Give me credit

Late payment, bad debt and other unforeseen dangers are always waiting to trip up the unwary SME, warns Paul Briggs.

Maintaining a clean P&L, examining risks and cutting the budget cloth in accordance with revenue, working capital and overheads may not be as glamorous as the cut and thrust of closing a big deal, getting your commission and enjoying some corporate hospitality, but in today's economic climate it is essential.

However, very few small businesses give accounting practices and financial governance the attention they deserve.

Late payment, bad debt and other unforeseen dangers are always around the corner waiting to trip up the unsuspecting company.

Many diligent firms with good business models, products and services have failed due to outside influences that would never have arisen if good accounting and financial nous were applied in the first place.

At CRN we have been talking to VARs and professionals in the credit and finance industry for many years.

Through feedback, we found out long ago that there was a real need for solid financial advice to help resellers avoid the many pitfalls in the business landscape.

Credit has been covered in the magazine for some time, and early last year we launched a dedicated credit and finance page where the cream of the channel and professionals from Bell Microproducts, Computer 2000, PKF, Euler, Gerling NCM, Syscap and Graydon offer guidance on this subject.

After enjoying sound advice in the magazine, in the next few days resellers will be able to use services and consultancy from the experts, thanks to an exclusive partnership with CRN's online tools and services website at www.crnservices.co.uk.

Enlightened VARs that are already using the site will know that we currently offer leasing and rental services as well as online tenders.

In the near future we will be rolling out credit services from Graydon and putting up some exclusive content to help resellers stay afloat in these stormy seas.