Collecting Debt Worth $300Mn

In this episode of the State of Retention Marketing podcast, Mohammad Al-Khalili, Co-founder of ClearGrid speaks with Ankur Gattani, the Chief Growth Officer of WebEngage, where he dives deep into how ClearGrid is reimagining the traditional debt collection landscape through technology and empathy. With digital lending rapidly evolving, they identified a glaring gap in the collections space, and seized the opportunity to build a next-gen, tech-enabled infrastructure. ClearGrid’s approach is rooted in AI and automation, aiming to replace confrontational tactics with empathetic, efficient, and omnichannel strategies. The focus is not just on collecting payments, but on understanding borrower intent and distress, tailoring journeys based on language, default reasons, and preferred channels. A standout aspect of the conversation is how ClearGrid has developed proprietary AI voice engines capable of adapting to dialects like Arabic, along with real-time voice-to-voice monitoring that assesses tone, empathy, and compliance. The system continuously learns and optimizes based on borrower behavior and responses. Mohammad also highlights their willingness to pursue low-ticket delinquencies, which traditional agencies often ignore, and how their on-premise deployment options ensure regulatory compliance and data security—critical for sensitive financial institutions. The use of tools like WebEngage allows seamless orchestration of outreach across SMS, email, and calls, while custom-built CRM components enhance internal workflows. With a $300Mn portfolio handled in just one year, ClearGrid is proving that empathy can be a core business strategy, not just a soft skill. ClearGrid isn’t just solving a problem, they’re giving debt collection a complete reputation makeover.