Page:Roy Ralph Hottman - Practical Collection Procedure (1923).pdf/84

70 lection procedure is to be avoided. If the bill is legitimate, if value was received in the goods purchased, if courteous, efficient service was rendered, there is no reason why any ill-will should be borne towards the house, and the col- lection man will secure better results if he works on this assumption in approaching the debtor. The appeal to good-will is simple and it is diplomatic. Likewise, let- ting the debtor feel that full confidence is reposed in him is good policy. There is something about these ap- peals that urges the average human being to respond. One generally endeavors to merit the confidence that is Teposed in one. These appeals are always safe; they can never offend even the touchy debtor, nor the debtor who carries a large account with the house. They need not be lengthy. However, one must remember that they should never contain any phraseology that would lead the debtor to believe that payment is not expected. (Obviously if they did, they would suggest that full confidence is not placed in the debtor.) At no period, in any series of letters, should any wording ever be used, which would lead the debtor to such a belief. When any bill is due, payment is to be rightly expected and one need never apologize for requesting it.

Notification.

Notification as to the status of an account generally forms the basis for the first letters, and indeed the ele- ment of notification often opens succeeding collection letters, or is embodied in the beginning of the letters. In the early stages it sometimes may be an informal reminder