The document is a training seminar outline for aspiring bill collectors, emphasizing key skills such as communication, professionalism, persuasion, and problem-solving. It discusses strategies for successful collections, including account review, effective communication, and handling objections, while stressing the importance of adaptability and rapport-building. The text highlights the growth potential of the collections industry and the essential role it plays in the economic system by enabling credit and business operations.

1. So…You want to be a
Bill Collector?
Collection Training
Seminar
Presented for:
ACCESS Clients
Presented By: Tom Gillespie & Pam Long
ACCESS Receivables Management

2. So…You want to be a bill collector?

3. What does it take?
• Ability to Learn and
Apply Procedures
• Communication Skills
• Professionalism
• Work Ethic
• Persuasion
• Active Listening
• Problem Solving
• Developing Rapport
• Multitasking

4. Ability to Learn and Apply
Procedures
•Understanding and
complying with job related
procedures and systems
•Understanding and
complying with company
policies
•Understanding and
complying with legal
regulations
•Offering solutions that
remain within guidelines

5. Communication Skills
•Expressing information in a
clear and confident manner
•Speaking in a pleasant tone
and volume
•Using effective tone
inflection
•Creating reasonable answers
to objections
•Solving the problem
•Preparing clear and concise
summaries
Record yourself for Training Purposes.
Keep a mirror at your desk!

6. Professionalism
•Maintaining composure even
when dealing with difficult
customers
•Keeping a positive attitude in
spite of negative outcomes
•Maintaining the control of
the call by asking questions
•Avoid the use of slang or
jargon
•Maintain your professional
distance yet be helpful to the
customer.

7. Work Ethic
•Taking initiative on work
tasks and responsibilities
•Working at a steady pace
•Setting personal goals and
striving to achieve them
•Striving to achieve and
exceed organizational
goals
•Exhibiting reliable and
dependable behavior

8. Persuasion
•Effectively responding to
objections and arguments
•Being assertive rather
than aggressive
•Creating a sense of
urgency
•Conveying firm
expectations
•Being persistent
•Negotiating a mutually
acceptable agreement

9. Active Listening
•Develop your “7th sense”.
•Listen attentively to
understand the customer’s
point of view
•Allow customers to vent
•Refrain from interrupting
•Ask probing questions to
discern the “REAL” facts
•Pay attention to subtle
clues like the customer’s
demeanor and tone
inflection

10. Adaptability
•Adjusting collection
techniques based on
individual circumstances
•Responding appropriately
to individual personality
types
•Quickly adapting to
changes in policies and
procedures
•Maintaining overall
productivity while treating
each account call as a
separate event

11. Problem Solving
•Use available tools to
accomplish tasks
•Identify ways of
overcoming barriers
•Evaluate all relevant
pieces of information
•Understanding the
advantages and
disadvantages of various
options
• Present solutions based
on realistic expectations

12. Developing Rapport
•Treating customers with
respect
•Displaying empathy for
personal situations
•Conveying an attitude of
helpfulness
•Diffusing irate customers
•Keeping the tone friendly
but businesslike

13. Multitasking
•Quickly and accurately performing
multiple tasks simultaneously
•Talking
•Listening
•Reviewing
information
•Documenting the call
•Managing the pace of
the call
•Maintaining
attention to the
customer
•Keeping the customer
focused on the
solution

14. Why Collections???
•In 2002 The Bureau of Labor
Statistics predicted that the
number of collection agents
would increase between 21%
and 35% by 2012.
•We know now that this
projection was significantly
lower than reality
•Actual percentage increase in
this industry could easily be
100% between 2009 and 2012.
•Average turnover in the debt
collection industry is historically
30% per year.
•Successful and professional
collection agents will have
significant career opportunities
in a difficult economy.

15. So I guess
you want to be a bill collector!

16. Key Steps to Collection
Success
•Review the account
•Dial for Dollars
•Verify Information
•The Talk‐Off
•Money Drops
•Subsequent Contact
•Consequences of no
payment

17. Review The Account
•What was the last action?
•How old is the account?
•Have any payments been made
on the account?
•Did the debtor make a promise?
•Do you have good contact
information?
•Who is the responsible party?
•When was the account last
worked?
This task can all be accomplished
while you are dialing the number.

