Key Insight
Pre-due OBD calls are the single highest-ROI intervention in NBFC collections — they prevent roll from bucket 0 to bucket 1 at a fraction of the cost of manual calling or field visits. Here's the proven script, timing, and Hindi script examples.
Why Pre-Due OBD Calls Outperform SMS for NBFC Collections
Most NBFCs send SMS reminders before EMI due dates. The open rate for transactional SMS in India is 35–45% — meaning more than half of borrowers never see the reminder before the due date.
OBD calls have a 30–45% connection rate — but a connected call is qualitatively different from an SMS. The borrower hears your institution's name, the amount, and the due date spoken directly. The message cannot be missed in a notification stack or scroll past unread.
More importantly, OBD calls include an immediate action option: "Press 1 to speak with our team." An interested borrower can take action at the moment of awareness — not later, after they've gotten distracted and forgotten.
NBFCs that add pre-due OBD calling to their SMS workflow consistently see 25–40% reduction in early delinquency (DPD 1–30), because more borrowers who intended to pay but forgot are reminded in time.
The Optimal EMI Reminder OBD Schedule
| Call | Timing | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Reminder 1 | D-7 | Early awareness, "mark your calendar" |
| Reminder 2 | D-3 | Action prompt, "pay this week" |
| Reminder 3 | D-1 | Urgency, "pay tomorrow" |
| Overdue call | D+1 | Immediate response, "pay today to avoid charges" |
Four calls per billing cycle per borrower. At ₹0.22/connected call and a 35% connection rate, the cost to reach one borrower across 4 calls:
4 call attempts × ₹0.22 = ₹0.88 per borrower per cycle
At that cost, even a single roll prevented from bucket 0 to bucket 1 pays for thousands of reminder cycles.
Script Design: What Works and What Doesn't
Structural principles:
- Lead with institution name — identity first. Borrowers who don't recognize the caller ID ignore generic openings.
- State the amount and date immediately — borrowers who know the amount and date take faster action.
- Offer a clear action — press 1 for callback, or state the payment channel (UPI ID, website, nearest branch).
- Keep it under 30 seconds — messages longer than 45 seconds have significantly lower completion rates.
English Script — D-7 Reminder
"Hello, this is a payment reminder from [NBFC Name]. Your EMI of ₹[Amount] for your loan account ending [Last 4 digits] is due on [Date]. To pay online or speak with our team, press 1. For payment options via SMS, press 2."
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English Script — D+1 Overdue
"Hello, this is [NBFC Name]. Your EMI of ₹[Amount] for loan account [Last 4 digits] was due yesterday and has not been received. Late payment charges apply after [Date]. To speak with our collections team, press 1. To dispute this reminder, press 2. To stop these calls, press 9."
Hindi Script — D-3 Reminder
"Namaste, [NBFC Ka Naam] ki taraf se aapko yaad dilana chahte hain ki aapki EMI ₹[Rashi] ki due date [Tarikh] hai. Samay par bhugtaan karne ke liye press karein 1. SMS se jaankari ke liye press karein 2."
(Translation: "Hello, [NBFC Name] would like to remind you that your EMI of ₹[Amount] is due on [Date]. Press 1 to pay on time. Press 2 for information via SMS.")
Tamil Script — D-7 Reminder
"Vanakkam, ithu [NBFC Peyar] irundu oru ninaivuppu. Ungal kadhan [Kanakku] kku ₹[Thokai] EMI [Naal] nal vandhurum. Ungal thittathtin dheivathiy selluvatharku enna press seyya 1."
Regional language scripts consistently outperform English for Tier-2 and Tier-3 city borrower bases. If your portfolio is concentrated in Tamil Nadu, Tamil-first scripts produce 30–50% better response rates.
Calling Window Optimization
Connection rates vary significantly by time of day:
| Calling Window | Typical Connection Rate |
|---|---|
| 9 AM – 11 AM | 25–30% |
| 11 AM – 2 PM | 20–25% |
| 2 PM – 5 PM | 22–28% |
| 5 PM – 8 PM | 38–48% |
| 8 PM – 9 PM | 35–42% |
Evening windows (5–9 PM) consistently outperform morning windows for consumer finance collections. Borrowers are home, not at work, and more likely to have their phone available.
Avoid calling during prayer times in markets with significant Muslim populations (Friday afternoons), during major festivals (Diwali, Eid, Pongal, Christmas), and during cricket match final overs — the last one sounds facetious but the data consistently shows a 40–60% drop in connection rates during major IPL and World Cup matches.
Opt-Out Management: The Critical Compliance Step
Every EMI reminder script must include an opt-out option: "Press 9 to stop receiving these reminder calls."
When a borrower presses 9:
- Their number is immediately flagged as opted-out in the OBD platform
- All future OBD calls to that number are suppressed
- The account is flagged in your LMS for alternative contact method (agent call, SMS, WhatsApp)
- The opt-out record with timestamp is stored for compliance purposes
Opt-outs from OBD do not constitute opt-out from all communication — the borrower still has a contractual obligation. But the communication channel shifts to one the borrower has not explicitly opted out of.
What response rate should NBFC EMI reminder OBD calls achieve?
Pre-due EMI reminder calls to existing borrowers (warm database) should achieve 8–18% IVR press-1 rate on connected calls. Overdue calls (D+1 to D+30) achieve 5–10% press-1 rates. If your press-1 rate is below 3%, the script likely doesn't clearly communicate what the action is or the benefit of pressing 1.
Can OBD EMI reminder calls include a UPI payment link?
OBD is a voice-only channel — it cannot include clickable links. However, the IVR response can trigger an automatic SMS to the borrower's number containing the UPI payment link, immediately after they press 1 or 2. This combines OBD's outreach reach with the payment friction reduction of a direct UPI link.
Should NBFC OBD EMI reminders be in English or Hindi?
It depends on your borrower base geography. Urban portfolio (Metro + Tier-1 cities): English or bilingual (English first, Hindi option). Semi-urban to rural portfolio: Hindi or regional language first. The safe approach: record both English and Hindi versions, segment your database by geography, and send the appropriate language version to each segment.
Scalify Labs · Ranchi, Jharkhand
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Disclaimer: The strategies and information in this article are for general informational purposes based on our experience at Scalify Labs. Results vary by business, market, and execution. Consult with a specialist for advice specific to your situation.
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Founder, Scalify Labs
Founder of Scalify Labs · 17+ years in digital marketing · Ranchi, Jharkhand. Has helped 100+ Indian businesses build profitable digital marketing systems.