Reliant Capital Solutions

1. Reliant Capital Solutions Scott Medley Executive Vice President Sales We Invest More $ We Find More $ You Get More Integrity & Respect | Client Satisfaction | Technology | Compliance | Results

2. Higher Education Best Practices

3. Part· ner· ship noun the state of being a partner :  participation 2a :  a legal relation existing between two or more persons contractually associated as joint principals in a business b :  the persons joined together in a partnership 3 :  a relationship resembling a legal partnership and usually involving close cooperation between partieshaving specified and joint rights and responsibilities, “I’ve got your back, you’ve got mine” “Together, we’re unstoppable”, “Be my Valentine”

4. WTH! • CFPB • HEA • FERPA • GLBA • HIPAA • FCRA • Red Flag Rules • PCI DSS • SCRA • IRS • ECOA – Reg B, EFTA – Reg E • Student Disputes • TILA - Reg Z • U.S. Bankruptcy • UDAAP • FDCPA • SOL • Collection Cost • Financial Agreements/Prom Notes • TCPA • Audits • License & Bonding • State and Federal Collection Laws • Identity Theft and Fraud

5. These are scary times…..

6. Student Service and Dealing with Emotional & Argumentative Students • What are your Best Practices?

7. You talking to me? • Acknowledge that your staff deal with difficult and sometimes emotional people. They will treat the student body the way they are treated. Employees take their cue from Management. • Ask yourself: Do you greet your employees enthusiastically each day? Are you polite in your dealings with them? Do you try to accommodate their requests? Do you listen when they speak? • Consistent complaints, emotional students, and poor student service are a reflection on the management more than the employee. Remember, there is a direct correlation between the quality of student service and the quality of the people who provide it.

8. It starts with YOU When it comes to dealing with argumentative & emotional students while providing customer service, be different, the norm is not good enough. To provide resolution and service that truly stands out, you need to go above and beyond the call of duty regardless of how you feel. I want our students to be “raving fans” about the level of resolution and service we provide. I want all to know and experience, that you can really count on more caring and personal service from us. It’s all about the experience. The experience develops open communication, trust and that develops a RELATIONSHIP

9. Attitude • Student service starts and ends with attitude. Your attitude – good or poor – will be more important than the actual answers you give and the actions you take. • While you need to give the right answers and take the appropriate actions, your student interaction will be most affected by the attitude you display. • The student will most likely not remember what you said or even what you did for them, they will remember how you made them feel.

10. Attitude • You can’t always control what happens to you. But, you can control how you react. You’re in control of your emotions. • No one makes you mad. You choose to get mad, or sad, or happy. So, don’t choose to get mad at Students. Instead, choose to have a positive attitude. • Avoid negative people. Don't let them infect you. Instead, surround yourself with positive people. • Let go of the negative. When you hear yourself saying negative things about yourself (or other people or situations) - STOP! Don’t waste your time and energy. • Moods are contagious. What attitude are you conveying? Are you “infecting” others with good or bad moods?

11. The A B C’s of Student Service A • It’s All about the Students • Your Attitude is a choice, choose to have a great one!

12. The A B C’s of Student Service B • Be the Student Service Rep that everyone wants to come to because of your good heart and soul • Be the solution, not the problem • Be the BEST, you owe it to yourself to continue to grow and develop so you can experience the best your career has to offer. The Students are Yyou are here

13. The A B C’s of Student Service C • Communication, it’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it • Call them with KINDNESS, what great personal satisfaction you receive for helping resolve another’s problem. KEEP them coming back! • Ordinary people become credible and great communicators and listeners when they are fired up with Conviction • Conflicted, emotional and argumentative Students present opportunities for Student Service Reps to be heroes

14. The A B C’s of Student Service K • Kill them with Kindness, what great personal satisfaction you receive for helping resolve another’s problem. Keep them coming back!

15. The A B C’s of Student Service R • Recognize the positive side and good in all your people/coworkers. If you’re negative, your service is negative.

16. The A B C’s of Student Service W • Welcome your students, make students raving fans and feel good about being in your window. • Willingness to go the extra mile. When it’s done for you, when you experience it, it becomes memorable, you feel like a VIP and you want to share the experience with others.

