They haven't, of course. They're behaving exactly like adults under threat, which is to say: like children. The mechanism is called fallback, and we explain it here. This page is the practical half — what to actually say, word for word, for the six states a stressed debtor occupies.
One rule governs all six: acknowledge the state, lower the threat, then offer one small structured choice. In that order. Skipping the first two steps is how you got here.
1. Opening contact when you sense resistance
For the debtor who answers but has gone stiff and short.
"Hi [Name] — I know cash flow has been brutal for a lot of firms this year, so I appreciate you taking this call. I want to talk about the outstanding €[amount], and I'd rather understand what's happening on your side than apply pressure. How are things looking from where you sit?"
The question at the end is the whole trick. A debtor who is talking about their situation is not defending against yours.
2. The blamer
For the debtor who has discovered that everything is the economy's fault, or yours.
"I'm not going to litigate whose fault the last six months were — the invoice for €[amount] due [date] exists either way, and I'd like to keep working with you. So let's skip the autopsy and go straight to the fix: would a smaller amount this week be easier, or spreading it over four?"
Do not defend your invoicing. Defending re-opens the argument the debtor would rather have than pay.
3. The ghost
For the debtor who has gone fully silent. Email, short, no attachments, no bold text.
"[Name] — I suspect this file has become the thing you'd rather not open. That's normal; most people in your position feel the same. I'd rather solve it than escalate it. Would €[small amount] by [date within 7 days] work as a first step? One line back is enough."
The small ask is load-bearing. A brain in freeze can process "€2,000 by Friday." It cannot process the full balance.
4. The helpless
For "I have no idea what to do."
"It sounds like there's no good option from where you're sitting. There are two workable ones: a four-week plan of €[X] per week, or a one-time settlement of €[reduced amount] if paid by [date]. Which is closer to doable — or what would you change about either?"
You are not solving their business. You are restoring the one thing fallback removes: a sense of choice. Two options. Never five.
5. The angry one
For the debtor who has chosen fight over flight. Speak slower than feels natural.
"I can hear this is frustrating, and I'm not trying to make it harder. My goal is a fair way forward so we can both move on. Let's focus on one thing: what's the smallest step we can agree on today that reduces the balance?"
Matching their energy escalates. Under-matching it — slower, quieter — is the only register anger can't feed on.
6. Closing the commitment
The moment their tone softens or they counter-propose, their reasoning is back online. Close immediately; the window doesn't stay open.
"So to confirm — €[amount] by [date] via [method]. I'll email a summary and the payment link right after this call. Anything you need from me to make it easier?"
Then send the summary within the hour. A verbal yes that isn't in writing by evening reverts by morning.
A note on when scripts stop working
Scripts reopen doors held shut by stress. They do nothing against insolvency, and nothing against a debtor who has calculated — correctly, so far — that you won't act. Ninety days of this approach without movement means the file has graduated from psychology to collections.
That's where we come in. Free case review, no win, no fee — and the scripts above are yours to keep either way.