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Debt Collecting Q & A - Calling Debtor at Work
by Jim Finucan
Published on this site: April 28th, 2006 - See
more articles from this month
Question: Somebody told me that it was improper to
call a debtor at his workplace. Is that true? I don't want
to have to call early in the morning or on the weekends (when
I, myself, am not at work)
Answer: It is not improper to call a debtor at work.
In fact I recommend it and prefer that approach in mown collections
work. A call to a debtor while he's at work has the effect
of escalating the importance of the problem in the debtor's
mind. It confirms to you that the debtor has a job, meaning
that you can have his wages garnished if things have to go
that far. It should certainly be a topic of conversation during
the workplace call. What we want to avoid is letting the debtor
become comfortable with the fact that he owes you money. Once
you get him on the phone at work don't let him put you off
or brush you aside. Keep him talking and moving toward committing
to paying you the balance in full. Have a plan ready to recommend
to him (getting a loan or putting it on a credit card - whatever
will get you the balance infill while he is worrying about
people at work learning about his situation.
The one area that you need to be careful about is harassment.
This is defined as contacting someone with the intent to harass
or annoy that person. When you make a collections call your
intent is to collect the debt, not to harass. Make sure you
keep it that way. If the debtor tells you not to call him
at work you have to respect his wishes and not call him at
work again. If you know that the company he works for absolutely
does not allow employees to take phone calls and you call
anyway, that's harassment. If you cannot call them at work
then you'll have to call in the hours before or after work, or
on weekends.
Collection agencies cannot call before 8AM or after 10PM.
If you call outside those hours you are pushing it as far
as harassment goes. Communication is necessary in order to
collect a bill but do it within acceptable guidelines.
Fifteen-year collections professional Jim Finucan shows
you how to double the collections on your accounts receivable
in his manual "Past Due." Get more information at:
http://www.tiare.com/pastdue.htm
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