Telephone Debt Recovery - Practical Principles and Pitfalls

Practical principles

Many years of practical and commercial experience leads us to give these tips:

• Check your firm’s own records to ensure you are not already aware of any problems, before asking for payment.
• If there are any actual or potential problems then try to find solutions before making the call.
• The call may give chance to resolve any outstanding issues, but better to be proactive.
  
• Always be polite and courteous – be ready to give any explanations needed.
• Provide a short introduction and ensure that you are speaking to the right person in the right Department – typically the Accounts Department but often the person with whom you dealt.
• If issues arise, then ask if the customer has a particular remedy in mind; obtain any authority swiftly to settle problems.
  
• Always try to use open questions, which begin with:
  • Who?
  • What?
  • When?
  • How?
  • Where?
• Keep a record of the call – including any attempts/reasons to delay payment.
• Send an immediate email recording the conversation and matters agreed, including action points/timescales.
  
• Have a standard script for any regularly encountered problems, with solutions and answers to those problems.
• Follow up as necessary. Hit any problems had and keep hitting them hard until concluded.
  

Pitfalls

We also suggest you bear in mind these potential hazards: -

• Avoid becoming impolite or irritable – this is wholly counter-productive.
• Focus - remember that your customer is paying for the goods and services – treat them accordingly.
• Treat the call as an opportunity to resolve any issues / build a stronger relationship rather than chance to nag / complain.
  
• Ensure that you personally control the process of resolving any questions/problems raised –
  
• Do not lose credibility by failing to always do what you say you are going to do / finish what you started.
  

If in doubt, contact Maxima Creditor Resolutions.