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If we could all be a better friend, the world would be a better place…
February 9, 2023 9:19 am Leave a Comment

Those immortal words, spoken by the legend Sir Kevin Sinfield about his mate Rob Burrow, keep us driven on our quest to do good for others.

Fancy making a difference too…

Good, then ask yourself these three very important questions….

Do you strive to help others less fortunate than yourself ?

Do you live / work within an hour of Leeds ?

Do you play golf (badly) ?

If the answer to all of these questions is a resounding YES, then you’re the perfect candidate

to join our merry band of business owners in The Friendly Golf Society.

Now in it’s 10th year, the society was created with the sole aim of helping raise funds for various local charities.

They are proud to state that to press they have raised over £10,000.00 for good causes.

Made up from an ever growing list of local business owners, the society plays a monthly round of golf at different marquee courses around West Yorkshire.

The purpose : To take some time out for themselves, make meaningful connections, grow their businesses and have a leisurely bat, whilst all the while doing good for others that need it most.

If this is something that appeals to you, click to our website The Friendly Golf Society for further details and then drop us a line to register your interest.

Al si thee,

Cheers, Rob.
Meet the team – The fifth in command, affectionately known as Bosley…
October 27, 2022 10:31 am Leave a Comment
‘Getting to know you, getting to know all about you’…… or so the song goes.

People often ask us… ‘What’s so-and-so really like ? We speak with them on the phone all the time but we’ve never met them’.

As a result, we felt it was time to publish a quick, informal question and answer session with all of our team individually, just as a bit of fun mostly but you never know, it might spark a conversation between others over mutual tastes.

This month we speak with the office minion Rob (also known as Bosley on account of him being surrounded by angels, and no Rob didn’t come up with the moniker or the reason why…)

So Rob, what’s your best trait ?

I’d like to think patience but I’m sure both my family and my colleagues would have a word or two to say about that.

What’s your most annoying habit ?

Procrastination, or is it, I’m never too sure. Let me think about that one for a while and I’ll come back to you.

What hobbies do you have ?

Still playing golf really badly (but I do enjoy our charity golf events we arrange in the Summer months).

Playing footie with my old team mates (but I’m at an age now where the brain is willing but the body is not !)

Being out and about with my family and our dog Beau. Time is precious when you run a business so the ability to spend time with those precious to yourself becomes more and more paramount as you get older.

What three things would you take with you on a desert island ?

My wife Dan, our daughter George… and some headphones…

What’s your favourite ‘happy’ movie ?

Anything from the old school 80’s like Ferris Bueller, Weekend at Bernies. Anything that’s not too taxing on the old grey matter.

What’s your favourite ‘sad’ movie ?

Tend not to watch sad movies, life’s too short to spend it in tears.

Which two people (dead or alive) would you share a meal with ?

My Grandparents – Enough said !

Tell us a joke ?

Patient – Doctor Doctor, you’ve got to help me, I think I’m a moth.

Doctor – You don’t need my help, you need the Psychiatrist next door.

Patient – Yes I know, but your light was on !

Thank you, I’m here all week.
Meet the team – Everyone’s favourite ‘monster’ – Cookie.
August 10, 2022 4:02 pm Leave a Comment

‘Getting to know you, getting to know all about you’…… or so the song goes.

People often ask us… ‘What’s so-and-so really like ? We speak with them on the phone all the time but we’ve never met them’.

As a result, we felt it was time to publish a quick, informal question and answer session with all of our team individually, just as a bit of fun mostly but you never know, it might spark a conversation between others over mutual tastes.

This month’s victim (sorry, subject) is the staggeringly individual Cookie (yes, that is Cookie’s real name, ask her about the story one day).

So Cookie, what’s your best trait ?

Hopefully I have more than one! Friendly, resourceful, caring and a good listener spring to mind.

What’s your most annoying habit ?

I’m not very patient with liars ! Always tell the truth no matter how bad it is.

What hobbies do you have ?

Playing Chess – Have a game every week, online with a pal in New Zealand.

Zumba – Love it so much became a Zumba Gold Instructor which is an absolute joy.

Reading, walking, yoga, hula hooping (yep, you read that right…) and going to live music gigs.

What three things would you take with you on a desert island ?

