During the summer of 1985, I attended a Leadership Training event organized by my church. This event took place just outside of Washington D.C. We participated in classes, events, and evangelism activities in the evenings and weekends. But during the day we all held full-time jobs–I was a bill collector.
The minimum wage stood at approximately $3.25/hour, but we were encouraged to seek employment offering $4.00/hour.
Among the companies offering this higher rate was Hecht’s, where four of us were hired to work for eight weeks at the home office.
You see, earlier in the year, the company had sent out credit cards to customers without considering their credit history. Consequently, there was a high rate of accounts with no payments received on large balances.
The objective was to call cardholders and persuade them to visit the store to make a payment on their account.
Every morning, the four of us would commute together to a cement office building. We took a short elevator ride to the top floor and entered a large room filled with rows of office desks arranged side by side. Mostly women sat at the desks with lists of customer names and a phone. Everyone was either talking on the phone or sifting through paperwork.
Once seated, I would glance at the first name on the list. I would call and ask to speak to the account holder by name. With my Wisconsin accent, my voice proved interesting and intriguing enough to prompt many people to come to the phone.
I soon discovered
that there were numerous methods to reach someone. One particularly mind-blowing method was to consult a special phone book organized by addresses instead of phone numbers. This allowed us to call neighbors and inquire if they knew how to contact “Johnny,” or if they could pass on my name and number to “Johnny” and have him call me back.
Crazy, isn’t it?
What’s odd is that no one ever questioned how I obtained their number when I spoke to one of “Johnny’s” neighbors…
But in the end, the job provided me with valuable insights…
Learning the ins and outs of bill collecting, I figured out that being friendly and persistent was the key to success.
Getting to know folks struggling with finances, I understood that even if they made some bad spending choices, they were still good-hearted people who never meant any harm.
Looking back on my summer stuck at a desk in a stuffy room, I came to the conclusion that being a bill collector or any kind of desk job wasn’t really my cup of tea for the long haul.
Click here to check out other Sidetracked opinions
Click here to listen to the Sidetracked Stories podcast
Want to create your own legacy? Join the Sidetracked Sisters and start now!
Ever thought about working with a Life Coach? Are you creative or a writer who is frustrated with your inability to do the work you so desperately feel called to do? Check out Lisa Hoffman Coaching.
#sidetrackedsisters #sidetrackedlisa #sidetrackedlegacies #legacywriting #legacystories #writeyourownlegacy #LisaHoffmanCoaching
