article thumbnail

Dealing with Difficult Debtors

Your Virtual Credit Manager

Being a collector requires patience, persistence, and effective communication skills. When communications break down, past due balances accumulate. That’s why collectors need to be effective communicators. Without effective communication skills, your patience and persistence won’t generate results.

Collector 130
article thumbnail

Effective Communication Strategies for Collecting Past Due Accounts

Your Virtual Credit Manager

On a phone call, you should provide a summary of the amount past due, such as “$10,000 over 30 days past due” or reference one or two large past due invoices (number, amount, and due date), but no more. Good collectors are expert at deflecting excuses.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Avoid these Six Collection Myths

Your Virtual Credit Manager

If a company executive is not the primary collector, there is nothing wrong with them giving it a try. A large percentage of past due invoices are caused by up-stream problems in the order-to-cash process. A large percentage of past due invoices are caused by up-stream problems in the order-to-cash process.

Collector 189
article thumbnail

Be Prepared to Shoot Down Your Customer's Payment Excuses

Your Virtual Credit Manager

Collectors must deal with all sorts of excuses for what is owed not being paid. The best collectors are experts at parrying, or deflecting these excuses and forging ahead with their requests for payment. Keep these three things in mind: Identify ALL the invoices that are outstanding and past due.

article thumbnail

The Nine Essentials of a Successful Collection Call

Your Virtual Credit Manager

Successful collections require the coordination of a variety of activities: timely and accurate invoices and payment posting, monthly statements, email reminders and other dunning notices as well as telephone calls. Of all these items, making the necessary phone calls generates the greatest value in respect to recovering past due invoices.

Collector 130
article thumbnail

Debt Collection Mistakes Can Prove Costly

Your Virtual Credit Manager

Here then are eleven mistakes that business debt collectors should avoid: 1. Ignoring Customer Disputes When a customer disputes an invoice or has issues with the services your business provided, it’s up to the collector to investigate before making additional collection demands beyond asking for payment of non-disputed items.

article thumbnail

Effective Communications for Collecting Delinquent Receivables

Your Virtual Credit Manager

If you send an email or text you can attach a copy of their account statement and/or invoice ccopies. On a phone call, you should summarize all amounts past due, such as “you owe $10,000 that is over 30 days past due” or reference one or two large past due invoices (number, amount and due date), but no more.