My three favourite M’s : My friends and family (one of them will bring a chess set !), Marmite and some music.

What’s your favourite ‘happy’ movie ?

High Society – Back from a time when movie stars were icons and not just famous !

What’s your favourite ‘sad’ movie ?

The Elephant Man – “My Name is John Merrick” Such a sad and heart breaking real life story.

Which two people (dead or alive) would you share a meal with ?

George Michael and Frank Sinatra – What a chat that would be, I’d be happy to just sit and listen !

Tell us a joke ?

How many dance teachers does it take to change a light bulb?

Five! Six! Seven! Eight!
Everyone’s saving save money but should we be spending ?
August 9, 2022 7:39 am Leave a Comment

90’s pop chanteurs D’Ream once sang… ‘Things can only get better’.

Sadly, if you apply this in a business sense, they’re wrong !

Inflation is at a record high. Interest rates are rising. Petrol is ever fluctuating. Utilities are going up again with the upcoming increased price cap. This all means that supplier costs continue to increase to cope with the demand for more business capital and there’s no immediate end in sight.

Unfortunately now it’s more apt to chime… ‘things are only going to get more expensive’, but what can we do to mitigate these increasing costs and maintain business continuity ?

Cutting costs is one option but the general rule of thumb is that you can only cut costs by around 20% but as a well-known supermarket brand does say… ‘every little helps’.

Increasing sales generates greater long term returns, especially if they’re recurring but revenue growth can take time, which a lot of businesses simply don’t have.

But what about maximising the situation at present ?…

Many businesses have a cash life-line hidden within their ledger, they just don’t have either the knowledge, the skills or perhaps the time to release it. Unpaid monies sat on a client’s invoicing can hold the key to survival. It’s simply a matter as to how you recover those monies to both the client’s AND the customer’s benefit.

Business owners recognise the risks ahead and are looking for solutions to provide them with the tools and the bi-product, cash-flow to navigate the tricky waters ahead.

We normally get recommended within ONE LinkedIn discussion a week as the ‘go-to guys’ when it comes to effective and professional debt recovery solutions. At the point of writing, this week alone we’ve been included within FOUR separate LinkedIn posts.

But why choose to spend more money when times are tough ?…

Well we recently conducted a bi-annual review of one of our creative clients and ascertained that for their monthly investment of only £300.00, we had recovered for them the total of around £245,000.00. An eye watering return of investment of approximately 7000 % !

Now more than ever….

Is the time to keep control of your exposure and risk.

Is the time to maintain and continue your essential business cash-flow.

Is the time to invest in business continuity, business growth and business survival.

Now more than ever, is the time to invest in the gang at Corp & Comm.
Meet the team – ‘Our Lady Friday’ – Rosie
March 16, 2022 4:57 pm Leave a Comment

‘Getting to know you, getting to know all about you’…… or so the song goes.

People often ask us… ‘What’s so-and-so really like ? We speak with them on the phone all the time but we’ve never met them’.

As a result, we felt it was time to publish a quick, informal question and answer session with all of our team individually, just as a bit of fun mostly but you never know, it might spark a conversation between others over mutual tastes.

This month’s victim (sorry, subject) is our affectionately known ‘Lady Friday’ (given that she’s the business’s right hand lady) otherwise known as Rosie.

So Rosie, what’s your best trait ?

I’d like to think I have a few. I’m honest, reliable and empathetic. All good traits to have when you’re working in credit control.

What’s your most annoying habit ?

Probably overthinking things and taking things too personally. Often people need to vent and somehow it always seem they want to vent at me but honestly I wouldn’t say boo to a goose so I don’t know why they always want a crack at me !

What hobbies do you have ?

Genealogy (studying people’s family trees), reading and knitting. I’m currently (March 22) knitting baby stuff for an upcoming great niece.

What three things would you take with you on a desert island ?

Any book with lots of pages, matches and a pan. (Believe it or not I can be very sensible at times)

What’s your favourite ‘happy’ movie ?

7 brides for 7 brothers. You’ve got to love an old throw-back movie, back to your childhood when life seemed just that little bit easier.

What’s your favourite ‘sad’ movie ?

Don’t have one in particular, most movies can make me shed a tear…

Which two people (dead or alive) would you share a meal with ?

Any of my Grand-parents. Like most of us, I miss them daily.

