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Sep 24, 2009
Till Debt do we....
How can you read this story and for a win?
Debt collectors must rank down there with members of Congress and journalists in popularity, no?
Yea, I know, the people owe the money, but still...can you imagine spending you day on the phone or in person hounding people, many of whom obviously can't pay?
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I recollect some years ago reading about a fellow in TX - dead broke - whom was sitting at his kitchen table and having seen an advertisement for a public auction of debt. That is debt, as in dead-dog-stinkin'-rotten-uncollectable debt.
ReplyDeleteHe had made arrangements to bid at the auction in-person (the only way permissible), and along the way, his pickup truck broke down. Broke down as in broke-down-in the-middle-of-nowhere-Texas... and no cell phone.
Literally, with only minutes to spare, he made it to the auction, and bid on the stinkin'est of the stinky bad debt. Since no one else had bid on it, he bought it for what he bid... which was well below asking price.
Essentially, it was a list of names, addresses and phone numbers of people, and how much, to whom, etc., that they owed.
That list, a kitchen table, telephone, near-death pickup truck, wife, and ambition was all he had.
Taking that list home, he purposed that he would approach the debtors in an entirely different manner. He would be kind and considerate.
Starting with the first name, he called, and explained the scenario, how he bought their uncollectable bad debt, and was attempting to collect it... with a twist.
He was polite.
He listened to people, and their hard-luck stories... because he had one of his own. And, he shared his story along the way.
Suddenly, realizing that he was essentially in the same boat as they were, the people began sending $5, $10, $20, $50 on their debts.
Using that same courtesy, that same attitude of "we're-in-this-thing-together" he collected every cent that was on the list.
And, he began to grow.
Hiring one, two, three, eight, 12, 25, 50 people - all whom he trained his methods - he collected bad debt.
Pretty soon, his methods - courtesy - made him VERY successful.
His firm grew, and grew, and grew.
Today, he's a multi-millionaire.
Is it any wonder that treating people with dignity, honor and respect makes one successful?
Basic human decency WILL get you EVERYWHERE!