MARKETING FEATURE


The Guild of Master Craftsmen has continued its tradition of bringing together skilled professionals and artisans engaged in a trade or craft in order to safeguard the public’s interest and ensure a premium service from recommended tradesmen. Rogue tradesmen can produce substandard work and this can be hard to spot when you are meeting a supplier for the first time. Therefore, without using


a carefully vetted member of The Guild of Master Craftsmen you may be putting yourself at risk.


The Guild of Master Craftsmen provides the public with skilled, local tradesmen you can trust.


If you see the Guild emblem you can be sure that you will be working with a trusted tradesman who is highly skilled, reliable and accountable.


Contact: 01273 478449 Email: theguild@gmcgroup.com Follow on Twitter: @Guild_MasterC


Guild provides members several options to reduce risk of late payment and debt


LATE payments cost SMEs an estimated £2billion per year, according to an Independent newspaper group survey.


Credit is often seen by clients as free fi nance. However, it is not free for you and can lead to your own company having to pay late as a result of your debtors.


One of the key factors that infl uences a business owner’s decisions on how far to push for the money they are owed is whether they will lose the client if they request payment.


A good, robust process for collecting your money includes maintaining the client relationship and building a better trading history rather than alienating them.


Minimising risk


As business owners we are in a constant battle to be paid on time and what we are worth. It seems, at times, as though we are waiting longer than ever for the money we are due.


However, there are several options available to us to minimise the risk of late payment and bad debts.


Our responsibility as business owners is to identify, at the very start of our clients’ journeys, who should and should not receive credit terms for the goods or services they purchase from us. We need to identify those who pose a risk to our business and work with them rather than off er them credit or turn them away as too high of a risk.


The Guild of Master Craftsmen provides members with access to a credit management and debt recovery affi liate as part of the membership pack. This exclusive service off ered to members covers the full credit management service from receiving the order to receiving the cash in your bank. The package includes:


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Cash flow reviews – Each member is entitled to cash flow reviews free of charge, with a maximum of two per company, per year.


Credit checking – If the client has no trading history with you it would be wise to obtain a credit check from a referencing agency. This will enable you to make an informed decision whether to allow credit, request payment or a deposit up front, or whether to decline the order. Guild members get up to eight free reports per year and a discounted price on further reports, enabling you to decide who you allow credit to.


Access to webinars – These cover top tips on faster cash collection, obtaining payment while maintaining the relationship and speeding up the order- to-cash process.


Mentoring and training – If you have an existing credit control team, your membership will allow you to access both mentoring and training for your team members at a discounted price. This will ensure staff are properly trained and


supported within the role. This service can also be accessed by business owners who are looking to take control of their own debtors list.


Debt collection – A discounted service for the collection and recovery of your debts when all else has failed. The service is off ered on a no-collect-no-fee basis; if your money is not collected, you do not pay anything.


If the client has no trading history with you it would be wise to obtain a credit check from a referencing agency.


Credit control services – A heavily discounted service exclusive to members. Your full credit control function is outsourced for a fixed fee.


TBH February, 2019 27


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