Hello Thea,
I just read your column in 麻豆传媒. We all have our own 鈥渙ut of the box鈥� ways of collecting, whether it鈥檚 proactive or being a detective after the fact. I have been a credit/collections account manager for 17 years with our company. We are a lumber dealer, and my seat is the HOT seat when it comes to collection and all it entails.
I am not 鈥淢elissa from Visa.鈥� We have connections with our customers. My job is to have that connection but also protect the company at all costs. Over the years I have been burnt, or I should say the company has, due to my decisions. These decisions don鈥檛 come lightly and are like playing roulette at times.
I take my job very seriously, as we all do. This line of work has made me the best detective for all reasons.
When an applicant applies for credit, I automatically check the registry of deeds for property information and information about the customer that I just don鈥檛 see on a credit report. I double check local business corporation websites to verify the business as well.
Before I head to court with my attorney I check the registry of deeds, local business corporation search, Google, and Facebook. If you are like me, I am not surprised at what I find.
A few years ago, we had an account that couldn鈥檛 pay, of course. We had a 鈥淪how Cause鈥� hearing. For this hearing I printed off what I found. Our debtor had won $58,000 in poker winnings. He was standing in the photo proudly holding the check.
While in court the judge politely asked the debtor one last time if he could pay. We know the answer. He was then brought to the jail across the street and held there until he paid us in full. Maybe his bookie bailed him out, I鈥檓 not sure, but I got paid.
This is one of the MANY out-of-the-box ways to collect money that is due. Stay diligent, strong, and smart. Be the best detective you can be. You will surprise all of those around you, even yourself at times.
鈥� Sherlock Holmes Has Nothing on Me
Dear Sherlock on Steroids,
I have officially decided: if collecting overdue, super sad, deadbeat money was an Olympic sport, you鈥檇 be wearing gold and blowing kisses from the podium.
The way you track down those dollars is the stuff legends are made of. The stuff we share at credit conferences. Seriously, I don鈥檛 know whether to be inspired or come to work for you. I am convinced if your ERP system crashed you could still track every dime MacGyver style with duct tape, a chewing gum wrapper, and a potato. Respect!
Keep sharing with us how it鈥檚 done, and for the rest of us, take a lesson: Sit with warriors 鈥� the conversation is different.