18. Dial for Dollars
Repeat this Statement:
I am not judged by the number of
times I fail. I am judged by the
number of times I succeed AND the
number of time I succeed is in direct
proportion to the number of times I
fail and keep trying.
The numbers at a glance:
100 attempts per day
20 contacts per day
10 promises per day
5 payments per day

19. Verify The information
•Identify the responsible party
•Student
•Parent
•Company
•Verify the address
•Living at home?
•Apartment
•Owning or Renting
•No PO Box – Street Address
•Verify Employment
•Are you currently employed
•Full Time / Part Time
•Position / How Long
•If None, Source of Funds
•Verify contact information
•Is your cell phone the best number
to call? (GET CELL and permission)
•Other contact numbers
•Home
•Business
•EMAIL ADDRESS !!!

20. I
n
e
C
e
a
d
n
t
y
o
o
u
c
o
p
The Talk OFF
l
a
l
y
e
c
b
t
y
Y
N
t
A
E
O
h
C
S
e
H
The secret to Wb
ia
tl
success in
ha
dn
rc
ae
collections is to
w
ai
ln
lead your
?
f
u
l
customer down
l
the path to
success.
Your customer then goes through a series of “drops” based on their
answers and are presented with numerous options to pay, buy or solve
an issue.

21. The Talk Off
1. Verify the debtor
2. State your name and
company name
3. Before I continue I need to
verify some information for
our records (update
information)
4. The Talk Off
• State the purpose of
your call
5. Handle objections
6. Pitch payment options
7. Close for the payment
8. Thank the customer

22. ALTERNATE OF CHOICE CLOSE
Stating the purpose
I am calling today because we need to
collect payment on your outstanding
balance in our office in the amount of
_______ representing tuition charges
for the ______ semester of ________.
We have 2 methods available for
payment. I can take a credit card for
the balance or we can also take a
check over the phone. Which
payment method would you prefer?
ALWAYS PITCH THE BALANCE IN
FULL WITHOUT OPTIONS AND
WITHOUT RESERVATION. AFTER
YOU STATE THE PURPOSE OF
YOUR CALL
PAUSE…THE NEXT PERSON
WHO SPEAKS LOSES.

23. Handle Objections
Types of Objections
•Circumstantial
•Emotional
•Intellectual
•Fraudulent
•Circumstantial
•Medical Issues
•Loss of Job
•Divorce
•Natural Disaster
•Emotional
•These consumers believe that they
deserve the service even though they
are not able to afford it.
•It’s not my fault
•Intellectual
•These consumers usually have the
ability to pay but have poor records or
do not budget their money
accordingly
•Fraudulent
•These individuals never intended to
pay.

24. Money Drops • Balance by Credit
•Secure a down payment Card
•Can you pay at least 50% down today
and the balance by the end of the BIF • Balance by ACH
month?
•Liquidate the debt in the shortest
possible time
•Be realistic
•Identify Money Sources • Post Dated Check
•Employment
•Savings PDC
•Parents
•Relative
•Loan
•Life Insurance
•401K
• Down Payment
•Other • Realistic Terms
PPA
•Once the payment plan is set, make
sure that the debtor understands that
it is a one time accommodation, not
the rule.

25. Subsequent Contact
•If at first you don’t succeed…
•Was a promise broken?
•Has there been a
change since the first
contact?
•Does the debtor have a
proposed solution to the
problem?
•Can the debtor get on a
temporary payment
plan?

26. Customer Consequences
•If no payment is received,
what are the consequences?
•Placement for Collection
•Credit Bureau Reporting
•Transcript Withholding
•Registration
Withholding
•If there are no consequences
for non‐payment, why should
they pay the bill?

27. Would the world be better
off without us?
The job you do is essential to the
survival of the economic system.
Without collections, there can be no
credit.
•Why do people pay bills?
•Moral and Social Obligation
•Civil Penalty
•Without collections there is no
credit
•Without credit there can be no
economic growth
•Without economic growth, there
can be no stability
•The collection function provides a
backstop to the credit process in
order to allow all companies to
extend credit and do business.
Without you, our entire future is at
stake.