Presentation Matters - and Don't be Too Predictable!

Many companies have a standard set of letters to deal with specific default situations - a series of simple collection letters that increase in strength as time goes on. The letters can fail to get results for all kinds of customer-related reasons - but failure can be down to you, too.

Standard letters regularly fail to get results if they are computer generated, or run to a fixed pattern - every 14 days, for example.

In the first place, computer generated letters are usually instantly recognisable for what they are. Quite often, they hit the bin unread just because they are recognisable for what they are - particularly if they are sent out unsigned, which many of them are.

By all means use a basic template - it makes life easier - but don't get lazy about it. Make sure the letter looks professional, and is arranged well on the page. Vary the content to suit specific people and circumstances: if you are writing to a 'friend', for example, you might want to 'top and tail' the letter - hand write the saluation and the closing - so as to personalise it. And remember: using templates can be dangerous because they encourage silly and embarrassing mistakes - failure to change the date is a very common error.

Presentation matters. It can make the difference between being taken seriously or being ignored.

Secondly, customers who make a habit of paying late or exceeding credit limits receive reminder letters frequently, and are therefore well aware of exactly how far they can push a creditor before they find themselves in real trouble. The answer, of course, is to sort-circuit the system and come down much harder, much earlier. Where delinquents are concerned, don't make your collection process too predictable.