As an independent broker within the invoice finance world this week has seen a curious mix of the traditional enquiry (recruitment business) to the new (professional services) with a speciality (very speciality!) clothing business for good measure.

Regardless of activity and its always good to talk to businesses across different sectors, the motivation for talking about invoice finance is the same. Additional cash, over and above the level provided by a bank overdraft, will bring material, quantifiable advantages to each business.

At its core this is what invoice finance brings, there are peripheral benefits too but extra working capital is the primary use and advantage. It seems many businesses still believe it is only the high street banks that offer business finance but the range of funders continues to grow bringing real choice and variations in service levels, rates and security requirements.

Advice is vital and the banks are ill equipped to provide it, partly because a whole swathe of experienced, knowledgeable bank managers have left and partly because they cannot offer the appropriate facility or service. Bad advice is worse than no advice so talking to an experienced, independent broker has real merit.

The election rumbles along and whilst in the past they have been used as a means of avoiding any decision, businesses this time seem to be making decisions about funding, possibly in the recognition that the aftermath of the election is likely to be a state of limbo. The possibility of a two election year (such as 1974) fills most with dread!

This time next week the politicians we admire so little will be in deep discussion with each other, at our expense, cutting deals to grab the  power they crave. (Sadly the offices of Factoring Partners will be closed next Thursday and Friday as a late Spring invoice finance conference takes place in Barcelona)