Loading Courses
Phone Collections Training Courses

Tickets

The numbers below include tickets for this event already in your cart. Clicking "Get Tickets" will allow you to edit any existing attendee information as well as change ticket quantities.
March 2027 Collections Foundations
The Collections Foundations (March 2027 class) runs live online via Zoom on Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 March 2027, 1:30pm – 4:30pm AEDT (Melbourne and Sydney time).
$ 485.00 AUD ex GST
Unlimited

Live online public course with Simon Blair

Collections FoundationsWednesday 3 and Thursday 4 March 2027

Six hours of live training for anyone who has to chase overdue payments. You’ll learn a clear structure to open with confidence, negotiate workable terms and close with a commitment, without damaging the relationship.

Two live 3-hour sessions with Simon Blair, plus a certificate. Book one ticket or several for your team.

Trusted by leading organisationsHundreds of businesses, from local councils to national brands, have chosen CX Skills to upskill their teams. See who we’ve trained

  • Australia Post logo
  • City of Casey logo
  • Federal Circuit Court of Australia logo
  • I-MED Radiology logo
  • MECCA logo
  • Taronga Zoo logo
  • Viking Cruises logo
  • Ultra Tune logo

What’s in it for you

Calmer calls that end in a commitment

Most people are never taught how to ask for money. They sound too soft and get no commitment, or too forceful and damage the relationship.

Collections Foundations gives you a clear, repeatable structure for every conversation about an overdue account, so more calls end with a payment or a plan the customer will keep.

  • Clear commitments on more calls
  • Fewer escalations and complaints
  • Calmer, more confident callers
Collections agent with a headset listening carefully on a call

Understand the customer

What people need under financial stress, and how emotion drives behaviour.

Open with credibility

A first impression that builds trust and sets clear expectations.

Find the real situation

Questions that uncover what the customer can actually do.

Negotiate workable terms

Plans that meet business needs and respect the customer’s situation.

De-escalate upset customers

Stay calm and professional when emotions run high.

Close with a commitment

Confirm the agreement clearly and end on a positive note.

The course

Two live sessions: the conversation, then the tough calls

Collections Foundations covers eleven modules across two 3-hour live sessions. Session 1 builds the structure of a productive collections call, and Session 2 tackles upset and difficult customers.

It suits dedicated collections staff just as well as people who only chase payments now and then.

Both sessions are practical and interactive, with role plays, group discussion and live coaching.

  • 2 × 3 hoursTwo live sessions
  • Online or onsitePublic online; private either way
  • Public or privateOne ticket or your whole team
  • CertificateFor everyone who completes

What people say about training with Simon

★★★★★
The content was clear, practical and highly relevant to my … role. Simon was very knowledgeable and made the presentation fun and interactive. I enjoyed the role playing, which will assist me in effective communication strategies, negotiation and assist in managing overdue accounts.
Svetlana AngelkoskiSenior Accounts Receivable/Finance Assistant, Newington College
★★★★★
Highly recommend Simon, his extensive knowledge and experience makes for really engaging and fun training sessions. He has an absolute passion seeing people excel at phone and sales skills.
Chris PetricAsset Finance Broker, Sanomi Finance
★★★★★
Simon taught skills you probably use every day but brought format and structure to it. Makes you highly aware of how we form conversations and steer them in a direction where you get results.
Louis StylesNetwork and Security Operations Specialist, AC3

What’s covered: eleven modules

Role plays, group discussion and live coaching across two 3-hour sessions.

Session 1: Productive collections conversations
Module 1

The Psychology of Customers

What customers want and need during financial difficulty, and how emotion drives behaviour.

  • Needs during financial difficulty
  • How emotion drives behaviour
  • Setting the right tone
Module 2

How to Engage

Create a first impression that builds trust and sets clear expectations about the process.

  • Strong first impressions
  • Trust and credibility
  • Clear expectations
Module 3

Better Conversations

Assess the customer’s situation and steer the conversation toward a solution.

  • Questions that uncover needs
  • Listening for the real situation
  • Steering toward solutions
Module 4

Negotiation & Problem Solving

Agree payment terms that meet business needs while respecting the customer’s situation.

  • Workable payment terms
  • Overcoming obstacles
  • Sustainable solutions
Module 5

How to Educate

Explain the collections process clearly, so customers feel supported and informed.

  • Explaining the process
  • Checking understanding
  • Key information, clearly
Module 6

Closing with Impact

Confirm the agreement and leave a positive last impression.

  • Confirming the agreement
  • Thanking the customer
  • A professional close
Session 2: Difficult conversations and follow-up
Module 7

The Psychology of Complaints

How financial stress shapes behaviour, and how to reduce tension.

  • Emotion under financial stress
  • Reducing tension
  • Guiding the conversation
Module 8

Empathy and Intent

Acknowledge emotions, then move the conversation to problem-solving.

  • Acknowledging emotion
  • Empathy with assertiveness
  • Moving to solutions
Module 9

Handling the Most Difficult Customers

Vocal and behavioural techniques to de-escalate hostility, without losing professionalism.

  • De-escalation techniques
  • Managing hostile behaviour
  • Staying professional
Module 10

Group Practice

Realistic role plays to apply every skill in a safe environment.

  • Realistic scenarios
  • Coached role plays
  • Building confidence
Module 11

Online Communication

Respond to payment concerns by email and chat with clarity and empathy.

  • Clear written replies
  • Empathy in writing
  • A professional tone

Training a whole team? Talk to us about a private course

Getting sign-off?

Everything your manager needs, in one PDF

Download a two-page fact sheet for Collections Foundations: outcomes, modules, format, price and options, ready to forward or attach to an approval.

