At all times, maintain a professional, unemotional demeanor. If the collection efforts turn personal, your collector loses his or her professional leverage, destroys any spirit of cooperation, and may frighten the debtor away. Keep it professional, have a plan, and know the options.

And, if all else fails, sue the debtor for the amount owed. Good attorneys will counsel against spending more on legal fees than the company stands to collect. But even a small claims action will signal to the marketplace that the company means business.

However, winning a judgment is one thing. Collecting from a debtor who has no money… well, you’ve heard the story about getting blood from a stone? Learn from that.