make effective collection calls
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Velin NikolovOB10 Credit Control
10 April 2023
Make Effective Collection Calls
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Why is the phone the best way to contact customers?
• A telephone call is far more difficult to ignore than a collection email or dunning notice
• The phone call generally takes less time than it would to generate an email
• If the person the collector needs to speak with is not available, they always have the option of asking to speak to that person's manager
• If there is a legitimate problem that has delayed payment, the collector can gather the information and begin the process of resolving the problem sooner rather than later
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How to appear more confident when making collection calls
• Smile. Come up with a greeting that says you're happy, pleasant and confident. it will be noticeable in your voice.
• Speak up. Your voice should be loud enough to be heard and convey confidence--not too loud but not too soft. Sit up straight in your chair and imagine the debtor is sitting across from you.
• Focus. Maintain "eye contact" by staying focused on the call.
Don't check your e-mail or watch other people in your office.
Stay focused.
•Relax.
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Effective telephone techniques
• Organizing your thoughts before making the call
• Have all the facts at your fingertips - in case you need to refer to them
• Have a plan in mind for the call
• Be courteous, but firm
• Keep calls short and to the point
• Remain professional no matter what the provocation
• Do not respond to anger or sarcasm in kind
• Make regular calls --- people who call less
frequently will likely to be
the last creditors paid
• Set goals as to the number of calls,
number and value of commitments
received
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Effective telephone techniques
• Be prepared to negotiate
• Know how far you will want to go
• At the beginning of the call, identify yourself by name and employer,
• Make certain that you have reached a decision maker
• Don't be afraid to go up the chain of command whenever necessary to
get a payment commitment
• If you receive a payment promise,
repeat it and indicate you are making
notes about it
• Ask why the payment is late
• Ask what you can do to get the customer to pay on time or
closer to on time on their next payment
and on an ongoing basis
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Effective telephone techniques
• Always establish a follow up date for each call
• Return as many calls as you can the same day as they are received
• Focus on the caller - give them your complete attention during the call
• Don't allow yourself to be distracted before or during the call - will decrease overall effectiveness
• Take careful notes after the call about any commitments you receive from the customer
• Try never to put any customer on hold
during a collection call
• Develop some degree of rapport after
calling often enough you will develop
a reasonable working relationship.
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Effective telephone techniques• Try to make a discussion about a past due balance as a joint problem that you and the customer need to solve together. Doing so makes the collection call less threatening, but not less important.
• Don't give them the option of a “yes” or “no” answer.
Give them the option of “how will pay”
• Some will say they can’t pay today. All we need to
know now is when they do intend to pay.
• Phone and leave a message twice, not more.
• When chasing slow payers, allow people to "save face“.
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Good luck!