New Research: Telephone Counseling is as Effective as Face-to-Face Counseling

 

A study released just this past Monday confirms what many already know: telephone debt counseling works. Debate on the benefits of face-to-face versus telephone counseling leave many consumers confused—some consumers just don’t have the time arrange a face-to-face meeting, yet they don’t want inferior advice.

The bottom line the study found is this: both forms of counseling are as effective in improving the consumer’s debt management skills.

Another important find shows that those consumers who enter debt management programs have better credit performance records two years later. These debt management programs are usually set up by counseling agencies in order to aid consumers in consolidating and paying down their debts.

Basically, the study concludes that though both forms of counseling are as effective as the other, the consumers who are most “at-risk” seek out face-to-face counseling. What this means for the large majority of consumers seeking out debt consolidation advice: you have nothing to loose by scheduling an over-the-phone counseling session.■