Tell us a joke ?

Why don’t you want to start a conversation with the maths Pi ? ?…… because it goes on and on and on…….
Which industries are predicted to suffer most from no-deal Brexit?
August 22, 2019 11:05 am Leave a Comment

A government spokesman said: “The UK will be leaving the EU on 31 October and our top priority is supporting consumers and businesses in their preparations for Brexit.

Are you preparing?

In a previous blog we talked about reviewing your due diligence processes to ensure you know who you’re dealing with. So we thought it would be useful to also be aware of which industries are predicted to be most effected, in a no deal outcome.

Which industries are likely to suffer most from a no-deal Brexit?

The cross-party Exiting the EU Committee has warned that a no deal could mean “damaging consequences” for sectors such as:
- Car industry
- Food industry
- Services businesses
- Farming
- Pharmaceuticals
- Chemicals
- Technology
- Higher education
Consider

With pressure on cash-flow it is essential that you stay on top of your credit limits and watch our for repeat late payments. Don’t just assume customers can and will pay you eventually. No matter how big their name is. If you have clients in these industries extra vigilance or communications maybe needed.

Using an independent third party such as ourselves to create and implement and end to end credit control function or chase one off late payments can often be the most effective option. Get in touch we are happy to talk through options.
Will regulation force businesses to name & shame themselves for late payments?
April 24, 2019 2:20 pm Leave a Comment
The Government continue to acknowledge the devastating impact late payments have on SME’s in their Spring Statement:

Philip Hammond said “I announced a year ago that we would take definitive action to tackle the scourge of late payments for our small businesses. A full response to last year’s call for evidence will be published shortly, but I can announce today that as a first step we will require company Audit Committees to review payment practices, and report on them in their Annual Accounts. We will announce further details in due course. “

This seems to be the Government’s grand idea to make larger companies more self accounting. By having them publish the typical time taken to pay suppliers. Also requiring them to employ a non-executive director to be responsible for this and to hold them to account.

Is this another government white elephant initiative just in time for the launch of Dumbo in the cinemas or will it really help tackle late payments?

The Facts

Late payments continue to negatively impact small enterprises in the U.K. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has stated that larger firms should have a director in place to help reduce delays. Elsewhere, late payments impact contractors focused on emergency repairs in the U.S. Virgin Islands after the 2017 hurricanes.

Any company dealing with the larger UK companies know they often dictate their own payment terms. So what’s to stop the firm simply extending the payment terms. As long as they adhere to the extended terms, then will they be deemed as late ?

Also how effective is a non executive director going to want to be in holding the company to account that is paying their wages ?

Another challenge is whether the larger companies will adhere to the request, or will it be another ‘toothless tiger’, akin to the Government’s voluntary Prompt Payment Code?

Recent surveys by the BACS payment scheme showed the direct cost of late payments to small businesses is currently valued at around £2 billion. With the FSB have commenting that a typical SME is owed on average £6,142. It is estimated that as many as 50,000 firms go out of business each year because of problems related to late payment.

What can you do?

It’s not enough to allow the larger businesses to regulate themselves, it is imperative that all SME’s manage their exposure and risk in a prompt and pro-active manner.

Where possible invoice little and often.

Not only does this remove the spectre of having your cash flow tied up in one big invoice, should a smaller invoice be paid late, it alerts you to the payment practices of the customer and allows you to react to same for the future.

Be proactive and not reactive.

Have a set, robust credit control procedure that ensures that you are pursuing invoices as and when they become due (and before if possible). The sooner you are aware of a late payment, the quicker you can resolve same for the sake of your business and your sanity.

For more ways to manage your exposure to risk take a look at our Blogs or Contact Us.
New Year’s Business Resolution…. Always Keep an Eye on my Exposure and Risk !
December 12, 2018 12:09 pm Leave a Comment

The New Year is always full of promise. The challenge is whether we can continue to stick to our well intentioned promises.

We often make promises to alter ourselves, our lifestyles, our environment but how often do we promise to alter the way we look at our business

Sadly running a successful business can be a drain on your time. Often the clamour to service clients and fulfil orders takes over the opportunity to really look at your business. Including analysing your exposure and your risk.

