--- title: Debt Collectors, Salespeople & Consultants description: What Debt Collectors, Salespeople & Consultants can learn from each other. image: https://www.rickroberge.com/hubfs/questions.jpg --- # [SELLING IN THE 21ST CENTURY](https://www.rickroberge.com/) [![header-sm-linkedin-blue](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-465400397-png/images/header-sm-linkedin-blue.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickroberge) [![header-sm-twitter-blue](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-465371692-png/images/header-sm-twitter-blue.png)](https://twitter.com/RainMakerMaker) [![header-sm-google-plus-red](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-462412948-png/images/header-sm-google-plus-red.png)](https://plus.google.com/+RickRoberge/posts) [![header-sm-rss](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-480298330-png/images/header-sm-rss.png)](https://www.rickroberge.com/rss.xml) # [Science for Sales Rock Stars](https://www.rickroberge.com/) ## [Debt Collectors, Salespeople & Consultants](https://www.rickroberge.com/debt-collectors-salespeople-consultants) ![](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/hubfs/RR.jpg?width=35&height=35&name=RR.jpg) By [Rick Roberge](https://www.rickroberge.com/author/rick-roberge)   Nov 2, 2020, 7:17:12 AM As you may know, I spent a couple of decades in the debt collection industry. I've written about the experience a few times and shared them recently on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickroberge/detail/recent-activity/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/RainMakerMaker). I learned a few things from debtors that I applied to sales and have shared them with my clients over the years. ![questions](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/hubfs/questions.jpg?width=275&name=questions.jpg)I intended to share debt collection lessons with salespeople, but when I read [this article](https://therainmakermaker.com/2012/08/25/sales-decisions/), I realized that consultants occasionally get 'stuck with' a bad client and that often, the consultant has to find their own clients. So, it might help if I also shared the lessons with consultants.  Debtors are not necessarily deadbeats, crooks or liars, but some of them are. Prospects don't tell half-truths, outright lie or try to steal your stuff, but some of them do. Both may stall, delay, or throw other obstacles and objections at you, but some have a problem that you may be able to solve and if you use the right approach, they will share. Who's who? How do you tell the difference? Simple. Ask! When I was collecting money for a client, I'd ask the debtor how we got here? I needed to determine 1. If the salesperson, oversold their solution, misstated terms, or omitted pertinent details. 2. If the company under-delivered or otherwise messed up. 3. If the debtor lost their job or had a catastrophic event that affected their income. 4. If the debtor never intended to pay even though they agreed. This is similar to the [silo questions](https://www.rickroberge.com/blog/bid/322732/which-sales-process-does-your-buyer-need) that I suggest for salespeople. Believe it or not, [Success Secret #3](https://therainmakermaker.com/2006/05/29/success-secret-3/) is relevant. I did have debtors pay when I sent the notification that their debt had been placed with me for collection and that they had the right to dispute the validity of the debt. As soon as I determined that a debtor was in the 4th category, my client sued or wrote it off. Very black & white. The rest of the debtors got a conversation that started with me trying to understand what was going on in their lives. I did not tell them to pay their bill. Rather, I needed to understand what problem they had that prevented them from paying. - Did they receive what they bought? - Did it work? - Were they still using it? - Why did they choose it? - Did they ask for help? - Did my client help? - How was the sales person? Customer service? Manager? - Was anybody else involved? These were some of the hundreds of questions that I would ask to determine which category of debtor they were and whether or not I could learn under what circumstances they would pay? Start with a silo question, then drill down by [listening and asking](https://therainmakermaker.com/2006/04/20/listen-ask-listen/) until [you truly understand](https://www.rickroberge.com/ff-fun-friday-post-importance-of-clarifying-questions-a/k/a-listen/ask). It takes practice and 'other-centeredness'. If you don't get it or you'd like to role play with me, [ask me anything](https://www.rickroberge.com/contact-me). - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ### Want updates as they're published? #### Enter your email: BTW, do you have an idea or question that would make a good article? Would you like to write or co-author it? Either way, **[send me an email](mailto:therainmakermaker@gmail.com?Subject=Blog%20article/author%20idea)**. **[Rick Roberge](https://plus.google.com/116082120720832878924/posts?rel=author)** ## About this blog *This blog is for, by and about Sales Rock Stars, RainMakers, Entrepreneurs (and/or those that strive to be)* ## [Read My Articles on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/rickroberge) ## [About Rick](https://www.rickroberge.com/contact-me) **[The Original](http://therainmakermaker.com/)[RainMaker Maker Blog (pre-2012)](http://therainmakermaker.com/)** [**Remote Bookkeeping**](http://www.slcbookkeeping.com/blog/bid/116710/remote-bookkeeping-made-easy)[**Made Easy**](http://www.slcbookkeeping.com/blog/bid/116710/remote-bookkeeping-made-easy) [**Awesome Website Design**](https://www.inbounddesignstudio.com/contact/) Search RainMakers & Sales Rock Stars Search ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Posts by Month - [November 2025 (19)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/11) - 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