Collect Call:
From March 2005
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Burke says that a disturbing trend has become evident during the past five years.
“There are those clients who just don’t want to be bothered with the idea that they have to pay their bills,” says Burke, with a tinge of exasperation in his voice. “There’s just not a focus or a sense of obligation to pay the bill. It’s not a priority for them.”
When clients fail to respond with payment, companies may consider either litigation — engaging the services of a lawyer or filing in small-claims court — or appointing a collection agency, as Quest does periodically. “We use a service when we feel we really messed up by doing business with somebody that we shouldn’t be doing business with,” acknowledges Burke.
Put aside the notion of collections agents “roughing up” debtors; collectors are subject to federal and state regulations that prohibit harassing tactics.
Physical Threats
“I’m a deal maker, not a bill collector,” insists Luther Hopp, co-owner of Marathon Services Inc., a Sacramento collection agency. “Our job is to listen and get down to brass tacks,” says Hopp, 49, a former construction laborer who has been a collection agent for 23 years. “I try to make a deal — and do it with some perceived compassion.” Still, Hopp is often threatened with physical harm.
“Most people who have one debt have a bunch of debt,” Hopp says. “These people are generally fearful, which makes them hostile, and they don’t take calls for a reason: because everybody’s calling them.
“If they’re threatening to blow my brains out, I give them my address and tell them to bring their checkbook with their gun. But more often I’ll hear, ‘I’m paying you because you were nice.’”
Continued...
“There are those clients who just don’t want to be bothered with the idea that they have to pay their bills,” says Burke, with a tinge of exasperation in his voice. “There’s just not a focus or a sense of obligation to pay the bill. It’s not a priority for them.”
When clients fail to respond with payment, companies may consider either litigation — engaging the services of a lawyer or filing in small-claims court — or appointing a collection agency, as Quest does periodically. “We use a service when we feel we really messed up by doing business with somebody that we shouldn’t be doing business with,” acknowledges Burke.
Put aside the notion of collections agents “roughing up” debtors; collectors are subject to federal and state regulations that prohibit harassing tactics.
Physical Threats
“I’m a deal maker, not a bill collector,” insists Luther Hopp, co-owner of Marathon Services Inc., a Sacramento collection agency. “Our job is to listen and get down to brass tacks,” says Hopp, 49, a former construction laborer who has been a collection agent for 23 years. “I try to make a deal — and do it with some perceived compassion.” Still, Hopp is often threatened with physical harm.
“Most people who have one debt have a bunch of debt,” Hopp says. “These people are generally fearful, which makes them hostile, and they don’t take calls for a reason: because everybody’s calling them.
“If they’re threatening to blow my brains out, I give them my address and tell them to bring their checkbook with their gun. But more often I’ll hear, ‘I’m paying you because you were nice.’”
Continued...
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