by Kristin Kolehouse

Created on: June 12, 2009

Debt collectors are among the most feared and generally despised of all professionals. When a person receives a call or notice from a collection agency, they feel embarrassed, worried and sometimes even angry. There are numerous tricks and tips for debt collectors, but my five years of collections experience have taught me the most important question to ask yourself: Who is my debtor?

This question should be broadly answered at first. What type of paper am I collecting? The answer to this question will help you to answer the next one which is: What type of leverage do I have? If you are collecting past due car payments, which is what my experience is in, your customer has a tangible interest in making the payments. If you are collecting on past due medical bills, it is a little more difficult to make the customer understand that it is in their best interest to pay their bill. Whatever sort of debt you are collecting, reminding the customer of the ramifications of nonpayment is very important.

The way in which you convey that message requires you to answer the initial question more specifically: Who is my individual debtor? Get to know them. Listen to them. Is this a mother paying off an enormous medical bill for her sick child or is it a nave college freshman who just doesn't know the importance of timely bill payment? If you use an empathetic approach to every customer, you will end up being taken advantage of, but if you use a more stern approach with every customer, you'll wind up being ignored. Be as accessible to them as possible and base your dealings with them on their individual situation and personality.

In my experience, some people need a little more pushing than others. Other customers prefer a more laid back approach, while some would like to keep things completely professional. It is your job to recognize which customers require this and which do not. The more you know about your customers, the easier it will be to collect.

It may seem daunting to try and build a rapport with every one of your customers, but it helps immensely. It gives you more flexibility in dealing with many different types of customers, it helps your overall interpersonal skills and it actually makes the customer feel a little less scared and a little more willing to work with you. Believe it or not, people appreciate it when you try to get to know them and don't treat them as though they are just another debtor.

Learn more about this author, Kristin Kolehouse.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.