Listen to the customer's response and try to be understanding while remaining firm. He/she may have a legitimate reason for being late in paying the bill. Offer alternatives without conceding the debt. For example, the customer may have had an unexpected financial situation that forced him/her to postpone payment. If his/her payment history had been good, a restructure of payments may be acceptable. However, if the customer has had a history of late payments, leniency may not be the best approach.
