One very important lesson from the world of Disney…And us

My family and I just returned from our long-awaited Disney vacation, and had as great a time as we had hoped for. My eight year old was star-struck by all the famous characters she met, the food was spectacular, and the rides were amazing.

Of all the things we enjoyed, what impressed me the most were the people who work there. I knew going in that Disney was famous for their customer service, and the way the spread their “magic.” It sounds so simple, but the smallest gestures really do help add to your enjoyment. I experienced numerous examples of this, and all of them made us feel welcome. We truly felt like we were special guests. I loved seeing the thrill my daughter experienced every time one of the Disney princesses called her by name.

It made me think about, and really appreciate, the approach that American Profit Recovery takes to collecting debts from consumers. It costs nothing to treat people with respect and kindness, and yet it seems that in our society it is a rarity. You can imagine that a consumer that is struggling to make ends meet is already anxiety-ridden over a collection call, and if the simple act of speaking kindly to them helps ease their fears, then it is totally worth the effort. Aside from the fact that it is simply the right thing to do. Think of the feeling that person has when they are called “Sir” or Ma’am.” They are expecting to be talked down to, but instead the American Profit Recovery collector treats them with respect and empathy.

Imagine the relief they must feel when one of our collectors lets them know that we can help, that we understand that they cannot afford to pay the debt in full, and then is thanked for resolving the debt with us. Imagine how much that must make them appreciate our client for using an agency that thinks to treat people in such a way. I believe that will definitely make them more likely to continue to do business with our client. Furthermore, imagine how a client feels when one of their customers compliments the collection agency they use.

A collection agency is about as different from a resort/theme park as you can get, but there is no reason at all why debt collectors cannot treat consumers as though they are special. How much better would the reputation of the collection industry be if other agencies took the time to spread a little APR magic?