Past due Attitudes and Professional Debtors

Some people work hard at not paying their bill. I’ve seen customers spend $200 trying to get out of paying $100. They just cannot let go of that money, the money owed to you! It’s time for you to change that and understand what motivates them to pay their bill.

 Fact: People act and react differently when it comes to paying. Consumer habits have been studied for years. Studies have shown that people are stimulated and respond to a variety of tactics and strategies. In the same way marketing techniques are used to cause consumers to buy, you must use compelling techniques that cause customers to pay. Everyone is conditioned in ways that we don’t even realize, at the supermarket, on the cover of magazines, by what we watch on television and even by other people. You must condition customers with a habit of payment and your ability to keep the pressure where clients respond with a positive outcome. It’s important to create a sense of urgency in people.  Customers can exploit the weakness in your billing system which could cause a two-fold effect. You could lose the customer and the revenue when both of these actions could have been avoided. The idea of, “If they don’t pay, I will stop my service or product,” is self-defeating. It’s better to know how to keep the customer paying by billing them properly and building a relationship. As stated prior, collection starts from the beginning of your business relationship. Your first meeting, phone call or contract sets the tone. If you are laidback or sloppy regarding payment from the start, you can almost guarantee the receipt of payment will be laid back and sloppy. Have a policy in place and use specific dates and specific amounts to be paid on time. You must be consistent and professional. If money is owed, don’t take it personal; pursue payment quickly, politely and professionally. Christopher Mangan is a business process analyst and the leading authority on producing high efficiency billing and collections procedures. He is the author of Top 10 Billing Secrets and since 1989, has produced millions of dollars for fortune 500 companies as well as small businesses.  Enjoy greater revenue through efficiency and proven methods. He is the President and CEO of CJM Billing Solutions, Inc.