal information can also be managed through myHUB.

Love Business is not a broadband provider or supplier. Instead, the company operates as a comparison and switching service, helping businesses review available broadband packages and move to a suitable option based on their requirements.

The comparison process considers more than advertised download speed. Business size, connected devices, cloud software, video calls, digital phone services, static IP requirements, contract length and the importance of uninterrupted connectivity can all affect which type of broadband is appropriate.

For small businesses, that distinction matters. A company with relatively light internet use may have little reason to pay for capacity that rarely gets used. A business dependent on hosted systems, frequent video meetings or online transactions may place greater value on connection resilience, upload performance and fault-response commitments.

Comparing Broadband Around Real Business Requirements

Broadband availability can vary considerably by business address, making postcode-level comparison an important part of the buying process. Love Business checks available options based on location rather than presenting a single broadband package as suitable for every company.

The Love Business broadband service covers several connection types, allowing SMEs to compare options according to operational requirements and available infrastructure. Full-fibre services can suit businesses seeking faster everyday connectivity, while dedicated leased lines address more demanding situations where consistent performance and stronger service commitments may be important.

Love Business also advises small businesses to consider employee numbers and the number of connected devices. Internet requirements can increase quickly when multiple employees simultaneously use cloud platforms, video calls, VoIP services, file transfers and other online tools.

Connection speed therefore represents only one part of the decision. Upload performance can become important for cloud backups, file sharing and video conferencing. A static IP address may be relevant for certain business systems. Service guarantees and backup connectivity can matter when an outage would interrupt revenue-generating activity.

This needs-based approach helps explain why the highest available speed may not always be the most practical choice. Selecting suitable capacity can provide a more balanced approach to performance and cost.

Business Broadband and Dedicated Connectivity Serve Different Needs

Love Business also compares dedicated leased lines for organisations with more demanding connectivity requirements.

A leased line differs from standard broadband because dedicated capacity is provided to the business premises. Leased lines typically provide symmetrical upload and download speeds and business-grade service level agreements.

That type of connection can be relevant for organisations relying heavily on cloud applications, VoIP, video conferencing, large file transfers, online services or connectivity between multiple locations.

For many smaller organisations, however, full-fibre business broadband may provide sufficient capacity at a lower cost. Love Business makes clear that a leased line is not automatically appropriate for every business. Connection requirements, downtime risk, available infrastructure and budget all need consideration before a decision is made.

Installation requirements can also differ. Standard broadband can generally be installed more quickly, while leased-line installation may require surveys, infrastructure work and a longer lead time. Comparing both categories can therefore help businesses understand the trade-offs between cost, performance, installation and service commitments.

Contract Management Through myHUB

The broadband comparison process forms part of a wider business utilities service from Love Business. Companies completing a product switch through Love Business receive access to myHUB, the company’s digital contract management platform.

myHUB brings contract information into one dashboard. Renewal dates, pricing information and switch progress can be tracked from a single account. Existing contracts held elsewhere can also be added for end-date monitoring.

The platform is designed to address a common administrative issue for SMEs: keeping track of multiple business contracts and knowing when each agreement approaches renewal.

Renewal visibility can be particularly relevant for broadband because business requirements may change during a contract period. Team growth, increased cloud usage, office relocation or the adoption of new digital systems can alter connectivity needs. A package that suited a company at the beginning of a contract may no longer be the most appropriate configuration at renewal.

Love Business combines comparison with ongoing contract tracking so broadband decisions can be revisited when contracts approach the end of the agreed term.

Transparency Around the Comparison & Switching Service

Love Business helps companies compare available options and supports them through the switching process once a suitable service has been selected. This gives SMEs a more practical route from reviewing different packages to arranging a new business service.

The company also provides information explaining how its comparison and switching service receives payment. For telecoms and connectivity contracts, Love Business receives commission directly from the provider when a customer takes a package through the service. The amount can vary depending on the selected package. Love Business states that customers are not asked to make a direct payment to Love Business for the comparison and switching service.

