The Shape of Things to Come. Ashley outlines why small is beautiful - for businesses
Small business invoice finance specialists, Ashley Commercial Finance have re-branded to emphasize the strength of their relationship with smaller businesses. They have also conducted a survey that found most businesses claim to be larger than they actually are. As a result Ashley is challenging industry to ‘be proud to be small’ and for organisations that serve the smaller business to abandon ‘one size fits all’ services.
Cheadle based Ashley, which last year celebrated 10 years in business, is a longstanding member of the Federation of Small Businesses.
Jonathan Cranston, Managing Director at Ashley Commercial Finance, said:
“Defining what a small business is has always been a problem. Officially, the DTI defines it as companies with less than 50 full-time employees that has a turnover of not more than £5.6 million. But then, 97 per cent of firms employ less than 20 people!
Then there is also the issue of perception, just as we know job applicants stretch the truth, most smaller businesses want to grow and can see themselves as bigger than they actually are. This isn’t helpful when they want services appropriate to their needs. To quantify this we commissioned a survey to find that 95 per cent of small businesses claim to be larger than they actually are.
Servicing smaller businesses is challenging and few businesses that succeed do it well by lumping all customers together. Our re-branding shows a philosophy which reflects our clients’ needs of a more personalised service. Ashley can shape our services specifically for the smaller business and we define our market as businesses with a turnover of less than £1.5 million.”
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Photo available on request from
Ashley Commercial Finance is a truly independent invoice factoring company, with no ties to banks or other financial institutions. Ashley provides invoice finance for the smaller business (including start ups and turnarounds) across England and Wales. Ashley has offices in Manchester, London, Leeds and Bristol. The company has almost 200 clients with turnovers between £50,000 and £1.5 million. They range from printers to road haulage companies, recruitment agencies to taxi firms, recycling companies to IT organisations.
Ashley provides ongoing finance for a business at up to 90% of the value of a client’s sales ledger, which, coupled with professional credit control makes invoice finance an attractive option for a growing business and a smarter alternative to an overdraft. As the facility is based on a percentage of turnover, the funding available grows with the business. Ashley’s independence and lack of bureaucracy means that funding can be in place for new clients to draw down within 24 hours of receiving sales invoices and at the lowest minimum fee. Full Online Account Access enables clients to obtain account information 24 hours a day.
Unlike many other invoice finance companies, Ashley allows clients to choose which accounts they factor, thus avoiding paying unnecessary factoring fees.
In response to client demand, Ashley launched an asset finance facility in June 2005. This is available for anything from computers, telephone systems and office equipment, through to company vehicles, yellow plant and machinery.
There is a great step by step ‘Guide to Invoice Finance’, a guide to ‘Being Paid on Time’ and more information about the company at www.ashleyfinance.co.uk
Ashley Commercial Finance is a patron of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB).
Editors notes:
Statistics reveal that 93 per cent of employees lie regularly at work. A study conducted by The Risk Advisory Group of more than 3,000 CVs submitted by job applicants during 2004 showed that 25 per cent contained false statements and an average of three lies.
Ashley Commercial Finance commissioned the survey in May 2006 from MPMR asking 120 businesses across the North West if they have ever claimed to be larger than they actually were – 94.5 per cent said they had.
Photos (300dpi plus) and further press information available (including press packs) at Marketing Projects’ web site in the press office for Ashley Commercial Finance at http://www.marketingprojects.co.uk/clientpo/news.asp?id=21
Press Contact: Jane Harrad-Roberts Consultant Director, Marketing Projects Email: jane@marketingprojects.co.uk Mobile: +44 7785 395705 Tel: +44 1244 330000 Press hotline: +44 1244 330101
Company Contact: Jane Merriman Marketing Manager, Ashley Commercial Finance Email: jayne.merriman@ashleyfinance.co.uk Tel: 0161 741 7400 Direct.
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