Ten Tips on More Effectively Interacting with Customers

1. Rather than doing most of the talking, do most of the listening.
2. When asked a difficult question, avoid the temptation to provide an immediate answer.
3. Stay focused.  Keep your discussion to the point.
4. Don’t make assumptions that you understand what the customer means or that the customer understands you.  Instead, make certain there are no misunderstandings or ambiguities before ending a discussion.
5. Keep track of your commitments to your customers, and their commitments to you.
6. Make sure to foster a sense of familiarity and continuity by trying to speak to the same person at the debtor company during each collection call.
7. Always return customers’ calls and correspondence the same day as you receive them.
8. Make certain that your written correspondence is clear, correct, concise and comprehensive.
9. Interact whenever possible with decision-makers, not intermediaries or clerks who do not have decision making authority

© 2010 by Michael C. Dennis.  All Rights Reserved.