Tips on when and how to effectively use letters to collect past-due accounts!

1. The “Write” Way to Collect:
Effective Collections through the
Mail
Receivables Management
Solutions
Since 1938

2. Letters can be an effective and efficient tool in the debt
collection process. Consider the use of collection
letters when:
· The debtor has no phone, an unlisted number, or
monitors calls with an answering machine
· The debtor is a single head of household or part of a two-
income family and therefore is not at home very often
· You have too many overdue accounts to possibly handle
via the phone alone

3. When to Send Letters in Mail
Collections
• Send three letters to the same
person at the same address
within 30 days
– Have the collector sign the first
letter, the office manager the
second, and the owner the third
– Involving more than one person
adds credibility to the letters and
shows the debtor the situation is
becoming more serious
• Include a self-addressed
envelope and call attention to it
in your letter
– Serves as both a convenience and
a show of urgency

4. The 7 Do’s of Mail Collections
Do:
1. Keep the letter brief (no more
than 100 words)
2. Request payment in full in the
first paragraph, and state the exact
amount owed in dollars and cents
3. Use a “CC:” on your letter to
convey importance (if you don’t
have a department to send them to,
“CC:” them to a file)
4. Use “we,” “us,” and “our,” rather
than “I,” “me,” and “my”

5. The 4 Don’ts of Mail Collections
Don’t:
1. Suggest a payment plan or
discuss a deal (it weakens your
position, let the debtor begin the
negotiations)
2. Apologize for bothering the
debtor or for requesting payment on
the account
*As a final test, imagine yourself as
the debtor and then read the letter.
Would you send payment in-full
today? If not, rework the letter.

6. For a complete list of Do’s and Don’ts in Mail
Collections, as well as tips on how to Address
Unresponsive Debtors, follow the link below!
The "Write" Way to Collect: From IC System

7. Legal Disclaimer
No Attorney-Client Relationship Created through this
Presentation: Neither your receipt of information from this
presentation, nor your retention of I.C. System, Inc., or its legal
counsel creates an attorney-client relationship between you and I.C.
System.
No Legal Advice Intended: This presentation includes information
about legal issues and legal developments. Such materials are for
informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current
legal developments. These informational materials are not intended,
and should not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts
or circumstances. You should contact an attorney for advice on
specific legal problems.
© 2014 I.C. System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.