COLLECTING PAST DUE ACCOUNTS: Dealing With Deadbeats

by Jim Finucan

Published on this site: May 25th , 2005 - See more articles from this month...

A deadbeat is someone who feels no regret about sticking someone else with a bill. He can bounce checks, hang up on a collector and then pick up his TV remote without a bit of concern for the person or company he just stiffed. He can take your advice, go get a consolidation loan and then spend the money on a big screen HDTV.

There are a lot of people in this unhappy category and sooner or later you're going to find one of them at the other end of your collections call.

Even though you're likely to view this attitude with great distaste you have to try and find at least one thing to like about the person you've classified as a deadbeat. The ability to uncover that one likeable quality isn't easy to develop but with practice it can be done. Work at trying to find likeable qualities in people you meet outside of your collections work. That will give you many additional opportunities to practice.

When you do find that something, the debtor will sense it through your choice of words and tone of voice and, as a result, will become easier to work with.

It's important not to come across as being judgmental. When you judge others you put yourself above them. People need to feel that you are working with them on their level.

Jim Finucan knows all about the dances, dodges and delays debtors
will try to pull. Let Jim show you how to double or even triple the money you collect from your accounts receivable. Check out his unique collections manual "Past Due." For more information visit: http://www.tiare.com/pastdue.htm