Abe ‘Walking Bear’ Sanchez has been a unique individual in the business of credit & collections for quite a few years. He was responsible for introducing me to others in the training field in different countries and for that, I will be eternally grateful.

Abe ‘Walking Bear’ Sanchez

He also passed along the philosophy to me that you should never say no to a customer who applies for credit. Not that you always say ‘yes’, but your response might be along the lines of, ‘We would be happy to extend credit terms to you if….., “. The ‘if’ could be co-signers, deposits, something that puts the onus back to the applicant. ‘Nobody’, Abe said, ‘likes to hear no, nobody likes rejection’.

He was right of course. There is a further example in the speaking/training field. People may remember what you say for a  week or two, what you show them for perhaps a month, but how you make them feel – will last the longest.

It is not easy, not by a long shot, but it is also the challenge in the business of collecting a past due invoice or account. A difficult balancing act, but we want the customer to ‘feel’ we have worked WITH THEM, come around to their side of the table, to resolve a problem for both of us.

Tim with three of the associates I’ve had the pleasure to work with, thanks to ‘Walking Bear’.