My strapline - 'The South West Business Doctor - Hands on Help to Improve YOUR Bottom Line' has lead me into further new territory. Leasing. Leasing is an effective means to maximise cash flow - a way of getting the benefits of office equipment, commercial vehicles, business cars, agricultural equipment, industrial plant and machinery, medical and dental equipment and equipment in hotels and restaurants - without plundering any cash reserves or entering into binding and complex bank loans. It is a sobering thought that in 1990 total new asset finance in the UK was approx. £16 billion. (No that isn't a typo!) That figure stood at £29billion in 2008. Even more staggering, perhaps, is the fact that a government debate recently indicated that up to 75% of businesses have at some time been wrongly charged by leasing companies. This may be because unrealistic sales commissions have been built in; the APR may be incorrect; hidden charges may have been built in - there are many possibilities.This does not apply to every lease, I hasten to add. But how do you know whether you have a 'good' lease or not?
You come to me!
A simple, initial check will cost you nothing. Working in association with BKA Midlands, part of the Pickstock group of companies, I will get your lease checked out FREE OF CHARGE to establish whether or not there are signs of overcharging and if there are, an indication of by how much. So for absolutely no charge, you can establish whether your leases are true to what you believe you signed up for. Now that can only be a good thing surely? On the other hand, if there are signs of overcharging, you can assess the amount and weigh up the benefit of having a third party recover that amount on your behalf. Details of costs for this will obviously be fully disclosed at the time. A completely transparent process with me keeping you fully posted throughout.
What is the point of investing in good marketing to generate more business if you are not going to realise the full potential profit that is created? Good business practise is about growing core business and increasing profitability and managing costs; this is a part of the latter - but it all impacts on your bottom line.
Forensic auditing is a very exciting development in a complex area requiring specialised expertise.
I can introduce you to the people with the relevant expertise that can either put cash back into your business or reassure you that any leases you have are exactly what you believe them to be.
If you want to know more - email me - info@thesouthwestbusinessdoctor.co.uk or give me a call on 01805 804645 - I'll look forward to hearing from you!
Thursday, 2 September 2010
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Another String to the Bow!
Funny how things go isn't it? There I was trying to turn around the fortunes of a small and struggling hotel (at the request of their accountant) when I suddenly found myself being invited to become an associate of a company specialising in debt management! But logical when you think about it. Personal and business finances very often get tangled up together in small businesses and if someone is weighed down with the stresses and strains of unsecured borrowing that has got out of hand they really are not going to be able to focus on their work or their business. However professional and organised people are in their business environment, the thought of dealing with their own financial problems is often just too much to contemplate. CAB isn't hands on by and large - they will advise but they don't have the resources to actually physically deal with the problem on behalf of inquirers. So what am I doing for people with my debt management hat on? Quite simply, taking the problem away from them!
I will review income and expenditure and prioritise what has to be paid.
I will then negotiate with creditors on behalf of the Client to get affordable repayments put in place and (usually) interest and charges frozen.
It is worth noting that a third party will get a far lower offer of repayment accepted than an individual will for themself - often well below half the original amount.
I then provide on-going support to people. Why would they need it? Because debts get sold on and people will suddenly find themselves being pursued for money by someone they have probably never heard of. Any correspondence is passed to me to deal with for them. It may be that their circumstances change and they are able to make a reduced offer to clear the debt. Again, third party negotiating is far more successful.
Debt is a dirty word - people don't like to admit that they have a problem but the fact is that one in three people has got a problem. Often the people you least expect. Professional people, managers, the people you would least expect to have a problem. But once the problem is addressed, the relief is huge and people are able to focus their attention back on their work, their business, their families - all the things that get neglected when overwhelming problems place unbearable pressure on people. Best of all, the difficult bits, the negotiating, the correspondence - are handled for them. All they do is make one payment by direct debit and the individual disbursements are also handled for them on their behalf.
If you want more information or you know someone who is struggling, email me at info@thesouthwestbusinessdoctor.co.uk I have also produced an audio CD which explains fully what is involved and how it all works. And, perhaps more importantly, puts people's mind at rest - debt isn't a dirty word - it is the fallout of recession. I should point out that in handling this issue I am working as an associate of a company which is fully licensed. Lots of companies are licensed to handle debt management but few operate at quite this level.
