Many entrepreneurs are experiencing the challenging consequences of ‘The Credit Crunch’. Credit controllers, financial administrators, debtor’s clerks and general accounts staff are reporting that they are generally finding it increasingly difficult to collect debt on time, reach targets while still remaining motivated and delivering excellent client service to preserve client relationships. Money and debt collection remains the most highly charged human communication interaction, and we are all having to deal with debt-related issues in the present economic climate.
Building trust
Advanced debt collection communication skills help to build trust and inspire confidence with your clients through the delivery of excellent communication skills, exceptional client service and advanced Emotional Intelligence. An irate or unhappy client whose debt issue is dealt with professionally by a skilled debt collection agent can be turned into a debt management partner.
Your staff need to use active and empathetic listening techniques to understand the clients’ issues, build and improve client relationships, and regain control in volatile situations. Voice training is essential to enable agents to speak clearly, assertively and convincingly.
Businesses who have implemented these much-needed communications strategies have witnessed significant improvements in staff morale, Stress Management, agent ability, and confidence.
Managing clients
Debt training programmes should be customised towards real-life debt situations to let learners practice the principles they are learning with safe simulated exercises and role play scenarios. Learners should be encouraged to voice their personal fears, credit issues and challenge areas to create a deeper and more beneficial learning experience.
As a leader in the communications training field, Corporate Intelligence Training has responded to the current communication challenge by developing highly specialised and practical debt collecting training programmes that provide entrepreneurs and their staff with all the vital skills required to collect outstanding debts while still delivering a relationship preservation telephonic experience.
Address emotions first
When managing debt and emotionally charged client interactions, it is important to first deal with your client and their heightened emotional state before you try and resolve the debt issue. Clients cannot think rationally and logically while they are still emotionally whipped up, and it is therefore essential that the emotional aspect of the debt problem that first needs to be addressed. Once you have dealt with your clients’ emotions, the debt problems usually shrink down to a manageable and solvable size.
