Imagine this scene….Sarah M. just lost her job. She is actively looking for a job and has several prospects, and she’s waiting to hear back from multiple companies who are considering her resume. Understandably, she waits anxiously by the phone for good news and this is certainly not the time she wants to be tying up the line talking to debt collectors. As soon as she gets a job, she will start paying her bills. However, right now, the stress of looking for a job and the uncertainty of knowing when her next paycheck will be in is not something she feels comfortable talking about with a perfect stranger on the phone.
When a professional bill collector initiates a phone call to a debtor or customer, it is always a toss-up as to whether the debtor will even answer. If the call is answered, the professional bill collector is completely unaware of what kind of a day that person is having. A lot of the times, this results in a negative collection. When you owe money, that debt can be a stressful thing – particularly if you are under the weight of a lost job or divorce situation.
The easiest way to make sure the debtor responds positively is to wait until the timing is best for them. Old practices of harassment no longer work when people are so stressed that they have given up, or when their job (the very source of their payment to you) is put at risk from excessive phone calls. Meeting them where they are – at a time and date that best suits their needs – is always a better tactic if you want to receive a payment. Communication is essential if you want some kind of resolution; effective communication is essential if you want results that make everyone happy.
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