Course fact sheet (PDF)

Outcomes, modules, format, price and how to book, ready to forward or attach to an approval.

Download the fact sheet

Prefer to talk it through?

Not sure which course or format suits your team? Get in touch and we’ll help you choose.

Talk to us

Who it’s for

Who is Collections Foundations for?

Anyone who has to talk to customers about money they owe, from dedicated collections teams to people who only chase the odd invoice.

Collections and accounts receivable

Managing overdue accounts and payment plans every day.

Contact centre and service agents

Handling collections calls alongside service enquiries.

Small business owners and admin staff

Chasing invoices without damaging the relationship.

Hardship and complaints staff

Supporting customers through billing disputes and financial stress.

Utilities, government and healthcare

Balancing empathy with financial and regulatory requirements.

Team leaders and supervisors

Coaching staff through sensitive financial conversations.

Looking for the full range of sales training? See all sales courses

Reviews

What participants say about our sales training

Verified reviews from people who’ve completed our sales, collections and retention training.

4.9

374 verified reviews across all CX Skills courses

Read every review
4.9

Sales, collections and retention training courses · 23 reviews

5.0

On Google · 39 reviews
Independently verified

View all testimonials

Pricing

Pricing and payment options

Six hours of live training with Simon Blair and a certificate, for $485 per person ex GST. Book one ticket or your whole team, and pay by card or invoice at checkout.

Places are limited to keep the sessions interactive, so book early to secure your place.

  • Save 15% when you book 3 or more tickets in one transaction
  • ACXPA members pay $363.75 per person, a 25% saving (see below)
  • Card or invoice: choose how to pay at checkout
  • Certificate for everyone who completes
  • Training a whole team? Private courses run live online or onsite for groups of 5 or more

Official ACXPA training partner

Want to save $121.25 on this course? ACXPA members pay $363.75, not $485, plus a year of self-paced courses, tools and live expert support

  • 50+hours of live expert access a year
  • 65+tools, templates and resources
  • 18calculators
  • 25%off CX Skills live public courses

ACXPA members save 25% on this course and every CX Skills live public course.

ACXPA membership is a practitioner-built toolkit for anyone who has to chase overdue payments: self-paced courses, a complaints framework for calls that turn difficult, coaching tools and live expert access every fortnight, for a full year.

What you get as a member, all year round

  • Self-paced courses on being assertive, difficult customers, complaints and managing stress, each with a workbook, quiz and certificate, plus one-minute refreshers for team huddles
  • The Complaints Handling Hub: a 7-step framework, staff cheat sheets and logging tools
  • Coaching tools, including the Agent Performance Matrix, which plots each person on quality versus productivity
  • 480 Customer Response Templates with Business Membership
  • Live expert access: monthly Roundtables and a fortnightly Open Mic with ACXPA’s founder

FAQs

Collections Foundations FAQs

Format, pricing, content and who the course suits.

Still have questions? Get in touch
Who should attend?
Anyone who has to talk to customers about overdue accounts: collections and accounts receivable staff, contact centre and service agents, small business owners and admin staff, hardship and complaints staff, and the team leaders who coach them.
What’s covered?
Eleven modules across two sessions. Session 1: the psychology of customers, how to engage, better conversations, negotiation and problem solving, how to educate, and closing with impact. Session 2: the psychology of complaints, empathy and intent, handling the most difficult customers, group practice, and online communication.
When are the sessions?
Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 March 2027, from 1:30pm to 4:30pm AEDT (Melbourne and Sydney time) on both days. You’ll receive your Zoom link before the course starts.
What if I can’t make these dates?
See the other upcoming dates, or talk to us about a private course for your team on dates that suit you.
Is it only for dedicated collections teams?
No. It works just as well for people who only chase payments now and then, such as accounts, admin and front-desk staff.
Will we get a script?
No. You learn a structure and language you can adapt to each customer, rather than a script to read.
How much does it cost?
Public courses are $485 per person (ex GST). Save 15% when you book three or more tickets in the same transaction, and ACXPA members save 25%. Private training is priced for your team.
How is it delivered?
Public courses run live online via Zoom over two 3-hour sessions. Private courses can be live online or onsite at your workplace anywhere in Australia, New Zealand or the Asia Pacific (travel costs apply).
Will the course definitely go ahead?
Public courses need a minimum number of participants to run, so we reserve the right to reschedule or cancel a date if too few people book. It rarely happens, and if it does we’ll let you know as early as possible and you can move to another date or get a full refund.
Do participants receive a certificate?
Yes. Everyone who completes the course receives a digital certificate of completion.
Is the course ACXPA certified?
Yes. Collections Foundations is ACXPA certified and built on the standards ACXPA uses to assess customer service.
Is there a lower-cost or self-paced option?
Yes. Our self-paced library is a much cheaper way to build collections skills at your own pace, from $9.15 per person a month, with courses on debt collection, negotiation and conflict management.

An ACXPA membership is another option: members save 25% on live public courses and get 12 months of tools, templates and live sessions.
Can I get something to share with my manager?
Yes. Download the fact sheet (PDF) for the outcomes, modules, format and price in one short document. Public courses can also be paid by invoice at checkout.
How do I book?
Choose how many tickets you need in the ticket box at the top of this page, then check out by card or invoice. To train a whole team privately, talk to us or call +61 3 9008 7287.

Talk to us

Questions about training your team?

Book a call to talk it through, or send us a message and we’ll get back to you.

Book a callDownload the fact sheet

Prefer the phone? Call +61 3 9008 7287 (Mon–Fri, 8:30–17:30 Melbourne time) or email hello@cxskills.com.au.

Name(Required)

Ready to book your place?

Secure your tickets for 3 and 4 March, or talk to us about a private course for your team.