Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.” – Lao Tzu
Kindness Is Contagious
I’ll never forget the day I was in the drive-through of a Chick-fil-A and the person ahead of me paid for my meal. In talking with the cashier, she said I was the 12th customer to receive this act of kindness. So, naturally I engaged in paying-it-forward to further this theme of expressing kindness and spreading happiness.
As I talked with the cashier, she told me this very public display of kindness was not unusual, and it sometimes carried through the duration of the lunch hour. I still wonder how many people were recipients of a free meal that day.
Have you ever been surprised with a random act of kindness from someone you do not know? How did it make you feel? I am guessing it was heartwarming and made you feel like your needs were met.
Acting with kindness, compassion, grace, and empathy can help us all relate with others with humanity, care and dignity. Bringing humanity back to the collections industry has been my mission for decades, and I’ve had successful outcomes. In the year that I implemented The Collection Advantage, a new revolutionary training program which focuses on empathy and compassion, our company revenue grew 34 percent.
How does an increase like that sound to you?
Debt Can Be Overwhelming
Meeting people at the center of their inner truths is something we demand on every call at Midstate Collections. I’m passionate about helping others in collections, and even beyond this industry to find the struggles, hardships, worries, and fears of their consumers.
The late, great President Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” How insightful! In my 30 years of debt collecting, I’ve found this statement to be 100% true.
Here are some examples of questions your team should consider during collections calls with consumers:
How do they feel?
Are they sad?
Are they hopeful?
Are they content?
Do they feel safe and secure in talking with your team?
Being mindful of these questions will help your team members establish a relationship to help them move forward in creating a greater connection. People who are overwhelmed with debt are under a tremendous amount of stress. This could be affecting them to a high degree in everything they do. They may have poor and strained relationships because they owe money to their families and friends as well as to your agency. Also, they may be having trouble applying for a job they truly want. They may also fear their dreams of being a homeowner has dwindled away or maybe their goals of sending their kids to college have been shattered. That’s a lot of pressure for anyone.
Americans Are Still Hurting As Covid Lingers
Also, we must consider another truth. Americans are hurting even more because of where we are as a nation. Covid is still running rampant, and inflation is adding devastating financial challenges.
Americans have experienced 25.6 percent higher energy prices and a surge in gas prices by 38.1 percent from February of 2021 to February of 2022, according to usafacts.org. I am writing this in July of 2022, and I am sure that number has heightened in the last several months. A gallon of gas is $5 and up, and milk, a household staple, is nearing the $5 mark in some areas. Also, did you know if a person bought a used car or truck from the February 2021 to February 2022 period, they paid 41 percent more than in the previous year? Inflation abounds.
Today, I’d like to share a portion of The Collection Advantage program designed to help your team embrace the tools and skillsets they need to relate on a more personal level with today’s consumer. I wholeheartedly believe in my team members creating stronger connections with the consumer by embracing empathetic communication strategies. It’s what I do, and it is one of the most basic principles of The Collection Advantage.
Every word you or your team member speaks can be connecting or disconnecting to the conversation at hand. The truth is building trust in collections is possible for your team if they know what to say, how to say it and when to say it. The Collection Advantage is full of lessons and milestones to give your team the knowledge and skillsets they need to understand what the consumer is going through. Once they’ve completed the training their relatability factor will soar as they will be much more adept at putting themselves in the shoes of their customers.
Trust, Confidence, Rapport = Connections
Imagine giving your team the keys, through the most efficient communications-based training program in the industry, to a newfound collection kingdom and ideology. What would those keys have to unlock to open the doors for optimal success in terms of better connections and increased revenue?
Well, I have good news. The answer is The Collection Advantage, an all-inclusive program that reflects a new empathic approach to collections. It is unlike any collection training before and focuses on the following concepts:
1. Establishing Trust
2. Building Confidence
3. Creating Rapport
This foundation leads to better connections.
The truth is everyone has the need to feel heard and understood. I have spent the last 15 years studying neuroscience, and I have discovered the value of consumers feeling safe and secure. They also want to be shown respect and to have clear choices in paying their debt. More importantly, they want to be in control so it’s important for our teams to focus on their needs. When the needs of the consumer are met, higher collections and better connections ensue.
With The Collection Advantage training under their belt, your team will be able to unlock their full potential and secure optimal connections and relationships with those they serve.
If you are wanting to learn more about The Collection Advantage program in its entirety, please visit maryshores.com
P.S. Visit maryshores.com to check out our other educational tools and professional growth opportunities. You’ll want to check out our mini-courses, private consultation services, and my book “Conscious Communications,” a personal development best-seller.
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