Issue link: http://psai.uberflip.com/i/1160801
W EEKLY EDITION AUGUST 21, 2019 G et ti ng Pa i d : Part I I H ow t o Ma ke Col l ect ions Ca l ls By Karleen Kos, PSAI Executive Director STRUCTURING AND MAKING THE CALLS When you make the calls, be sure to have all the account information on hand. If you get voice mail or speak to an administrative assistant, leave messages, but do not reveal that the call is about an unpaid bill. It is essential to convey confidence when speaking to customers about a past - due bill or discrepancy in payment. Does your phone language say you and your company are competent, confident, and need to be taken seriously? Here are some tips for a confident phone voice that wil l help you to collect more money: • Your Greeting: People often make a judgment about a caller in the first two seconds of an interactio n. It's not what you say in that short time that matters most, but often how you present yourself. Use a friendly, forthright tone of voice and greet the person the same way you would if you were meeting them face to face. • Your Voice: Sit up straight in y our chair and picture the customer across the desk from you. Think how you would speak to them if they were in the room. A dull, monotone – or an overly apologetic, tentative choice of words - will leave your listener with little confidence in you or your message. The difference in your voice will make it far more likely the customer or his representative will take you seriously. • Focus: Since there is no eye contact when you're on the phone, try to remain focused on the call and not on anything else going on around you. Don't multi - task! Studies show that no matter how good you think you are at it, you're not that good -- and your distraction will show in how you come across. Think about how it feels when you are talking to someone who keeps looking around behind you to see what else is going on. Focus on your caller, listen to what they say and be prepared to respond. P AGE 15 CONTINUED ON PAGE 1 6