Traveling to Disney with a two-year-old is not a vacation. It’s a logistics operation with snacks. There are schedules, backup snacks, backup-backup snacks, emergency juice boxes, and a constant mental calculation of how close you are to the next potential meltdown.
Standing in line for the bus to Magic Kingdom is where the calculations really begin. The stroller is packed like a supply wagon, the diaper bag weighs roughly the same as a carry-on suitcase, and everyone is staring down the road, hoping the next bus is their bus.
The Dreaded News-Next Bus: 30 Minutes
Every parent in line immediately starts doing the math: How long until food? Shade? The first meltdown? And if grandparents are along, there’s another variable—how long until someone suggests ice cream as the solution to everything. (Full disclosure: my husband and I seriously considered solving the wait with ice cream, but figured some ideas are better kept to ourselves.)
Then something unexpected happened. Ten minutes later, the bus pulled up. Not thirty minutes. Ten minutes. The bus arrived before the next meltdown. The toddler was still happy, the day was still intact, and suddenly I found myself oddly grateful to a bus system.
Disney didn’t promise ten minutes. They promised thirty. By setting realistic expectations, they created room to exceed them. Thirty minutes felt believable—maybe even a little disappointing—but honest. When the bus arrived early, the reaction wasn’t indifference. It was relief. Gratitude. Trust. The bus didn’t just get us to the park sooner—it quietly made the entire experience feel better.
That’s when my husband turned to me and said,
“Look at that—under committed and over delivered. I love it.”
And that, I realized, is exactly what makes a collection call magical.
Magical Moments in Collection Calls
I’ve listened to thousands of collection calls, and the rule is simple: don’t promise what you can’t deliver. Under-commit, then over-deliver—every time. Just like Disney with their bus, some of the most memorable “magical moments” happen when collectors exceed expectations in small but meaningful ways:
- Do Not React to the Customer’s Tone – Many customers are frustrated with their own situation and may take it out on the collector. Staying calm, listening, and responding thoughtfully often over delivers. Done right, the customer realizes they’re not at odds with the collector—they just need help.
- Provide Clear Next Steps – Lay out exactly what the customer can expect so they aren’t left guessing. If repossession is next, explain what that might mean, such as a deficiency balance or loss of the vehicle, in a clear, honest way.
- Offer Flexible Payment Options – Present multiple plans or alternative arrangements that fit their current reality, even if they are temporary. Showing understanding and a willingness to help—even in short-term solutions—often exceeds expectations and builds lasting trust.
- Never Say “Collection Efforts Will Continue” – If a customer has explained that they cannot pay right now, repeating this phrase adds no value. Over delivering here means listening carefully and guiding them thoughtfully, rather than reciting a generic line.
These small actions don’t just resolve accounts—they build trust, create gratitude, and make the experience human.
Like that bus showing up early, when collectors under commit and over deliver, the call stops feeling transactional and starts feeling meaningful.
The lesson is simple: realistic expectations give you space to exceed them. And when you do, the impact is bigger than you might think.
Author: Bev Evancic
Bev.Evancic@ResourceManagement.com
Bev Evancic is a Senior Vice President at Resource Management Services, Inc. Prior to employment at RMS, Bev worked as the Collection and Recovery Manager at AT&T Universal Card, Citi, and Federated Department Stores. Bev started in the collection industry as a collector at an upscale clothing store in Cincinnati, Ohio. As a returned check and private label credit card collector, Bev gained a basic understanding of the collection industry that has not changed with the introduction of regulations. Her collection philosophy begins with the idea that businesses and customers benefit from preserving the customer relationship. First, collectors need to attempt to contact customers when it is convenient for the customer to discuss his/her financial condition and willingness/ability to pay. Second, you never collect money by intimidating or threatening customers. Third, businesses must make sure the debt is valid.
She has managed all phases of collection and recovery operations, including automated dialer units, bankruptcy, and legal units, skip tracing units, internal collections, outside collection agency networks, and Consumer Credit Counseling. As a Consultant for Resource Management Services, Inc., Bev has spearheaded collection and recovery best practices reviews for many top credit grantors. Her articles on dialer operations, agency management and bankruptcy best practices have been widely publicized.
She is well known and regarded as a specialty expert in the areas of: Repossession, Bankruptcy, Estate, Litigation, as well as Pre- and Post- Charge-off. Prior to joining Resource Management Services, Inc. in 1995, Bev managed the Recovery Department for AT&T Universal Card Services where she developed the bankruptcy, probate, internal and litigation processes.
She is the author of “Recovery Management: Collecting the Uncollectible Account.
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