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Results from Field Calls is what ultimately we are after. There is no need to spend the time or gas knocking on doors unless we get results. Results can be more information but ultimately we need resolution of the problem – money. Last Saturday, I spent a couple of hours knocking on doors and here is a brief narrative of what happened.

First, I went to visit member that I suspected did not work on Saturday. I knocked on the apartment door and no answer or sign of life. As I finished the note to leave in an envelope, up the stairwell comes a lady with two cute boys following in behind. “Mommy, open my gun!” Each had a play gun that they needed help getting out of the wrapper. She stared at me and I asked if she was ER. She said yes and I introduced myself. She seemed flustered and tried to talk above the noise but could not. Finally, when the boys were able to play with their toy even while it was in the wrapper, we could talk. She and her husband had split, her brother was living at the property we had financed. She did not have money today. She would get in touch with her brother and make the needed payment by the last Friday of the month. This was some progress. I accepted that and told her to contact our office by Wednesday. At this writing, she has not. But, I also obtained some good information on the ex-husband who is several months past due! It lead me to find an address for his mother – several miles away, that was a bonus!

Next, I visited a member in a mobile home. They had an amazing feature to the front door. When you knocked, the TV went off inside! After several knocks, I realized the TV would not come back on and I would not get a personal greeting- except from the hungry cat! So, I left a note and lingered a bit. Still there was no TV noise…. Hmmm, that was some smart door!

Results so far, not great. But, I was making a good statement about how serious each member’s loan was to the CU. Next, I went out of the town on a country road. I came upon the house for the member and suspected it was abandoned. The grass was very tall, in fact taller than the dog that made its way to the fence to bark at me! Before the dog could find his way out of the grass jungle, I had checked the electric meter in the back and it had a good tag on it, so the house was occupied. Another knock on the side door was answered by an older teenager. He was polite and took my note. His mother would not be back until after 8:00PM. I also asked him for a contact phone number, he gave me the mother’s cell number! That was a good improvement! Later that evening, she did call my cell and has already paid more than one payment and will pay again by month’s end. That helped a lot! Read the rest of this entry »

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