Abstract: A system and method is provided for determining whether to contact a party associated with an account. The disclosed system places a value on an account, estimates a cost in contacting the account holder or customer, and attempts contact if the account value exceeds the estimated cost. The account value is an amount the customer likely would pay if he were contacted or agreed to make a purchase. It is based on the customer's financial situation and credit history. The cost in contacting a customer is determined from a probability of contacting the customer. The probability is based largely on the customer's demographic information, including the mobility of the population in his demographic area and the number of people having telephone service in that area. The system determines that a customer will be hard to contact if he lives in a highly mobile area or in an area wherein most of the population lacks telephone service.