Investment Recovery Association provides the vital yardstick of our profession. As an Investment Recovery Association member, your company will be able to answer these questions and have the confidence to compare your investment recovery efforts to your competitors' and your industry as a whole. Because Investment Recovery Association members have access to performance benchmarks and statistics for key industries nationwide.

Compiled by the Center for Advanced Purchasing Studies (CAPS), this valuable data allows members to create their own internal standards, set realistic goals and measure their progress.

For the latest copy of the Investment Recovery Association Benchmark Study, you can email our headquarters at ira@invrecovery.org or use our online contact form.

The benchmarks are based on data supplied by 74 investment recovery departments. Average company sales were $15,195,042,678. Fifty one benchmarks were calculated. All revenue dollars, operating expense dollars, etc., refer specifically to investment recovery dollars. More complete data on each of the benchmarks follow under the same number. In summary:

1. The ratio of gross revenue to total operating expense was 18, giving a benefit to cost ratio of 18 to 1.
2. The average number of transactions per investment recovery employee was 246.5.
3. Gross revenue per transaction was $85,381.
4. The average benefit provided by each investment recovery employee was $1,918,947.
5. Gross sales as a percentage of gross revenue was 66.18 percent.
6. Net sales as a percentage of gross revenue was 59.08 percent.
7. Net sales as a percentage of gross sales was 90.39 percent.
8. Internal transfers/redeployment activity as a percentage of gross revenue was 27.62 percent.
9. Cost savings as a percentage of total gross revenue was 9.64 percent.
10. There was one investment recovery employee for every 4,789 company employees.
11. There was one professional (exempt) investment recovery employee for every 7,155 company employees.