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Posts Tagged ‘independent factoring company’

Factoring but doing all the collections yourself?

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

Are you using an expensive factoring facility but feel that you are doing all the work yourself?  This is the most common complaint regarding factoring finance. The factoring company is supposed to handle all the collections  and credit control. However if you choose the wrong factoring company you end up having to do all the hard work which makes the facility doubly expensive. The good news is a CHOCS facility ” Customer Handles Own Collections”   provides a half way house. Read on peops.

A CHOCS facility provides an alternative to a business that isnt eligible for  invoice discounting however would not rather go to the expense of paying for credit control with a full factoring facility. CHOCS funding is very appropriate for business that already have their own in house credit control. As with factoring your customers will be ware that you are assigning your invoices to the finance company however you will be given sole responsibility for the collections element.

Obtaining confidential invoice discounting is not as easy as it used to be this factoring facility may be the perfect solution. High street banks will often try and switch a business from confidential invoice discounting to full factoring during and following a period of difficult trading. This is because a business in such circumstances is perceived a higher risk and as such full factoring gives the banks  greater control and also a greater return for the increased risk.

A CHOCS facility can be provided by a number of independent factoring companies and as such can provide an improved service and affordability.

Is it Possible to get overpayments with invoice factoring

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Invoice factoring provides cash against unpaid invoices. Most finance companies will pay up to 80% of unpaid invoices and give you credit of up to 90 days. Before the credit crunch it may have been possible to obtain up to 90% of your  sales ledger however this is very uncommon in the the era of  very cautionary finance companies. When choosing an invoice factoring company it is important to take into consideration how flexible they may or may not be.

 Imagine coming to the month end and there are not quite enough invoices in the pipeline to draw down enough cash to pay the wages. However you have a few big  jobs around the corner and you know you will catch up the following week. If you are with a bank based factoring or invoice discounting company and you need a bit of extra cash then good luck trying to find a decision maker. If you have chosen a smaller and sometimes independent factoring company you will have a much greater chance of getting an overpayment. At XL Business Finance we do have clients who have moved to bank based factoring companies and have moved back to smaller independent for this very reason. They know at the end of the month that if here are going to be any short term cash flow problems they need a flexible finance company that they know that after one phone call and no more than 24 hours later they have some extra cash.

An independent factoring company is one that is not bank owned and therefore does not have the same red tape and bureaucratic hierarchy to go through to get decision done. They have usually been set up by quality guys that have been within the factoring and invoice discounting industry for many years. The MD will sit in the same office as all the other staff so special requests and help can be obtained by walking straight into his or her office.

Need Factoring Advice?

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

January is one of the busiest months for businesses thinking of looking at invoice  factoring . After the Christmas break many businesses find them selves strapped for cash and as such enquiries for this form of finance sky rocket. The good news is that you don’t have to go to your clearing bank for these very flexible cash flow facilities. There are many independent based factoring and invoice discounting companies based throughout the UK who in our opinion provide a much more comprehensive funding package. Whether you are looking to raise cash against unpaid invoices or you need help with collecting your debtor book XL Business Finance will be able to help you find the most suitable funding partner.

AT XL Business Finance we deal with the vast majority of the UK based factoring companies. We know which finance company is best for your particular business. There are literally dozens of UK Based factoring companies offering up to 90% funding against your unpaid invoices. The thing is though that not all of them are the same. Like with any financial institution they all have their sweet spot and each and every finance company has their own particular sweet spot! How can you be sure that unless you use an independent  factoring broker that you are finding the company with the sweet spot that matches y9our own particular and unique requirements?

What is the point of factoring your invoices with a company that the Head Office is based in London and you are based in Manchester. If you have any issues surely it is better that you can drive a few miles down the road and have a face to face chat with a decision maker! Additionally you might want to ask if the factoring company  you are dealing with has credit control and collections based in the same office. Not all do!

Is Asset Finance getting easier

Saturday, December 12th, 2009

During the last few weeks we have seen an increase in businesses requireing asset finance solutions in the form of hire purchase and finance lease. This has got to be good news for the economy however is it any easier to obtain credit approval for investments. The answer is maybe however at XL Business Finance we take a slightly different approach in organising finance for our clients. As a result our success rate is very high at getting acceptances for our clients.

Until the credit crunch there were many banks and high street finance companies wanting to your business. There was plenty of cash around and the terms and conditions were fantastic. Low interest rates, minimal deposits  , long terms , no personal guarantees were all too common place. The last twelve months however have been the complete opposite. Banks as we know have shut up shop and getting funding from a finance company other than your own bank has been very difficult. Therefore to get the best possible chance of  success it is absolutely imperative that your application for funding is presented to the finance company in the best possible light. XL Businesses finance are truly one of the UKs leading independent finance company,  its Managing Director has over 20 years experience in the finance industry.

It is not always necessary top provide detailed business plans and cash flow projections. So long as we have the right info including a full set of the last audited accounts, recent management accounts, bank statements to evidence a well run account together with the rational for the investment you will have the best opportunity of obtaining the best possible finance deal. If there is any other information that will help such as copies of finance agreements coming to an end this will all help. Get it wrong and there is a massive difference between the prime funders and the next tier of funders if indeed you are able to get finance at all.

Factoring for a small Business

Friday, October 16th, 2009

There are literally dozens of factoring companies, some bank owned and many others are independent. A well run factoring facility can provide a cash lifeline by providing funding against unpaid invoices. The ability to unlock this cash provides the financial freedom that a business requires to develop and grow. However in these difficult times the choosing the wrong factoring company can be the difference between a business succeeding or failing. It is even more important for the small business because the wrong choice of factoring company can potentially lead to devastating consequences. So how do you select the best factoring company?

Most businesses with turnover of less than £500,000 will be required to factor their debts. Factoring not only provides cash against unpaid invoices it also provides a credit control system for the business. There are two elements to the charge. The cost of borrowing the money which is usually charged at a percentage over bank base rate or libor and a service fee which is usually a percentage of turnover. Depending on the complexity of the business ,the number of invoices and turnover the service fee can start a a couple of hundred pounds a month or from 0.5% -2% of the total turnover.

Not all factoring companies are the same. Factoring is very much a service driven product and some providers are better than others.  Other than providing cash sometimes we forget that if the credit control of the factoring company is not up to scratch than there is no point  choosing the cheapest provider if they cannot collect the cash. At XL Business Finance we know which factoring companies will telephone all your customers ensuring the cash is collected on time. Many of the bank operated factoring companies will only telephone the top few debtors leaving the rest to be chased by post. Also the number of customers will also impact on service. The geographical location must also be taken into consideration as certain factoring companies are better in certain parts of the country. A good independent factoring broker will be able to guide you through the factoring maize.

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