Making that payment structure clear gives SMEs more context when reviewing business broadband options and helps explain Love Business’s role in both comparing services and helping businesses switch.

For businesses researching the best broadband provider for UK small businesses, the broader lesson is that provider selection should begin with operational requirements rather than headline speed alone. Location, connection type, upload requirements, reliability, service commitments, contract terms and future growth can all shape the decision.

Expert Consumers’ recognition of Love Business reflects the company’s role in helping UK SMEs work through those considerations. By combining broadband comparison, specialist support and contract management through myHUB, Love Business provides a structured way for small businesses to assess available connectivity options and manage broadband decisions over time.

The full review is available at the Expert Consumers website.

About Love Business

Love Business is a UK business utilities comparison and switching service that has supported small businesses since 2007. It helps companies review energy, water, broadband, mobile, phone line, and card payment services.The company reports helping more than 500,000 businesses save over £150 million on utility costs.

About ExpertConsumers.org: Expert Consumers delivers news and insights on consumer products and services. As an affiliate, Expert Consumers may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/best-broadband-provider-for-small-businesses-uk-2026-love-business-group-recognised-for-helping-smes-compare-business-broadband-options-by-expert-consumers-302918082.html

SOURCE ExpertConsumers.org

Continue Reading

Technology

ST Engineering iDirect and MBSat Partner to Build Next-Generation Sovereign Connectivity Services Across Oman and the Middle East

Published

5 hours ago

on

October 25, 2026

By

Intuition ground system selected to support MBSat’s planned 2027 service launch, enabling accelerated deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable service growth

HERNDON, Va., Oct. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — ST Engineering iDirect today announced a strategic partnership with Mohammed Al Barwani Satellite Company (MBSat), part of Mohammed Al Barwani Group, to provide the ground system technology foundation for MBSat’s next-generation satellite gateway and network operations across Oman and the wider Middle East region. Intuition will provide a flexible, software-defined foundation to support sovereign connectivity services, enabling efficient service deployment, dynamic resource management and scalable network operations.

Intuition will deliver a turnkey ground segment solution that accelerates deployment, simplifies operations and gives MBSat the flexibility to scale services as demand grows. The software-defined platform enables dynamic resource management, service automation and seamless integration with existing and future operational systems. The solution also includes Ka-band gateway infrastructure, service provisioning and management capabilities, open API integration frameworks, training and full-lifecycle support. Together, these capabilities will help MBSat launch and operate services efficiently while adapting to evolving market requirements.

The network will leverage capacity from MB Sat-1, a sovereign MicroGEO satellite, with planned service launch in 2027, to support flexible, scalable connectivity services across the region.

The partnership reflects growing investment in sovereign communications infrastructure across the Middle East as operators seek greater control over service delivery, network expansion and long-term technology evolution.

“This partnership represents an important milestone in our efforts to build an advanced satellite communications platform in Oman and the region,” said Ammar Al Rawahi, General Manager, MBSat. “Through our collaboration with ST Engineering iDirect, we are establishing the technical infrastructure required to launch services efficiently, respond to evolving customer needs and expand into new markets, supporting the sustainable long-term growth of our business.”

“We are providing MBSat with a flexible, software-defined ground platform that integrates with its existing operational environment,” said Sridhar Kuppanna, Chief Executive Officer, ST Engineering iDirect. “This enables more efficient service deployment and operations today, with the flexibility to scale, introduce new capabilities and evolve as requirements change.”

About ST Engineering iDirect

ST Engineering iDirect, a subsidiary of ST Engineering, is a global leader in satellite communications, providing technology and solutions that enable its customers to expand their business, differentiate their services and optimize their networks. Through its portfolio of ground infrastructure, intelligent networking and advanced satellite communications solutions, the company supports operators, service providers, governments and enterprises worldwide.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/st-engineering-idirect-and-mbsat-partner-to-build-next-generation-sovereign-connectivity-services-across-oman-and-the-middle-east-302918467.html

SOURCE ST Engineering iDirect

Continue Reading

Trending