We all know that there is ‘no better time to start something new than the present’ but the New Year also brings us a ready-made opportunity for change.

Take a little time during the holiday period to study or analyse your customers payment habits. Is there a particular customer who has taken longer and longer to pay ?

If so, make a note on your accounts system to flag them up as a concern. Then make them your priority when you’re conducting your credit control, contact them first. The quicker you action a concern, the speedier you are to get paid.

Is there a particular customer who has consistently ordered more goods than your suggested credit limit ? Now is the time to conduct some credit and diligence checks on that customer. Make sure that they are worthy of the extended credit limit that you are giving them ?

If they are, then write to them to extend their credit limit. Your customer will appreciate the vote of confidence and may even provide further orders. If they are not worthy of additional credit, flag them up on your system and every time they go past their limit, contact them immediately and ask them for payment to bring them back in line.

New year is the time for new starts and new beginnings, so let’s all start putting best practice into our businesses.

If we can be of help with recovering outstanding debts or remove the time you spend chasing payment by taking on your credit control please get in touch>>>

Happy New Year !
How do you make sure you receive a treat and not a trick ?
October 24, 2018 1:02 pm Leave a Comment

Halloween… a time for ghouls and ghosts, tricks or treats, but also due diligence.

Oh no…more late payments

We all dress up pretending to be other, often ‘un-worldly people’. The aim being to remain unknown, to scare or maybe trick the unsuspecting and hopefully to escape with a bag of loot. All in the name of fun of course.

But…

If you consider this in a business context, it’s not so fun, especially when you consider the real aim is to trick you out of your hard earned money!

It may sound harsh even far fetched but we all know that there are companies out there who don’t need Halloween season as an excuse to try to pull the wool over people’s eyes.

Remember in most cases October’s invoicing is Christmas’s cash flow.

Doing all that you can now to ensure that your customers are true and valid, will go some way to ensuring that the invoices you raise this month have a chance of being paid in the future.

What action can I take?
- Check up on the liquidity of both your new customers and also your bigger value customers.
- Check that the account details you hold are correct and that you’re billing the correct company.
- Check that there aren’t any pending insolvencies raised against the customer.
- Check that the people running the company, are who they say they are.
How do I do that?

Use these FREE web-links to aid in your investigations :

www.companieshouse.gov.uk/beta

www.biz.gov.uk/insolvency

www.thegazette.co.uk

As you know, our mantra is… ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure’… so being forewarned is forearmed.

In this season of pranks and high jinks, no matter how tempting it may seem to chase that quick buck, that big invoice, it is imperative your do your diligence first.

Don’t get fooled into accepting a trick, concentrate your time on receiving those treats !

Are you owed money?

Why spend valuable time chasing for payment when we can do it for you? Submit details of owed invoices quickly and easily online , or simply give us a call 01535 654 594. On occasion you can even add our fee and interest to the total amount we aim to collect.
The Friendly Golf Society – Your chance to do something for yourself……. whilst helping others.
July 26, 2018 12:13 pm Leave a Comment

If Covid has taught us anything, it’s taught us to appreciate life

Wasn’t it strange that the moment freedom was taken away from us, we just wanted to get out more, and didn’t we all realise how fantastic Mother Nature can be when we take a little time to take it all in.

After the year we’ve all had, it’s now time to set a little time aside for you, to reward yourself for all your extra endeavours over the year, to re-set and re-charge and to enjoy the simple things in life that we’ve learned to appreciate just that little bit more.

The Friendly Golf Society

Now in it’s eighth year, the society is a growing group of local business men who get together six times a year to generate local business, support charitable causes and enjoy a round of golf or two. Who said ‘Men can’t multi task?’

Rob Lewis, MD of Keighley based business Corporate and Commercial credit solutions and society organiser said, “ It’s a great opportunity for local business to support each other and a great charity like Martin House. This year has had more resonance than most with Covid and it’s made us all appreciate the opportunities we have, not only for ourselves but for others also. Thanks to all of our members for their continued commitment”.

Our Chosen Charity – Martin House Children’s Hospice.

Martin House provides family-led care for children and young people with life-limiting conditions. They support families from across West, North and East Yorkshire, both at their hospice and in the community. They place families are at the heart of everything we do and value each member as an individual with their own needs. For more information about Martin House Click Here >>>