Rob Hallworth, Sales Manager-Block Discounting, Siemens Financial Services, shares some of the lessons learned from conversations with lenders and how reliable block facilities from dedicated funders can help lenders continue to grow their businesses, even when times are tough.
I feel like most of us want to focus on the future these days, but it can be helpful to reflect on the recent past to take stock of how far we’ve come and how, by working together, we can get where we’re going even faster. Recent conversations with our Block Discounting customers have reminded me of this. We’ve been reminiscing about positive lessons we’ve taken from the last few years, sticking together as an industry to help our lenders and their clients build better futures.
Let me share a recent example:
One of our longstanding lenders was hit hard by COVID. They were inundated with customers looking for help and turned to their trusted panel of Block Discounting providers for support. We worked with them to develop a forbearance package that would enable them to continue to support customers without worrying about their commitments to us. After only 6 months many of their customers were back on track and the business was confident enough to start rebuilding its book. Fast-forward to the present and they’ve quickly built back up to 2019 lending levels.
Many of our Block customers went through a similar experience and it’s at these times – the uncertain – when relationships make all the difference. Our longevity and customer service track record are good indicators to businesses that we’re here to stay. If the last two decades are anything to go by, there’ll be more challenges ahead but no matter what’s thrown at us, we’ll be here to stick it out with you.
We been offering Block Discounting since 2006 and have been through a lot with our customers in that time. We saw them through the 2008-10 financial downturn and of course most recently the pandemic crisis. Many of our customers have been with us through it all and we’ve supported them in growing their books through the good times and the hard.
That’s because relationships and dedicated customer service are at the heart of what we do. Our team takes time to understand a business, its potential and its portfolio.
We’re committed to knowing our customers because with Block Discounting arrangements we’re buying into their skillset. It’s also very freeing because once we establish trust and set up credit lines, our customers have the room to manage their portfolio as they wish with Siemens Financial Services at the ready to grow their facility as the business evolves.
Block Discounting by its very nature is about strong relationships, so here’s to continuing to grow those in the future And so if you’re looking for a provider who not only knows your industry but is in it for the long haul, then get in touch.
Rob Hallworth, Block Discounting Sales Manager
I have worked for Siemens since 2015 and been involved in the asset finance and Block Discounting markets for over 25-years. I am responsible for on-boarding new clients and managing the day-to-day facilities for our larger Block Discounting clients. I am proud to see how the Block Discounting product has contributed to the success of our clients’ businesses; often starting out as small asset finance brokerages, some of these clients are now amongst the leading independent finance businesses in the UK.
My interests are many and varied, the common feature being out in the open air, whether it be cycling, walking, or spending quality time with my family.