News & Resources

Analyzing the actions and needs of non-payers in debt collections

Oct 13, 2011 Mike Garretson

Debt collectors encounter many different people with a number of different stories, and it can be difficult to distinguish how to approach each individual. However, Inside ARM explains that non-payers typically fall into four primary categories, and understanding these distinctions can aid in debt collections. Slow payers are those who are habitually behind on payments, and this group has expanded since the recession took hold. In these cases, gentle frequent reminds tend to work best because these adults are still payers – they’re just not the most timely. Debtors with a willingness to pay but who are unable to make up one of the most rapidly expanding categories since 2008, as financial hardships and unemployment have turned typically prompt payers into debtors. To recover funds from these individuals, Inside ARM suggests taking a patient, empathetic approach that allows for long-term payment plans and other arrangements. Some debtors are able to pay but are unwilling to send over the money, but debt collectors must remind these people that settling their debt is their legal obligation. Credit criminals are the habitual offenders who often try to defraud collectors and financial institutions. The only way to stop these debtors is through account scrubbing tools. Often, the legal system will punish them with lawsuits or incarceration, says the news source.