Current market...
The beginning of 2010 has already brought the dawn of a new decade and the coldest winter for over thirty years, yet it is the general election that will hold the attention of most during the first quarter. We cannot know when this will be or how it will affect the economy, however, we can be sure that a return to pre-Christmas activities would be most welcome.
In the six weeks leading up to Christmas, nearly every market in the economy seem to see a boost in activity, sales and performance. This bodes will for the beginning of 2010, but every single company needs to help keep the momentum building, through investment in products and services that last year were viewed as not a necessity.
The banks and finance houses also seem to be warming to the current market, with a couple having rejoined the fray and at least two more being rumoured to do the same. This is not to say that lending will return to the levels of 2007, but there is vastly more consistency on credit decisions, even if they are not the ones we are hoping for. Furthermore, the majority of our customers understand the position the financial institutions find themselves and are therefore providing the detailed information required to make a decision first time.
So what does this mean for selling print equipment? Well first and foremost, it means that the early involvement of a finance company is critically important on the borderline transactions, since we can steer businesses towards a structure that is acceptable by all. This, coupled with our broad range of finance partners, means we are still very well placed to source the most competitive and flexible finance packages in the market.