The longer people take to decide to take action, the worse the problem gets. So take the first step! Sooner rather than later!
I will review income and expenditure and prioritise what has to be paid.
I will then negotiate with creditors on behalf of the Client to get affordable repayments put in place and (usually) interest and charges frozen.
It is worth noting that a third party will get a far lower offer of repayment accepted than an individual will for themself - often well below half the original amount.
I then provide on-going support to people. Why would they need it? Because debts get sold on and people will suddenly find themselves being pursued for money by someone they have probably never heard of. Any correspondence is passed to me to deal with for them. It may be that their circumstances change and they are able to make a reduced offer to clear the debt. Again, third party negotiating is far more successful.
Debt is a dirty word - people don't like to admit that they have a problem but the fact is that one in three people has got a problem. Often the people you least expect. Professional people, managers, the people you would least expect to have a problem. But once the problem is addressed, the relief is huge and people are able to focus their attention back on their work, their business, their families - all the things that get neglected when overwhelming problems place unbearable pressure on people. Best of all, the difficult bits, the negotiating, the correspondence - are handled for them. All they do is make one payment by direct debit and the individual disbursements are also handled for them on their behalf.
If you want more information or you know someone who is struggling, email me at info@thesouthwestbusinessdoctor.co.uk I have also produced an audio CD which explains fully what is involved and how it all works. And, perhaps more importantly, puts people's mind at rest - debt isn't a dirty word - it is the fallout of recession. I should point out that in handling this issue I am working as an associate of a company which is fully licensed. Lots of companies are licensed to handle debt management but few operate at quite this level.
The longer people take to decide to take action, the worse the problem gets. So take the first step! Sooner rather than later!
Monday, 1 February 2010
Tactics to Triumph! (in 2010 and beyond!)
Marketing and Training tend to be the two first targets for cut backs when things get tough. I cannot believe how many business people subscribe to such a narrow view! I have always said that 'recession' presents opportunities for businesses to survive and thrive and emerge in a much stronger position especially as competition flounders. And a lot of floundering occurs because false economies are made. Training in core skills needs to be refreshed on a regular basis because otherwise, people fall back into bad habits. Where the workforce has been reduced, remaining staff are required to take on more responsibilities - they need to be trained to do this - at the very least, they need to be given the confidence that they are capable of doing what is asked of them. You cannot just assume that a receptionist/telephonist can suddenly take on a tele-sales role. Speaking of sales, does anyone ever stop to consider the enormous range of 'selling' that falls under this umbrella? Do people understand the differences between 'selling' and 'negotiating'? Do people understand the type of person they are and therefore how they naturally react to people? Do they recognise the different types of people out there and therefore the best and worst ways of connecting with them in a meaningful and ultimately successful way? Do you understand the importance of this and the ways in which simple psychometric analysis can revolutionise sales and negotiating techniques?
Core business skills are crucial but they need to be revised, updated and given a twenty first century twist which is to get people's minds tuned into really making things work. What is the point in giving someone the tools to enable them to manage their work and their time more effectively if their mindset isn't prepared to follow through?
Tactics to Triumph! is about working with business to position them ahead of their competition. It is about structuring a programme of training and coaching that is specifically designed to meet the needs of each individual business. Contact me for more information - I don't just talk the talk - I have walked the walk for many years. This is REAL training and coaching for the REAL world - YOUR WORLD!
Core business skills are crucial but they need to be revised, updated and given a twenty first century twist which is to get people's minds tuned into really making things work. What is the point in giving someone the tools to enable them to manage their work and their time more effectively if their mindset isn't prepared to follow through?
Tactics to Triumph! is about working with business to position them ahead of their competition. It is about structuring a programme of training and coaching that is specifically designed to meet the needs of each individual business. Contact me for more information - I don't just talk the talk - I have walked the walk for many years. This is REAL training and coaching for the REAL world - YOUR WORLD!
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