Conclusion

Good collectors can convey the kind of urgency to a customer that results in an action being taken. Some collectors stand apart; they grab more attention, close more deals, and persuade more customers to send in payments. You can easily be one of those collectors.

A good strategy to follow is to pretend you are talking to someone younger than you when you make a collection call; always keep it straightforward and to the point. Speaking in clear and simple terms will bring you better results. Create and articulate your vision: to collect the money that is owed to you.

Listen carefully, and consider all feedback. One of the most effective actions you can take to achieve success as a collector is to listen. Listen enough to show compassion and understand the situation, but don’t lose control of the call or get stuck listening to someone’s woes for hours.

Review and practice your impending interaction. Go over your customer’s account thoroughly before you pick up the phone to call. Rehearse in your head what you will say in each particular situation. Be ready for every excuse and personify confidence.

Remember to be reasonable and appreciate the fact that not all customers will be able to pay in full when you call. Listen, be confident, ask for the full amount—and then listen again to their response. Devise a payment plan that works for the customer but benefits your company as well.

Always attempt to be as comprehensible as possible. Deliver financial information using concise and direct language. Good business communicators use simple language to discuss complex issues.

Give praise and remember to show gratitude. When a customer makes good on a payment promise, send a letter thanking them for it. This acknowledges that you received the payment, tells them the new lower balance, and gives them some attention. If a customer sends in a payment and hears nothing, they may not send another one. As with anything, a little courtesy goes a long way.

Above all, treat your customers with dignity and respect. Don’t look down on a customer that is past-due; remember, that could be you. Anyone can find themselves in a situation where they are unable to pay their bills. Be a professional and treat everyone fairly and with respect. If you don’t do this you will lose any chance of collecting money and your business will lose customers. Being ethical when trying to do a difficult job is a necessity.

Making collection calls might not be the most fun and exciting task out there, but it is incredibly necessary. After all, you are helping to make sure that something essential to business takes place: that people get paid for the jobs they’ve done! So do yours with a sense of pride. Be positive, upbeat, and enthusiastic. Your task is to get the person on the other end of the phone to feel good about sending you money towards their bill, and about how you are going to help make that happen.

Approach your interactions with a bill collector attitude— one that is positive about collecting money. Set a goal based on the accounts you will be contacting and see if you can reach that goal by the end of the day or week. This gives you some incentive to do a good job and stay motivated—and to continue doing your job to the best of your ability.