PDA

View Full Version : Why did I start this business...


Claire Freer
07-02-2008, 09:21 AM
My best friend and I both worked in law firms and barristers chambers as credit managers and realised the need for credit control in the professional industries.

That was it, we made it our mission to do as much market research as we possibly could before making a decision to give up our well paid jobs to start out on our own. It was really difficult because no-one wanted to admit that they had a debt problem so made up excuses that they were quite capable of dealing with the credit control function in house.

That was a real set back for us but we are both determined people and so carried on. 30 months later and we are in our 2nd year of trading and guess what, we specialise in law and accountancy firms along with many other industries!

It's been an up hill struggle all the way to make people realise that it is more cost effective to outsource their credit control than either not dealing with it in the hopes that the money will just come in on it's own or to hire a full time member of staff. With our service, they get a full time credit controller for a part time price and holiday and sick pay is now a thing of the past.

We still have days when we wonder what it's all about but now we get to work our own hours (some days very long hours), we get to spend time with our families and I've made loads of friends from all the networking I do.

It's been worth it.

Claire

The Bateman and Freer Partnership
Outsourced Credit Control Specialists
www.batemanandfreer.com

PaulSimister
07-02-2008, 04:14 PM
It is tough to get the business going and there are usually many things that you never thought about when you did your first business plan.

Still I'm that that it has worked out well for you.

As you sell a service that people often have employees for, have you found one particular method great for finding clients and if so what?

Most of my early successes came from direct mail (although that was before all these breakfast clubs became so common) and after that recurring work and referrals has delivered the goods.