Mental health: has the industry gone soft?

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The answer to the question posed in the title of this blog is of course, no. I believe the majority of creditors today are taking a practical and sensitive approach to mental health as it affects their operations.

Most debtors, who are suffering from a mental health condition that seriously affects their ability to manage their financial affairs, are of the ‘can’t pay but who would ideally like to’ category. It is of course true that certain individuals will use the ‘mental health card’ and certain mental health patients will also abuse their condition with creditors. This is one of the reasons why evidence is key.

I feel privileged to be playing a small part in the development of the excellent work the industry is involved with in improving conditions for those individuals who are indeed caught in this horrific web of mental illness and debt. One of every four of us reading this blog will know someone who is suffering in this way – that is frightening.

As a collections manager for the past 30 years, I have always believed that collecting debt is all about ‘hearts and minds’, to use what has now become a military term. Firstly we need to be pleasant and polite in our approach, listening to what the debtor has to say before deciding what the next action should be. In this way the vulnerable debtor, suffering from mental health issues, is more likely to engage with the collector. The collector who forgets this will trip up over every hurdle, cause serious offence and in fact achieve no engagement and collect little money.

Anthony Sharp is a consultant with Anthony Sharp Associates.

Posted on 22nd September 2011 by

 

 

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