I've just started a new job as a debt collector. Any advice on how to convince someone who obviously doesn't pay thier bills to do so?
2006-07-19 15:40:22 · 5 answers · asked by bananni15 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Careers & Employment
Threats, and then follow through with them. It depends on the company you work for, and what they will actually let you do. And then their are people will absolutely not pay their bill no matter what you do! There are also state and federal guidlines that you have to follow.
2006-07-19 15:45:44 · answer #1 · answered by Flower Girl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hello,
I have over 17yrs in that line of work and the one thing that has always served me well was to try and treat people the way I would want to be treated. Not kidding. Now you will always have those that are not going to pay, but for the most part just treating people the way you would want to be treated in that situation will take you a long way.
Remember to offer suggestions to any options your company may offer, like...deferments or extensions or due date changes or partial pmts or settlements or maybe even refinancing the account.
Now in your statement you say "how to convince someone who obviously doesn't pay..."
Well if you know they are not paying a lot of their bills then you want to be nicer to those folks and that will seperate you from the ten other bill collectors they have calling them.
If you are collecting on a secured debt, home, car, boat etc never, ever threaten them unless you are at the point where your company is actually considering taking that further action.
Cause if you threaten them with action and then you don't take that action....that can be viewed as harrassment and you personally can be sued and the company you work for will not defend you. So if you say "if you don't pay I will have to assign your account out for repo" and you are actually about to do that then you are making a promise to excercise the rights your company has per the contract they signed. Then you need to take that action.
Being a debt collector can be a stressful job, it's all in your approach. Never take anything they say personally, cause when they cuss you out they are just venting their frustration abou their situation.
Now on a rare occasion, when I had been cussed out I would let the customer have their say. Then I would ask them if they kissed their mom, wife, children, whomever with that filthy mouth. Sometimes it would shock them back to reality and sometimes it wouldn't. Do not over use that and you really have to gauge when and if you should say that.
Good Luck, you can make a lot of money in that business, but a word of caution....stay in the front line of collection long enough to be good but advance yourself to team lead or supervisor before you get burnt out.
2006-07-19 23:19:51 · answer #2 · answered by MOI 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not an easy job at all! I did it a few years back for a collection agency calling for doctors and hospitals. We were to try to get people to pay and some people were still waiting for their insurance to pay while the doctor turned them to collection. Nice huh? Imagine their credit report. Anyway, people are going to tell you the checks in the mail just to get you to stop calling them. Imagine what it feels like to not have the money (laid off ect) and someone keep calling! Where do they think the money's going to come from and just because you call every day doesn't make the money come in for them to pay. Don't you think they know they owe the money? All I can say is you need to have alot of patience because people will yell, cuss and hang up on you. I had one person (they must've had caller ID) blow a whistle in the phone every time we would call. GOOD LUCK!
2006-07-19 22:47:26 · answer #3 · answered by Michele F 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If they don't want to pay their bills, they won't. There is nothing you can do to convince them.
Things that didn't work for me (in the past):
Threatening to put it on my credit report
Threatening to sue me
Guilt trips
Calling me a thief
Early morning phone calls on a Saturday
My debts were credit cards and signature loans when I was in undergrad. It ruined my credit when I was in my 20s, but everything eventually fell off my credit report.
2006-07-19 22:48:51 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Realize that there are those who are having a hard time deciding if they should pay the light bill or water bill.
Never provoke people, nor talk down to them no matter what.
If they get ignorant get your supervisor and let them handle it.
Be understandable and sincere with people and you may be able to get something rather than a attitude.
2006-07-19 22:45:04 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