COLLECTING DIFFICULT ACCOUNTS
Turn Tough Conversations into Timely Payments.
Course Schedule
| Venue (InHouse) | Fees |
|---|---|
| At Your Organization Premises | Ask For The Quotation |
Course Introduction
“Collecting Difficult Accounts” is a focused training course designed to equip credit and collection professionals with practical tools, behavioral techniques, and legal insights to handle overdue or delinquent accounts—especially from resistant or unresponsive customers.
The course emphasizes effective communication, conflict resolution, debtor psychology, and negotiation skills to ensure collections are made professionally while maintaining customer relationships.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Understand why accounts become delinquent and classify debtor behavior
- Apply psychology-based strategies to influence repayment
- Develop and deliver effective collection scripts for difficult scenarios
- Handle debtor objections and excuses with confidence
- Use assertive communication techniques without confrontation
- Escalate and document collections professionally
- Understand the legal considerations in debt collection
Key Benefits of Attending
Delays in payments directly impact organizational cash flow and risk exposure. This course empowers professionals to turn late payments into successful recoveries with less stress and greater efficiency—while protecting business relationships.
Intended Audience
- Credit Control & Collections Staff
- Accounts Receivable Professionals
- Customer Service & Finance Teams
- Account Managers handling sensitive or overdue accounts
- Business Owners & Administrators
Individual Benefits
- Improve communication and negotiation skills
- Boost confidence in managing tough customers
- Learn how to handle objections calmly and effectively
- Increase recovery rates and reduce overdue balances
Organization Benefits
- Strengthen internal debt collection processes
- Reduce reliance on legal or third-party collections
- Improve cash flow and DSO performance
- Maintain good customer relationships during recovery
Instructional Methdology
- Role-plays with real-life collection scenarios
- Debtor profiling exercises and behavior simulation
- Structured negotiation practice
- Case studies and interactive group discussions
- Sample scripts and checklists
Course Outline
DETAILED 5-DAY COURSE OUTLINE (Customizable)
Training Hours: 07:30 AM – 03:30 PM
Daily Format: 3–4 Modules | Coffee breaks: 09:30 & 11:15 | Lunch Buffet: 01:00 – 02:00
DAY 1 – FOUNDATION OF DEBT COLLECTION
- Module 1: Understanding the Collections Landscape & DSO Impact (07:30 – 09:30)
– The cost of delayed payments
– Defining Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and cash flow impact
– Risk segmentation of accounts - Module 2: Why Customers Don’t Pay: Root Causes of Delinquency (09:45 – 11:15)
– Willingness vs. ability to pay
– Categorizing debtor behavior
– Recognizing early warning signs - Module 3: Internal Credit Policy & Collection Strategy Alignment (11:30 – 01:00)
– Building a credit & collection policy framework
– Linking finance, sales, and operations - Module 4: Planning for Recovery: KPIs and Success Metrics (02:00 – 03:30)
– Setting realistic targets and collection goals
– Aging reports and account prioritization
DAY 2 – COMMUNICATION SKILLS & DEBTOR PSYCHOLOGY
- Module 1: Debtor Profiling & Psychology of Collection (07:30 – 09:30)
– Emotional, habitual, and strategic delinquents
– Behavioral patterns of evasive payers - Module 2: Assertive vs. Aggressive Communication (09:45 – 11:15)
– Staying calm under pressure
– Using voice tone, language, and posture effectively - Module 3: Collection Scripts & Objection Handling (11:30 – 01:00)
– Creating opening, mid, and closing statements
– Handling “I’ll pay later”, “I never received the invoice”, and more - Module 4: Role Plays: Difficult Customer Conversations (02:00 – 03:30)
– Practice sessions in pairs/groups
– Constructive peer and instructor feedback
DAY 3 – NEGOTIATION STRATEGIES & PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS
- Module 1: Debt Recovery Negotiation Techniques (07:30 – 09:30)
– Win-win vs. hardline approaches
– Building rapport while staying firm - Module 2: Structuring Payment Plans (09:45 – 11:15)
– Terms, timelines, and triggers
– Creating trackable and realistic agreements - Module 3: Using Leverage Without Threats (11:30 – 01:00)
– When and how to apply pressure
– Leveraging service suspension, interest charges, credit reporting - Module 4: Negotiation Simulations (02:00 – 03:30)
– Guided role-play with challenging scenarios
DAY 4 – ESCALATION, LEGAL AWARENESS & RECOVERY TOOLS
- Module 1: When & How to Escalate (07:30 – 09:30)
– Internal escalation paths
– Knowing the limits of your authority - Module 2: Documentation & Legal Considerations (09:45 – 11:15)
– Call notes, written communication, and follow-ups
– Key elements in legal collections - Module 3: Collections Technology & CRM Tools (11:30 – 01:00)
– Using automation and reminders
– Logging and tracking recovery efforts - Module 4: Case Study: Recovering a 90-Day Overdue Account (02:00 – 03:30)
– Group exercise to build and present a recovery strategy
DAY 5 – FINAL STRATEGY, PRACTICAL TOOLS & WRAP-UP
- Module 1: Building Your Collection Toolkit (07:30 – 09:30)
– Email templates, call logs, settlement scripts
– Pre-escalation checklists - Module 2: Handling Repeat Offenders & Sensitive Clients (09:45 – 11:15)
– Avoiding emotional burnout
– Maintaining professional empathy and boundaries - Module 3: Personal Collection Action Plan (11:30 – 01:00)
– Mapping your top 5 overdue accounts
– Setting 30–60–90 day action plans - Module 4: Final Review, Exam & Certification (02:00 – 03:30)
– Interactive recap game/quiz
– Feedback, Q&A, certificate distribution
Certification
Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion upon successful participation. The course aligns with industry best practices for in-house debt collection and credit control.