How To Get Rid Of Debt Problems Step 1 -- How To Deal With Your Creditors
However far you are along the road of financial/debt problems,the same principles apply to dealing with your creditors.
However rude, intrusive, threatening thecorrespondence/telephone calls FROM your creditors, yourcorrespondence/phone calls TO your creditors must be:
* Calm
* Brief
* Factual
* Relevant
* To the point
You must create the impression that you are efficient,knowledgeable and trustworthy. The person dealing with yourcorrespondence is merely doing their job, which is acting onbehalf of their employer -- to whom you probably owe money. Thisperson probably has the opposite point of view from you, but itis not personal and you must not let it become so.
Just as you would, this individual will respond better to aperson who appears to be calm, and believable, and know whatthey are doing.
How can you appear calm and believable, efficient, knowledgeableand trustworthy, when you possibly owe more than you can affordand have probably made past mistakes? The answer is that yourpast history is less important to the person dealing with youraccount than your present attitude and what that promises forthe future.
That is not to say that what you have done in the past has norelevance, or that you can go on to make promises you don't keep- far from it. However, if you acknowledge your currentproblems, explain your past mistakes if required, and mostimportant of all, do everything you say you will do from now on,you CAN improve your relationship and situation with yourcreditors.
If you react with anger, if you are agressive, if you fail tokeep your promises, you will merely make your problems worse.
Be calm, be prepared, and make these all-important first steps work in your favour.
Look out for How To Get Rid Of Debt Problems Step 2, where we look at 'How To Prepare A Financial Statement'
Rob Hawkins is the owner of Debt Consolidation UK. His company Chiltern Debt Management UK has helped more than 50,000 people to get rid of debt problems, and won the coveted 'Debt Counsellor of the Year 2004' award. Read the full story here.
