Boy Did Your Mother Do A Number On You!
Posted on May 15th, 2007 by Marc Chase Posted in Credit Repair | 7 CommentsYou can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
People will do more of what they are praised for!
Seek out the good in people.
Pick your cliché but I’m certain most of us know there is a direct correlation between how we treat others and the way we are treated in return. We all get this except one breed of individual.
The debt collector! I’m not referring to every one obviously, but the ones where there is such a disconnect from reality, they think the only way to get what they want is through bullying, criticism. lies and insults.
We just got done reviewing some tapes and emails from debt collectors and I just can’t grasp what goes through some of your feeble little minds. How on earth can you think that you’re going to get your way by saying things such as…
“I’m going to tell all your neighbors you’re a deadbeat”
“No wonder you’re not married, you have no money”
Here is a list of other cute little things I've heard
Listen, I’m going to give you some advice which I have no doubt you’re going to ignore, but do so at the expense of your own paycheck.
This old school, childish, illegal approach is about to be gone. Learn the right way to handle matters or you’re going to find yourselves out of a job and then on the receiving end of another collector when you can’t pay your own bills.
I watched a segment on Dateline where a debt collector showed what a warped thought process you really have with the following comment.
“This is the only approach some people respond to”
Who the hell are you collecting from, Patty Hurst? Get a grip you idiot!
Did it ever occur to you that if you treated them with a little respect you may get a lot further? Let me offer something for you to ponder you meat heads.
Why is it you can be attempting to collect the very same account from a client that we are trying to repair, yet the only difference is you get hung up on while we can suggest they pay the bill and they do so with no hesitation?
I’ll tell you why. We talk to them with respect and understanding and they trust us. So why can’t you take the same approach? Does your Napoleonic complex keep you from grasping this concept? I think it does so let me give you another reason to change your ways.
9 out of 10 derogatory items we remove is due to a violation of the FDCPA you committed because you think this is the only way people will respond to you.
More and more people are getting wiser, learning laws and now know you can’t pull this crap anymore. How long is it going to take you to come out of the dark ages and realize you can get what you want without using force and illegal tactics?
Well until you finally get it, we appreciate you helping us look like heros at your expense.
Another fine example of stating like it is.
Good job Marc
I bet you if a collection agency adapted a kinder, more gentler approach they would do a lot better.
I know when I had a lot of collection problems I had no problems working with the polite people. The assh@#$s got the old CLICK
Of course debtors are nicer to you, they think your going to solve their debt problems and make the collectors go away. They come to you voluntarily because you offer a service.
They have no choice when a Debt Collector turns up on their door. I can tell you in no uncertain terms that 75% of the debtors I have dealt with in my career don’t want to pay. It is the small 25% that just simply can’t pay.
It is pointless ranting and raving like yours that gives the profession its unsavoury stereotype.
Where are the blogs from all the clients saying how happy they are that their money was succesfully recovered or the number of outstanding criminal court fines has decreased or the amount of outstanding child maintenance that has been recouped to help single parents all thanks to the Debt Recovery Agents.
You cannot just assume that every debtor has just “fallen on hard times”. There are a mass of criminals out there who refuse to pay there court fines and taxes, and we still have to pay ours.
Most of the agents I have worked with are polite, well mannered and understanding, but when faced with someone who simply wants to slam the door in your face, it is hard to be so polite.
It is this stereotype, created by people like you that immediately gives people the wrong impression about our industry and always puts debtors immediately on the defensive before we have uttered a word.
Now stop putting us down and become part of the solution, not the problem.
First of all, I appreciate your honest response, I really do. Now, let me offer a couple responses.
I realize when I say we earn their trust we are at a distinct advantage as you point out, but I do have a job to do. You and I are on the opposite team and that’s simply all it is.
Secondly, I did point out that I’m not referring to every debt collector, only the ones who break the law.
Third, believe it or not we lecture our clients just as hard. We put an extraordinary amount of effort into helping change peoples habits and do lecture them pretty good when we discover they are not paying just for the sake of not paying.
With that being said, lets not go too far by saying I create the stereotypes. We have literally hundreds of hours of tapes sent in by clients with the foulest, rudest, most outrageous comments I’ve ever heard. I don’t make debt collectors say these things and at that point, the collector has the option of handeling it professionaly, or like an ass. Which avenue he chooses is on him at that point.
You do bring up a very interest point however. I have an offer for you that I think would interesting and I’m willing to bet something positive would come out of it on both sides
Please feel free to email me personally to discuss.
Thank You
-Marc
Marc,
What is your email address?
SE.
info AT mycreditgroup.com
THanks for the response
Marc - I have to give credit where credit is due. You say it like it is and you stick up for the people who dont excell in this arena.
Yet, the collector who seems to be a genuine person you provided a platform to speak his mind which is the right thing to do. Luv you guys and so do a few other people.
Found a few other sites publishing your articles.
http://www.alabamaconsumerlawblog.com/2007/05/an_article_on_bad_debt_collect.html
http://consumerist.com/consumer/blogs/the-pith-and-vinegar-of-quippy-debt-collectors-260842.php