Protect Yourself

There is a reason that collection agencies exist. Whether any past due AR has accumulated because business is slow or your customers have just stopped paying you; you should be aware of the troubling signs that someone is possibly conning you. We all know that there are times when people and businesses are struggling to stay afloat, but that does not mean that you shouldn’t be paid or have your products returned. One thing that can be said, people sometimes are lying about paying you; deceiving you into believing that they don’t have the money or that they honestly don’t think you are owed. One of the biggest lies that  heard in the collection industry is “The check is in the mail.”

The truth easily can be manipulated and as a good business owner, you want to maintain good healthy relationships with your clients. Sometimes it is required to have future customers fill out contracts or credit applications before commencing any deals. Not every industry has the necessity for credit applications, however. Credit applications can be your ally in the world of business transactions. Typically if you can have them apply for an account, you should have the tools to look up their personal or business credit history. There are also have ways to see how long a company has been operating or even see if the ‘business’ is not an actual entity. If your current company setup does not have any of these capabilities, this is where hiring a collection agency could be in your best interest. When the debts have become too frequent or too large, finding a company to help you will be your best option for collecting. Collection agencies are the professionals that can help you find the true thorns in the bed of roses; the ones that continue to prick you and cause you to lose slowly over time. These are what the collection industry calls “repeat offenders” or “deadbeats”.

Identifying the Signs and Lies

Repeat offenders are no strangers to any business or industry. They are either notorious at running up credit or running away with free products and services. Some of them don’t even try to hide their trail. There have been instances in which these offenders go from one supply or service, get what they need, and then move onto the competing company and get reloaded with more. Some of the first few actions of a potential deadbeat is the call and email dodging. Even if you are able to get through to a front desk, your main contact is always “in a meeting” or “unavailable”. If you reach out to someone on a Monday about their past due bill and they have not reached out to you by Wednesday or even Friday, you may want to start calling your collections firm. The other way these groups may try dodging your payment inquiries is the telling of a story. When most people are truly behind, a simple and factual story is clear. But whenever someone begins to give you a long detailed spiel, you may be hearing the start of a string of lies. Another way you can be conned without knowing is with the use of familiarity or comradery. The I’s and You’s start to sound like We’s. Instead of owning up to their defaulting payments they try to coerce you into becoming a ‘team’ with them. Somehow you now are both responsible for the accrued debt. You should also be aware of unwarranted false promises. The promises usually follow after the first phone call or email asking about them paying their bill. It starts with “I promise you I will pay you when this next job is finished” or “I promise you the check was sent last week.”

Making the Call

Once you realize that you may not be getting your money back, it is time to evaluate your situation. Start gathering all related PODs, invoices, statements, contracts or credit applications. Any other recording or written communications can be helpful as well. These items along with strategic skills, tools and legal expertise are exactly what can give your collection agency the lead of putting money back into your bank. When they start dodging your calls, contact us at 1-877-740-7839 Burt and Associates or visit us online at www.burtcollect.com. Let us be the experts in finding and defending your business funds and reputation.