Two were very mean. But one collector was nice. It's common sense. The stereotype is a gruff-voiced meany who can reduce debtors to tears. That's why people end up coming to me.
Some collection agencies use automatic dialing machines that repeatedly dial debtors' residences.
Some callers have hourly quotas, said Melea Seward, a former caller who got mired in debt herself when she was a college student. They get unhinged. But the cold-hearted image may be changing. Now, collectors increasingly say that treating debtors better can be more profitable. Collecting is a competitive sport.