Opening our latest Bulletin, we look at how a survey from Bibby Financial Services confirms that business owners continue to feel increasingly confident about the future. What’s driving their confidence and what’s the one thing which could hold them back?

Tide, the mobile business account provider, has announce the forthcoming launch of Tide Invoice Assistant. We look at how the new service can save business owners time in handling their invoicing tasks.

To wrap up, we review the latest figures from the Finance and Leasing Association which, for the first time in nearly a year, report an increase in Asset Finance deals written. Is this a sign that businesses are beginning to reinvest?

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Google, Spotify, Stitcher or itunes channel.

If you prefer to read what’s in the latest Bulletin here is the transcript.

Business Finance Bulletin Transcript

Business confidence levels continue to rise. Tide bank launches new add-on service to reduce invoicing burdens and asset finance usage signals that maybe businesses are starting to reinvest.

All of this in the latest Business Finance Bulletin.

Business Confidence Continues to Rise

It’s great to be starting this Bulletin with more positive news. The positivity of course, is around the predicted bounce back in the UK economy, which the government and the Bank of England is now starting to signal. Also confidence levels amongst business owners is continuing to rise. This has been bourne out in the latest survey undertaken by Bibby Financial Services and IN the latest survey they’ve revealed that 75% of small business owners say they now have a more positive outlook for the rest of the year.

Also 74% of them say they anticipate that business would return to pre COVID levels by Christmas. So there’s quite a significant turnaround. What’s driving this?

In the survey, 59% of business owners said that they are looking forward to acquiring new customers. These are customers that they’ve never dealt with before. So if we’ve got business owners looking to acquire new clients, that’s a really good sign of positivity.

And also this positivity is backed up by hard cash. On average small business owners say that they’re looking to invest approximately £150,000 over the next 12 months. This has been driven primarily by the construction sector and also the transport sector and with these sectors, once they start spending, it really trickles down to the economy. Also a third of businesses say they’re going to be reinvesting in hiring new staff and also training their existing teams as well.

So all of this is a really good sign. Of course, there is one downside. The survey also revealed that small businesses are owed on average, approximately £116,376 in unpaid invoices. I’ve mentioned in recent Bulletins that we’ve got to be careful. Now, when you start growing watch that you don’t lose control of your cash flow; it’s cash that will really fuel your growth. So do keep an eye on your cash position, but overall, really good to see that both the economy is looking more positive and also a positive outlook from small business owners as well.

Tide Invoice Assistant

Do you spend a lot of time on administrative tasks, such as creating invoices, chasing up on invoices, managing expenses and spreadsheets? Well, according to Tide, the mobile only bank, businesses can spend about one and a half hours per day On average chasing overdue payments. They can also spend three to four hours per week or managing expenses, creating invoices and managing spreadsheets.

All of this of course is unproductive time; it takes you away from the important task of generating sales and managing customers.

If you’re already a Tide bank customer, you can as of now, create invoices on your app. Well, Tide have now launched a new add on service called Invoice Assistant. This will allow you to do a number of things in terms of managing your payments and invoices. Under Tide Invoice Assistant, you will now get automatic notification of when payments are made, so you can do your reconciliation.

It will automatically chase those customers who are overdue on payment. You can also set up direct debits via GoCardless, so when the invoice is due, the payment is automatically taken, so no more chasing. It’ll also provide some credit insurance as well to protect you against a nonpayment.

This add-on service costs just £10 per month plus VAT. If you find that you are spending an awful lot of time on admin, and you think you can manage your time in a better way, then this service will be ideal for you. If you want to know more about the Tide service, all you have to do is go along to their website, which is www.tide.co. and there you will find information on their business account and also this new service.

A great new service from Tide for those businesses who are time poor.

Asset Finance Growth

More good news. I’ve taken a look at the latest figures from the Finance and Leasing Association in terms of the amount of business their members have been doing with asset finance deals such as HP and the leasing.

The latest figures for the number of deals written in March has shown that there’s been an increase of 15% in activity in the month of March 2021 compared to March, 2020. Of course, March, 2020 was the first month of the lockdown. And so to see a 15% increase on that month is perhaps not unsurprising, but it’s the fact that it is an increase is a positive. It just shows that businesses have started reinvesting back in their business.

Overall, on a 12 month basis, year to year volumes is still down 20% because obviously activity was very low during the whole of the year, but it’s really encouraging to see at least in the month of March activity levels of building back up. Where’s the activity happening?

There was a 22% increase in the deals written in March in terms of commercial vehicles; there’s also a 14% increase in deal activity for business equipment. So it is very clear that businesses are starting to reinvest back into their businesses, which is obviously a good sign and just shows that business owners are ready to be back up and running and a lot more confident about the future.

If you are interested in asset finance and want to know more about HP and leasing opportunities, please just drop us a line info at business loan services . co.uk, and we will happily guide you through the various options.

So overall, really good news this year, that business owners are starting to spend and investing.

