Patent ID: 7318046

Claim:
A method implemented by a computer system comprising: receiving, from a database, values and parameters comprising data from multiple accounts of a customer and relationship-specific information for the customer; calculating, by a computer-based promise option advisory module, optimal and minimal promise to pay options for each of the multiple accounts needing collection, based upon the received values and parameters, wherein the calculated promise to pay options comprise at least one of a single promise, a long-term promise, and a deferred payment arrangement, and the calculated optimal promise to pay option comprises a recommended promise amount and a recommended promise date; displaying, by the computer-based promise option advisory module, the calculated optimal and minimal promise to pay options to a collector whose job is to collect payments or debts, prior to the collector interacting with the customer; and after the collector interacts with the customer to obtain agreement with the customer to a respective displayed promise to pay option and the collector thereafter selects the displayed promise to pay option which was agreed to with the customer, receiving, by the computer-based promise option advisory module, the selected promise to pay option.