Investec Asset Finance’s fourth annual broker conference focused on how brokers can build a successful brand to gain competitive advantage and increase their reach among SMEs.
The event, hosted by head of Investec Asset Finance Mike Francis, took place in Oxfordshire.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Martin Harries, Investec head of intermediary sales, gave an overview of the Investec Asset Finance offering, and Philip Shaw, Investec’s Chief economist, explained why he thinks the UK economy is in a reasonably strong position, contrary to common perception. He highlighted that the UK has now had ten consecutive quarters of continuous economic growth.
Raymond van Niekerk, head of global marketing at Investec, and William Kendall, a leading entrepreneur who built up New Covent Garden Soup and Green and Black’s, then gave presentations about their experience of building brands. They were in agreement that a business’s employees are core to its brand.
Andrew McMillan, former head of customer service at John Lewis, who is widely recognised for developing John Lewis’ much admired sales and service culture, developed this notion further in a discussion on customer service. He explained that some businesses just provide a transactional service, whilst others businesses offer an experience. It is a customer’s experience that informs their perception of the company and brand.
Investec Asset Finance will celebrate its tenth year of trading in March 2016, having already funded business worth over £2.9bn (4.03bn) since its establishment. The company said that it has reached 171,000 agreements since it began trading.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalDataFrancis said: "I am delighted that the conference has been such a success. The high calibre speakers and large number of attendees stimulated intelligent discussion and debate. It was a great opportunity for brokers to think about how they can build their brand, better service their SME clients and build the asset finance brand.
"In particular, Investec is pleased to have made a real contribution to raising awareness of some alternative finance options that can help growing businesses. If UK SMEs are to continue to thrive in the midst of economic challenges, there needs to be greater, nationwide education of the full range of asset finance options available and how to access them through specialist finance brokers."
