This week’s spotlight is on Benjamin “Benji” Rumph from Benji’s Bail Bonding.
When you’ve been in the bail bond business for 24 years it is probably safe to say Benji Rumph has seen it all. He orginally got into the bail bond business by helping a friend who was in the business. Benji was working at Dayco at the time, but in the afternoons when he got off work, he would help his friend. By helping his friend Rumph learned the ins and outs about the bail bond business. Even while he was at Dayco he maintained his bail bonding license and was getting calls, but since he was at work he could not answer the calls which was costing him a good deal of money. Eventually, Mr. Rumph’s mother approached him and asked him if he wanted to go into business for himself since he knew everything about the business. After some thought Benji decided to move forward with starting his own bail bonds business. Taking that leap of faith, Rumph quit his job at Dayco after 15 years and started his own business.
As for the particulars of what the business entails, Rumph explained the whole process. The defendant or the family can reach out to the bail bondsman. The bail bondsman finds out all the details relating to the charge and any other pertinent information. Once Benji finds out what the bond is he tells the party or parties what his fee will be. In the State of South Carolina, the bondsman can charge 10% up to 15%. He also has someone to co-sign and lets them know that if the defendant does not appear in court they are responsible and it is then also their responsibility to help Benji find the defendant so they can be returned to jail. Benji gives an example of a $100,000 bond scenario. For a 100,000 bond, Rumph signs a power of attorney to the courts for $100,000 stating he is going to make sure the defendant spears in court or he (Rumph) will be responsible for the $100,000. Benji does have an insurance company that backs him, but he tries not to use them unless it is the worst-case scenario. Once the bond paperwork is signed Rumph’s responsibility to the defendant is complete unless they decide to not appear back in court.
When asked about a ball park figure of how many individuals percentage wise how many of clients appear back in court vs those who do not, Benji could not put a finger on a number, but he did say he has noticed something over the years about defendants. He commented that a lot the ones you think are going to be the responsible ones and go to court are the ones who do not and the ones you think are going to not show back up to court are usually the ones that do. He comments, “I don’t get it, but I’ve learned that’s life, I guess.”
Despite the fact that business wise, Rumph’s obligation to his clients are done once they leave that courthouse, and you are taught in classes not to let your personal feelings interfere with your business, he finds himself not quite able to distance himself personally from some clients. He relays that some of his clients stepped foot out of jail and into his vehicle, and Benji drove them straight to rehab as far away as Greenville. He has watched people turn their life 100% around. He has had former clients reach out to him and thank him for what he did for them. He has sat down to dinner with people he has checked up on. Benji relates, “This is not just a job for me. This is possibly my calling.”
Now it is a family affair. Benji’s daughter Denesha Rumph is now in the bail bonding business also. She’s been working with her Dad about three years. You can feel the pride radiating from Benji when he says that Denesha “is the glue that holds everything together.” Ms. Denesha went to college at the University of South Carolina, Bluffton, and she told her Dad that when she finished school she would get her bail bonding license, and she did. I asked her if she gets the occasional odd look when she shows up for a client and they ask “where is my bail bondsman?” Denesha says that yes, she has run into that, but she just looks at them, smiles, and says “I am she.”
Benji laughs when he says he getting a bit older and he’s old school with the paperwork aspect of the job, but he’s thankful to have Denesha on board to keep things going regarding the technology that has come into this bail bonding business. With all the technology now, Benji comments you can go through the entire process and not even meet the client, but he isn’t a huge fan of that. Without that personal connection, Rumph feels he cannot help the people like he might be able to if he doesn’t actually meet them. He further comments, that for many this is the lowest point in their lives and it’s difficult to live out a calling if you don’t meet someone face to face.
