Collection Call Script

The script

Have the invoice number, amount, due date, and prior reminders in front of you before you dial. Confirm you are speaking with the right person, then follow the structure below — adapting the wording naturally.

Open:
"Hi [Customer Name], it's [Your Name] from [Your Business]. Is now a good moment? I'm calling about invoice [Invoice Number] for [Amount], which was due on [Due Date] and is still showing as unpaid."

[Pause — let them respond.]

Ask:
"When can we expect payment, and how will it be made?"

If they can pay:
"Thank you. So I have it right — that's [Amount] by [Date] via [Method]. I'll send a short email to confirm."

If they stall ('I'll look into it'):
"I understand. Can we agree a specific date now so I can note it? Would [Date] work?"

If there's a query or dispute:
"Tell me what's not right and I'll look into it today. In the meantime, can we settle the part that isn't in question?"

If there's hardship:
"Thanks for being upfront. Let's look at a payment arrangement that works — what could you manage, and over what period?"

Close:
"Great — I've got [Amount] by [Date]. Thanks [Customer Name], I'll confirm by email. Have a good day."

How to use it

The script is a map, not a recital — speak naturally, but hit each stage. The single most powerful move is asking your question and then staying silent; the pause does the work and invites a real answer rather than a brush-off. Always drive toward a specific amount, date, and method from a named person, and always close by reading the commitment back. Treat the branches (pay, stall, dispute, hardship) as forks you choose on the fly, so an unexpected response never leaves you improvising a concession you did not intend.

Stay respectful and compliant

Tone decides whether a call recovers money or a complaint.

• Be courteous and even-toned — never raise your voice, threaten, or shame.
• Call at reasonable hours and not with harassing frequency.
• Confirm identity before discussing the debt with anyone.
• Do not make threats you won't carry out or misstate the consequences.

This is general information only; collection conduct in Australia is regulated and what is reasonable varies by circumstance.

What happens next

Whatever is agreed, confirm it in writing the same day with a payment promise follow-up, and log the call. If the call surfaces a genuine inability to pay, move to a structured arrangement; if it surfaces nothing but stalls across repeated attempts, the account is heading for escalation and eventual referral.