Close

That’s it for another Bulletin and as ever, I hope you enjoyed watching. If you did, please, don’t forget to give it a like a share and subscribe to this channel. So that’s it and I look forward to being with you again, next time and in the meantime, have a great successful week.

Opening our latest Business Finance Bulletin, as businesses get back on the path growth, what are their top priorities and actions? We look at the findings from the recent Hitachi Capital Business Finance Business Barometer report.

It’s not all good news for businesses though. We review the most recent Red Flag Alert report from Begbies Traynor which reveals a jump in the businesses which class themselves as in ‘significant financial distress. What actions can you take to keep on the right side of the track?

To wrap up this edition, a report from Dun and Bradstreet highlights that a continuation in late practices could hinder the hoped-for business recovery and growth during the remainder of this year.

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Google, Spotify, Stitcher or itunes channel.

This week’s Business Finance Bulletin is another Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) special.
Opening this episode, we look at the announcement that Funding Circle has now joined the panel of accredited CBILS lenders. How will Funding Circle change the Scheme, and will it lead to a speeding up in distribution of funds?

We also review how CBILS has performed so far in supporting businesses in need of finance. A look at the figures reveal that the impact has been minimal and how a quickening of the pace is now needed.

To close the Bulletin, if you are thinking of applying for a loan under CBILS, what information will you need submit to the lender? Preparation is the key to ensure you don’t suffer from any unnecessary delays.

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher or itunes channel.

To open this week’s Bulletin, we look at the knock-on effect of changes to the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and general lender reaction to the crisis which has jointly led to a fall in the availability of finance.

Evidence is now emerging of the impact the virus is having on businesses. We review a report from the British Chambers of Commerce which reveals reduced confidence and the limited level of cash reserves businesses have set aside to cover expenses.

To close, news of a grant scheme established by The Princes Trust and Nat West to specifically help young entrepreneurs meet costs and invest in new equipment.

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher or itunes channel.

Opening our latest Bulletin, we look at the recent government announcement on changes to The Insolvency Act. The move is designed to protect Directors from personal liability claims in respect of Wrongful Trading. Why has this change been made?

aspect of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme that is catching businesses by surprise is the need to establish viability of the business going forward. We look at how you do this when applying for the loan.

During normal times planning ahead as to when to submit an application is important. However, in our current situation there is now only one perfect time to apply. The answer to that question is whether we are going to see another Credit Crunch?

This Business Finance Bulletin episode is devoted to one topic, being support offered to UK businesses struggling from the ongoing CV crisis.

Businesses are starting to see the change in circumstances negatively impact on sales and cashflow. To open, we look at support measures the government and the Bank of England have announced to ensure a steady supply of finance. The actions will free up significant amounts of cash for banks to on-lend.

Turning to the High Street banks, we review what the major banks are offering their customers by the way of support packages. Will all businesses be able to access funds though?

Closing the Bulletin, we share tips on how you can help yourself by managing and being in control of your cashflow. Swift action could keep you on the right side of solvency.

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher or itunes channel.

UK businesses have been hit by a number of financial shocks this year which can have an impact on sales, profitability and cashflow. To open this Bulletin, we look at the level off support being offered by banks to ease the burden.

To improve its position in the market we review changes Nat West has made to their business account to make it more competitive in an ever increasingly crowded market.

To close this Bulletin, an announcement by small and micro business lender AskIf on its approval from the British Business Bank to offer loans under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme.

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher or itunes channel.

Start ups have traditionally found it challenging to raise finance. To open this week’s Bulletin, a look at how Just Cashflow will be using Augmented Intelligence to pre-select and directly approach start-ups worthy of financial support.

The latest annual Small Business Finance Markets Report from the British Business Bank reveals how banks are getting left behind in terms of financing SMEs. Are the days of High Street being the first port of call numbered?

Wrapping up this edition, a look at recommendations from the Money Advice Trust, which runs Business Debtline, on how the continuing problem of late payment needs to be addressed.

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher or itunes channel.

Opening this Bulletin, a review of the latest Small Business Index survey from the FSB which reveals that business finance is primarily being used to supplement cashflow as opposed to investment. Will this continue in 2020?

Firms looking to export for the first time can find it challenging identifying opportunities and associated risks. To solve this problem, the trade credit insurer Euler Hermes has launched a free-to-use tool for budding exporters.

To wrap up, news from the Asset Finance sector on how 2019 volumes outstripped traditional bank lending. What assets financed saw the most growth last year?

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher or itunes channel.

To open our latest Bulletin, we review a survey from Hitachi Capital Business Finance which reveals that businesses are now prioritising growth plans over cost cutting measure. SMEs are focusing on three main strategies to boost business in 2020.

Mobile-only banking continues to provide an alternative to traditional High St bank accounts. Anna Money is one such bank which focuses solely on providing mobile banking for businesses. We take a look at the key features designed to support SMEs.

To close this Bulletin, news of action taken by the Prompt Payment Code against a number of household names which have failed to meet payment guidelines. The steps are intended to send a message to larger businesses that late payment is unacceptable.

If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher or itunes channel.