The phone rings. The debtor answers. You have 30 seconds to win or lose. What you say in the first 30 seconds determines the entire rest of the conversation — and determines whether your money comes back or not.
Most people make mistakes from the first word. Too aggressive, or too soft. Too formal, or too familiar. The secret isn't what you say — it's how you structure the conversation.
The right mindset
Before you dial, change your mindset. You're not calling to ask for money. You're calling to find out the reality. The debtor knows more than you: why they're not paying, when they can, what's stopping them. The call's goal is to extract this information.
If you enter with the "give me my money" mindset — the debtor defends, lies, evades. If you enter with "I want to understand the situation" — the debtor opens up, explains, and negotiations become possible.
The 4 phases of an effective call
Phase 1: Opening (first 15 seconds)
Wrong: "Hello, I'm calling from company X, I'm calling about the overdue invoice..."
Right: "Hello, [debtor name]? This is [your name] from [company]. I'm calling about invoice [number] for [amount] MDL, overdue by [days] days. Do you have 2 minutes to discuss?"
The difference? The second version is: direct, factual, with control granted ("do you have 2 minutes?" — the debtor feels they choose to discuss, not that they're forced).
Phase 2: The open question
Don't say "when will you pay?". Say: "I want to understand — what happened with this payment?" or "What's the situation that led to this delay?"
The open question forces the debtor to explain. And in the explanation, you learn: the real reason, the attitude, and — crucially — whether it's a temporary or structural problem.
The 80/20 rule: in this phase, the debtor talks 80%, you 20%. Be silent. Let them fill the silence. People hate silence on the phone and will talk to fill it.
Phase 3: Summarizing and commitment
After the debtor explains, summarize: "So, if I understand correctly, the situation is [X], and because of that you couldn't pay until now."
Why? Because:
- It shows you listened (the debtor feels respected)
- It forces the debtor to confirm or correct (and confirmation is a micro-commitment)
- It transforms the problem from "yours" to "ours" — now you both agree there's a problem
Then, ask for commitment: "Given the situation, when can we realistically have the payment? I want a date we can both rely on."
Not "when you can". Not "sometime". A date. And if the debtor gives a date — repeat it: "OK, August 15th. I'll call on the 16th to confirm. Are we agreed?"
Phase 4: Closing with clear consequences
Don't threaten. But be clear: "If by August 15th we don't receive payment, we'll proceed with the formal demand, which can lead to legal proceedings. I want to avoid that. That's why I'm calling now, not on the 16th."
This isn't harassment. It's transparency. The debtor knows exactly what follows if they don't honor the commitment. Nobody can say they weren't informed.
Advanced techniques that work
The "strategic silence" technique
After you ask a difficult question — be silent. Even if the silence lasts 5, 8, 10 seconds. The debtor will fill the silence, usually with information they didn't plan to give.
Most people hate silence so much they'll say anything to fill it. Use that.
The "mirroring" technique
If the debtor says "I don't have the money right now" — repeat the last words: "the money right now?" in a questioning tone. The debtor will feel the need to explain more. And more means more information for you.
The "emotional label" technique
"It seems like the situation is stressful for you." or "I hear your frustration." The debtor feels understood, lowers their guard, and becomes more open to negotiation.
It's not manipulation — it's real empathy. The debtor is genuinely stressed. Acknowledging it changes the dynamic.
The "controlled choice" technique
Don't ask "when will you pay?". Ask: "Would you prefer to pay half now and the rest on the 15th, or all on the 15th?"
Both options lead to payment. The debtor feels they're choosing, but you control the outcome. It's a classic negotiation technique.
What NOT to do ever
- Don't raise your tone. A calm tone is more powerful than shouting. Shouting shows loss of control. Calm shows power.
- Don't insult, don't threaten personally. "I'll shame you" is harassment. "We'll proceed by law" is transparency.
- Don't call 10 times a day. It's harassment and it's illegal. One call a day, max two, in reasonable hours.
- Don't discuss with third parties. Don't tell the spouse, colleagues, or neighbors about their debt. It's illegal.
- Don't lie about consequences. "I'll send the bailiff tomorrow" when you don't even have a judgment yet — it's a lie, and the debtor finds out.
- Don't let emotions drive you. If you get angry — politely hang up and call tomorrow. Emotion destroys negotiation.
How to handle types of debtors
The evasive debtor
Answers but says nothing concrete. "We'll see, we'll see." "Maybe next week." "I don't know exactly."
Technique: force a decision. "I understand you're not sure. But I need a concrete date to note in the file. Let's say the 15th or the 20th?"
The aggressive debtor
Raises their tone, threatens, insults.
Technique: don't respond in the same tone. "I understand you're frustrated. But my goal is to find a solution, not to argue. If we can't discuss calmly now, I'll call tomorrow." And hang up if they continue.
The lying debtor
"I'll pay today, for sure." "The money's already transferred." "The accountant processed it."
Technique: ask for proof. "Perfect, then please send a copy of the payment order by email, so I can confirm with accounting." The liar will evade. The honest one will send.
The honest debtor with no money
Acknowledges the debt, but genuinely can't pay.
Technique: don't crush them. Negotiate a realistic installment plan. A debtor who wants to pay but can't — is a negotiation partner. A debtor who doesn't want to pay — is a court case.
Conclusion
The phone is a tool. Like any tool, it depends on who uses it. With the right techniques, you recover money. With classic mistakes, you lose money and risk sanctions.
If you have debtors you can't recover on your own — maybe it's not the debtors' problem. Maybe it's the approach. Contact us. We do this daily, legally, and on a success fee.