What does your message say?

Faye

What message are you leaving when making a collection call and how much information per your state are you allowed to leave on the message?

i43storage

When I call - which I only waste my time doing when they are about to go to auction - I tell them that I really don't want to auction off their belongings, so please contact us.  That usually gets their attention.

Orkocean

The typical message left is "this is so and so from site name calling regarding unit #.., it's important you give us a call back as soon as possible at #, I look forward to speaking with you, have a good day"

I teach all our employees the same as you never want to leave messages with too many details or collection messages on voice mails as you never know who is hearing them. Short and sweet and it doesn't announce a a collection call. When I first started in storage I used to do the whole calling about your balance etc.. message and was shocked at the amount of spouses who would call in pissed off because they didn't let their significant other know they hadn't paid the bill. 

@i43storage you only call before auction? I've always been taught to call 2-3 times per week to show we made the attempts to collect a debt so if something ever goes south and a tenant decides to take us to court over a unit being sold we have proof we made regular attempts to try and contact them.

Faye

Orkocean said:

The typical message left is "this is so and so from site name calling regarding unit #.., it's important you give us a call back as soon as possible at #, I look forward to speaking with you, have a good day"

I teach all our employees the same as you never want to leave messages with too many details or collection messages on voice mails as you never know who is hearing them. Short and sweet and it doesn't announce a a collection call. When I first started in storage I used to do the whole calling about your balance etc.. message and was shocked at the amount of spouses who would call in pissed off because they didn't let their significant other know they hadn't paid the bill. 

@i43storage you only call before auction? I've always been taught to call 2-3 times per week to show we made the attempts to collect a debt so if something ever goes south and a tenant decides to take us to court over a unit being sold we have proof we made regular attempts to try and contact them.

I never left a detailed message either when making collections calls until recently and I was told I was being too nice and that I needed to say " I'm calling regarding your past due account" or "I'm calling for payment because I don't want to auction off your unit".

I also make many calls, e-mails and snail mail to the tenant and alternate before the auction. If I have not heard from them at all I call everyday the week before the auction and leave message that says " I just want to remind you that we are having a auction this Date and time.

Faye

I always figured that we could not or should not leave too much information on a message but not sure what the laws are here in Michigan. I'm trying to find them.

CVSSSTORAGE

@Orkocean we used to call on the 10th day the prelien and the lien day and then when the lien expired and then a week before the auction. We had so many people saying we never called or they did not get a call or my favorite why do you wait until the 10th day when I am late to call me? So the next month we call them a day early and they are mad because we called when they are not late yet. We keep tabs by mailing and emailing those who we have email addresses on file. We call once it gets to lien now. 

Orkocean

Yeah my first place I worked on like my 4th day I was doing "courtesy" reminders before the late fees hit and got cursed out by a tenant for implying they were late and that they never pay late or have late fee's. In the 2 years I worked at that location before moving to another that tenant never once paid on time, paid EVERY late and lien fee with nothing ever being waived. Sugar gets your more than vinegar and that goes both ways, with how tenants speak to us and how we speak to tenants. Friendly past due phone calls in my years get more results than the "threatening/stern" types.  

i43storage

"@i43storage you only call before auction? I've always been taught to call 2-3 times per week to show we made the attempts to collect a debt so if something ever goes south and a tenant decides to take us to court over a unit being sold we have proof we made regular attempts to try and contact them."

@Orkocean - By the time I call, the tenant has received no less than 3 texts; 2 emails; and 2 letters.  Then if they don't respond to my call, they get 1-2 more calls and the official certified letter of auction.  It simply takes a lot less time for me to text and email than to call. 

i43storage

We send out a text on the 1st of the month to any tenant who has not paid.  It is a non-threatening text as a friendly reminder.  Many of my tenants tell me they are thankful for the reminder.

i43storage

We send out a text on the 1st of the month to any tenant who has not paid.  It is a non-threatening text as a friendly reminder.  Many of my tenants tell me they are thankful for the reminder.

skinman

You can say that again!

skinman

I do a courtesy email or call when a tenant's 1st regular monthly payment is due so they can avoid a late fee... Most appreciate it, some don't.

i43storage

skinman said:

You can say that again!

Yikes - not sure how my happy fingers managed that one.

Faye

Thank you for all of your comments!

teamcapitola

I agree that the majority of our tenants actually thank us for emails/ calls.

There's always those ones we hate to call, but really just a few "bad apples" that get upset about everything.

We send a friendly rent reminder email at 5 days, call at 7 days and 9 days. We've kept our delinquency pretty low this way.

After the 10 day grace period, we email a past due letter at 14 days, then call one more time before pre-lien hits on day 19.

SOP is not to leave any account information on an answering machine; we simply state our name and ask for a call back "regarding the account".

Faye

teamcapitola said:

I agree that the majority of our tenants actually thank us for emails/ calls.

There's always those ones we hate to call, but really just a few "bad apples" that get upset about everything.

We send a friendly rent reminder email at 5 days, call at 7 days and 9 days. We've kept our delinquency pretty low this way.

After the 10 day grace period, we email a past due letter at 14 days, then call one more time before pre-lien hits on day 19.

SOP is not to leave any account information on an answering machine; we simply state our name and ask for a call back "regarding the account".

I'm probably having a brain fart! What is "SOP"?

skinman

Standard operating procedure

Faye

skinman said:

Standard operating procedure

I knew it! My brain was on a break!