The customer is the key element for the success of any company and therefore enjoys an invaluable position. Companies must attract customers to their business and meet the needs it has. Also, they must control the payments and defaults of them, indispensable factor for the continuity of the company. This is when taking phone payments becomes important.

There are some problems that arise from time to time to companies with their customers. Are customers paying invoices? If so, are they paying on time? And if not, what resources do I have to solve these problems?

Collect by phone to solve payment problems

Taking card payments over the phone is the new system which consists of launching calls to customers for instant payment.

This tool is very productive when you want, for example, to call the customer to remind him of any non-payment. The agent gives the user the opportunity to pay the bill instantly, during the phone call.

Even so, as we have seen in previous articles, the collection calls can be made automatically and the data is always processed directly with the bank, without human intervention.

Calls to remember non-payments are very important because whenever we talk about money it is important to avoid misunderstandings and, above all, disputes with the appellant. Hence its importance, and the need to take good care of this intervention, to keep the customer and achieve the intended goal: the realization of payment.

Why is it important to control calls to collect by phone?  

Every company depends, in its purpose, on the income it receives.  Therefore, it also depends on customer payments.

Thus, it is normal to feel altered by rejected payments, by delays, or by the lack of responsibility of customers, but we must remember that we do not know the exact reasons, or the conditions that led them to reject a fee, or to delay the payment of an invoice.  

Even so, remembering a payment that should have been made earlier is an action that every administration department must take.  Remember that what is at stake is the company’s economy, and failure to pay attention to it could lead to the company’s bankruptcy.

When to use the phone payments system?

When the traditional conflict management process may not be successful, it is possible to resort to repeating phone calls to clarify things and give the opportunity to pay instantly.

The use of the telephone call generally facilitates and accelerates the procedure, either in the first place to establish more direct contact or after a mail procedure that is ineffective.

Some tips for taking phone payments effectively

As with any type of operation, in order to be successful, there must be a procedure to follow in order to carry out the action. Telephone collection must be prepared and planned. The appellant must demonstrate well-tried communication techniques and be able to apply them to achieve the expected results.

Communication is the foundation of every relationship and one of the main techniques of customer retention. It is therefore important to know communication tools in order to make the most of the conversation and thus achieve the pre-established objectives.

It is convenient to maintain contact with them even after payment, to show that the call has not been forced.

So, what do we do on the call?

During the call, show the customer that you are in perfect control of the situation, but remain empathetic. This will avoid any blockage and allow good business relations with the client, once the dispute is resolved.

As for your attitude on the phone, use a nice tone. This is essential to arouse a positive reaction from the interlocutor and avoid withdrawal or distrust. Also, watch the tone of your voice. Speak softly to capture the user’s attention and encourage active listening.

Often, when the debtor is surprised by a non-payment, he directs the exchanges towards other matters in order to divert his attention. In this case, use techniques to refocus the discussion when it moves away from the initial topic.

The management of taking card payments over the phone to a bad payer is not an easy task. Good preparation is required. Therefore, before dialling the debtor’s number, make sure you have at hand all the necessary information about the debtor, as well as about non-payments.

Discover the new Fonvirtual´s telephone credit card payment system and don’t hesitate to contact us for more information about this phone payments service.