Page:Roy Ralph Hottman - Practical Collection Procedure (1923).pdf/48

34 from their pedestal. If not given attention when they fall in arrears, they may neglect their payments for a considerable length of time and allow their bills to accu- mulate with the result that they at length become quite seriously evolved. They may even eventually attempt to evade payment, and then when settlement is secured, it is only through unavoidable offense. But cases like this are not the general rule with this class of debtor. It is matter to be thankful for that they are the exception instead of the rule.

Whenever one of this class does fall in arrears, a simple short letter, expressing good-will and confidence is gen- erally all that is needed to secure a remittance.

Slow Pay.

This constitutes about the largest percentage of the debtors upon any one’s books and requires careful analysis as to the proper procedure. These debtors are mostly wage-earners, people of ordinary means, sometimes pro- fessional men, and they are mostly honest but for various reasons allow the account to become delinquent. This may be due to lack of employment, the purchase of necessi- ties which is deemed more urgent than the account in question, required payments on a fixed date (such as taxes), sickness, death in the family, mismanagement,— or any one of a multitude of reasons with which every collection man is familiar.

When the account becomes past due because of lack of employment, no uneasiness need be felt if the party. is perfectly honest. As soon as he is at work again the