When working with consumers, it can be helpful to develop a good rapport by advising them how to get their credit back on track. Here are five steps you can suggest to help them.

Step One: Go to AnnualCreditReport.com and get all three bureau credit reports once a year for free.

Step Two: Review all three credit reports and then remove negative information that is inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable.

Step Three: Work on the items "most damaging" to "least damaging" in this order: bankruptcy, foreclosure, repossession, loan default, court judgments, collections, past due payments, late payments, credit rejections and credit inquiries

Step Four: Mail certified dispute letters or Use the online disputing service provided by the credit bureaus or

Step Five: Wait 45 days, and repeat the process if necessary, at least annually. If a credit bureau cannot verify information on your credit report within the time allowed by law, they must remove it.

Remember: Anything a credit repair company can do, you can do for yourself for free.