17. Versatility • The Aggressive • The Rambler • The Accent

18. Versatility Adapt, Adjust and Overcome • Stay calm • Don’t argue, they don’t owe YOU the $ • Positive attitude • Smile • Listen patiently to the student, allow them to talk • Express empathy • Don’t get defensive “D” • Remember, no one makes you mad, you choose to get mad, sad or happy. So, don’t choose to get mad at students, instead choose to have a positive attitude • You can’t always control what happens to you, but you can control how you react. You are in control of your emotions

19. The A B C’s of Student Service X • Take an X-ray and take a good look at yourself and analyze yourself to make sure your treating people the same way you want to be treated.

20. Understand Your Impact

21. What kind of Listener are You? • Stop talking • Prepare yourself to listen • Put the speaker at ease • Remove distractions • Empathize • Paraphrase “Uh hmm, I see” • Be patient • Be impartial • Listen for ideas • Calmly acknowledge emotional behavior

22. Argumentative & Emotional Students - Toolbox • My job is to assist students in your situation. We have several options. Let me make a proposal.” • “I like to think we’re not like other creditors. Let’s take a minute to work together on a solution for you.” • “I have a number of students in situations similar to yours, and we have been able to arrive at solutions. Let me work with you on this, I’m confident that together, we can find an easy resolution.” • “I just finished working out an arrangement for a situation very similar to yours. Let’s see what we can do together to find a solution for you.”

23. The A B C’s of Student Service H • Hear the words others are saying. Instead of thinking about what they will say next, listen to their message. Listen for feelings and meanings not just words. Hearing refers to the sounds that you hear, whereas listening requires more than that: it requires focus.  Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told.

24. Communication Communicate in a way that it would be absolutely impossible for you to be misunderstood • Effective communication begins with listening • Make the speaker feel heard and understood • Engage your audience • Tone, Inflection, Pacing • Enunciate, Pronounce, Animate, Volume – 5 MPH • Acknowledgment, Repeat, “I see”, “So what you’re saying”...

25. Telephone Tips • Dial the correct # • Smile • Push your personality through the phone/be conversational • Use the student’s name • Give your full name • Listen for understanding (acknowledge, paraphrase) the more they talk the more you learn how to collect from them • Ask open-ended questions for details, specifics • Allow the person time to think/speak • Be a responsive listener

26. Student Service Don’ts • Be too busy • Say “No” • Talk on your cell phone • Not acknowledge their presence • Answer your phone while you are serving a Student • Lean, yawn or frown • Chew gum • Raise your voice • Say, “It’s our policy” • Say, “It’s not my job” • Refuse to help • Complain or interrupt • Blame others • Say, “I’m new” • Be disrespectful • Look away, look around • Move slowly • Appear impatient • Use slang

27. The First Contact….. The FIRST contact is always the most important! “Qualify me now….You may never talk to me again” Now is YOUR opportunity to update my demographics Work Smart, Not Hard

28. MotivatingSentencesthatCollect$$$ • I know you face your responsibilities • You must realize this bill can and will be collected • Must we proceed without your cooperation? • Paying this account today is the smartest thing you can do with your money • Show your good faith by paying the account in full today • Live up to your promise by paying your account today • Unless you pay, we will have to take the next step in the collection process • Do you know what actions can be taken to collect this debt? • We will take the next steps, only your actions will determine what that next step is • You have worked so hard to establish and maintain a good credit rating • Someday you will need a good credit rating

29. 8 – Steps to a Successful Collection Call • Identify the Student • Identify Yourself, before we continue, let me update some information on your account • Ask for Payment in Full • Pause and Listen • Determine the Problem • Find a Solution • Close the Deal • Document your Call

30. The Role ofReassurance Why do Students need reassurance when they know they owe the money and that it must be paid? FierceCompetition

31. Stalls & Objections - Don'ts • Don’t appear to be nervous or apologetic about asking for what is owed to the College or University • Don’t get defensive, aggressive or hostile. Don’t sound condescending or lose your control or take things personally • Be patient, don’t give up • Appear knowledgeable about the process • Share the consequences of non-payment, don’t threaten • Don’t give in until you get something, it’s OK to say NO

32. What Can You Pay? • How short of the balance are you? • How much of the money do you have? • How much more time do you need to get the full balance owed?

33. You need a Payment Plan • Over-the-Phone Financial Statement • Sell your payment plan in months, not a monthly payment amount • Investment payment, Down-Stroke, Good-Faith payment

34. What Questions do you have? SHOULD WE…. Can We….. Should I