It is often said in business and by sales managers that “the phone is the mist underutilized device in business and sales”. Even today with the advent of advanced technology and technologies – email , cell phones , iPhones and the like when it comes to obtaining payment and getting paid for invoices and work that the thought of “letting your fingers do the walking ” gets unthought of and even forgotten. Why get into the car and take the time of physically driving to the customer, waiting in line for the appointment, when one can simply pick up the phone or cell phone and get the job done? After all in cases of late payment or non payment isn’t it all about getting paid and having the cash or check in hand, and wasting as little time and driving costs as possible? If you cannot get payment in this manner, then the next step or set of steps should be a direct visit on site. In those cases nothing beats actually speaking to the person or set of people and asking directly. Yet earlier on in the process a simple time saving phone may do the trick or serve as a reminder.

Yet when it comes time to asking for payment or a commitment for payment there are certain tips and procedures recommended by credit professionals. First is to ask to speak to the person who signs the check or checks. It can be simply said not to waste your rime on or with other employees. These employees may lead you to the person in charge – that is final signing authority, yet they themselves cannot do the task, nor promise it by any means. They may however serve to provide confirmation.

Next credit professionals advise to make the phone call as personal as possible. Make it a solid point, an indeed habit to always address the customer by name. Proper title as well can do you well in addition, although this is not always necessary or essential. Some of the time having a person’s title may not be necessarily invoked when directly making the request, yet it can help you in navigating the telephone hierarchical maze and figuring out, or getting to the right authority. That is in an organization when calling to find out, who to speak to, or who is in authority to write payment, this may be done internally in any business or non profit organization by elaborating title in the organizational structure or describing function in the management hierarchy.

On the phone or indeed with any payment request or situation of late payment always gives the customer a chance to explain. Mistakes happen , and in this day of high tech communications as well email contact emails sometimes those emails get sent by technology into the “junk” or “spam” email box. On top of that there may be very valid reasons that payment is late. It may be as well that you may have to press, or probe to learn the real reason or reasons for none or late payment. It may be that the customer’s dissatisfaction is the cause, and then a simple sympathetic and understanding ear or the prompt adjustment or solving of a complaint may be the best and indeed simplest way and means to speed up final payment or the payment schedule.

Lastly make a clear practice and habit not to hang up the phone, and end the conversation without fully specifying details of the payment arrangement. If not fully determine in your mind what the next step should be – whether to pick up the check personally on a given specified day or perhaps to call back by phone, or email etc.

Author Bio: Allan I Schacter Vancouver BC Eagle Ridge GM