The dunning ladder
A 4-step escalation matched to how late and how large the balance is.
A dunning sequence that sends the same email 4 times trains customers to ignore it. Escalation has to change in kind, not just in frequency, and it has to end somewhere. A ladder with no top is a ladder nobody climbs.
The ladder
| When | Action | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Gentle reminder | Assumes an oversight; no consequence named |
| Day 7 | Second notice | States the terms and the due date |
| Day 21 | Escalation and a call task | A person is now assigned |
| Day 45 | Human handoff | Leaves the sequence with full context attached |
When to hand off
Hand off on judgement, not on age. A disputed line, a promise to pay that was missed, or a balance large enough to matter to the quarter all need a person regardless of how old they are. Everything else escalates on schedule.
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