People are generally hesitant to negotiate in certain situations.
You should not fear negotiating or let it intimidate you.
It might not be fun, but it is a necessary part of this process.
Always remain calm (even if you are not) as bad decisions are generally made when people are emotional.
Follow the tips outlined below and this will get you started on the right path.
Tip - Rehearse Your Responses Prepare before making the first and every call by rehearsing your responses.
Be aggressive and confident.
This does not suggest that you be mean, just firm in your dialog and consider that you are negotiating from a position of strength.
You never want to be rude or arrogant but you must remain firm and confident.
Once you tell yourself that you have control over the situation then your body and mind will react accordingly.
Tell yourself over and over that they have to settle is thing too.
They will act like you need to pay and you have done something wrong because in their mind that gives them leverage.
Remember, you are a delinquent account and they want to get you off their books and move on.
Rehearse a couple of scenarios with your spouse or a family member to get a feel for how you will respond.
You have to keep in mind that the other party does this day in and day out.
They don't need to rehearse but if you want to keep up with them you will.