Call at the right time: Choosing the right time to call a credit card company is one of the simplest, yet most effective negotiation tactics. Call them early in the morning, as this is the time when people are in the best mood and more likely to be supportive to your case. Don't call at the end of the day, when everybody is tired and grumpy.
Let them know you will pay back your debt: What concerns credit card companies most are people who are trying all sorts of dirty negotiation tricks to get out of paying their debts altogether. It is crucial that you explain to them that you do intend to pay back your debt. What you are asking is some small help. If you do this nicely, you may be surprised how understanding credit card companies can be! This is a very simple, yet effective negotiation technique.
Take advantage of your first time: If you have not asked for a lower interest rate or to have a late fee waived with this credit card company before, make sure you tell them. These companies are usually much more generous with first time offenders than with those asking for extensions on a monthly basis.
Demonstrate your loyalty: If you are a long-time customer or if you have spent a lot of money with the credit card company for years, try to take advantage of it. After all the long term success of these companies depends on people who spend money on their credit cards.
Ask for reduced interest rates: Not many people know this, but credit card interest rates are usually negotiable for those with good negotiation skills. If you have a reasonably acceptable payment history, you should have no issues with requesting a reduced interest rate. Bring across the point that you'll be able to use more of your money paying off your balance rather than your interest rate charges.
Get relief from late payment fees: This is a very easy, yet effective bargaining tactic. Late fees, like other fees, can easily be waived if you pay your bill within a few days of the due date. Haggling down fees tends to be much easier than haggling price. A solid credit history can be used as leverage, and may be well worth the effort to make that extra phone call.
Ask to skip a payment: When you are in a situation of financial problems that you think you will be able sort out in the near future, you can try to explain this to the credit card company. If you request to miss one or two payments as an exception, many companies are willing to give you this relief. The downside is of course a likely negative impact on your credit report.
Speak to the decision maker: A good negotiation tip is to talk to the person in charge as soon as you can. When you first call, you will probably be diverted straight to a customer service representative. If this is the case, request to talk directly to the manager or another person who can make decisions. Don't forget to write down all the names, designations, and contact details of everyone you talk to, as well as the time, day, and details of the discussions.
Let them know you will pay back your debt: What concerns credit card companies most are people who are trying all sorts of dirty negotiation tricks to get out of paying their debts altogether. It is crucial that you explain to them that you do intend to pay back your debt. What you are asking is some small help. If you do this nicely, you may be surprised how understanding credit card companies can be! This is a very simple, yet effective negotiation technique.
Take advantage of your first time: If you have not asked for a lower interest rate or to have a late fee waived with this credit card company before, make sure you tell them. These companies are usually much more generous with first time offenders than with those asking for extensions on a monthly basis.
Demonstrate your loyalty: If you are a long-time customer or if you have spent a lot of money with the credit card company for years, try to take advantage of it. After all the long term success of these companies depends on people who spend money on their credit cards.
Ask for reduced interest rates: Not many people know this, but credit card interest rates are usually negotiable for those with good negotiation skills. If you have a reasonably acceptable payment history, you should have no issues with requesting a reduced interest rate. Bring across the point that you'll be able to use more of your money paying off your balance rather than your interest rate charges.
Get relief from late payment fees: This is a very easy, yet effective bargaining tactic. Late fees, like other fees, can easily be waived if you pay your bill within a few days of the due date. Haggling down fees tends to be much easier than haggling price. A solid credit history can be used as leverage, and may be well worth the effort to make that extra phone call.
Ask to skip a payment: When you are in a situation of financial problems that you think you will be able sort out in the near future, you can try to explain this to the credit card company. If you request to miss one or two payments as an exception, many companies are willing to give you this relief. The downside is of course a likely negative impact on your credit report.
Speak to the decision maker: A good negotiation tip is to talk to the person in charge as soon as you can. When you first call, you will probably be diverted straight to a customer service representative. If this is the case, request to talk directly to the manager or another person who can make decisions. Don't forget to write down all the names, designations, and contact details of everyone you talk to, as well as the time, day, and details of the discussions.
About the Author:
Martin P Collins is a well known negotiation expert at Geneva Education who often gives very useful advice in his articles and blog posts. See here to learn how to improve negotiation skills by looking at his best negotiation tactics. Or visit here for more good negotiation tips.