PAPER OVER

This month’sedition is all about sustainability. At Direct Route AccountAssyst, we pride ourselves on being pioneers within our industry, while also being innovators in service and paperless solutions, fornot only our clients but also from thewider standpoint.

Take forexample our AccountAssyst portal. Designed withsustainabilityinmind, the customer portal is completely paper-less and offers a computerised system and process forthe incorporation of new customer accounts, online credit checking functions and abrand-new innovation of additional customer personal guarantees… all done electronically of course.

Often clients engage with Direct RouteAccountAssyst simply because their manual administration is alittle stretched and so they are carrying araft of ‘paper this and paper that’whichforms their account opening process.

Goodbye Forms

Account Assyst instantly does away withthe necessity to carry paper forms.

This means there’sno moreworrying… is this form completed? Is that form signed? Is that application form legible? No morehavingtodig outacredit application form to ensureall of thecontent matches up withanew order and no morelaborious re-checking as to whether a customer’s creditratingmatches theproposed purchase.

Direct RouteAccountAssyst worksinacompletely automated and autonomous way, ensuring that allcustomer information is stored safely on asecureserverthatcan be quicklyaccessed and updated at atouchofaclient button.

Real Time Data

As information is stored in real time, alerts to changes in acustomer’s credit ratings areinstantly relayedinone daily email, ensuring that any decisions made on upcoming purchase orders can be made withthe correctand true facts of acustomer’s liquiditytohand.

All users can also consistently checkwhether thecustomer could be receiving alarger credit value. If they areworthy of an increase, then consider sending them a‘customer account review form’byemail withaviewtoextending their credit limit. Your customer will appreciatethe vote of confidence and mayeven providefurther larger orders.

However, if thecustomer is not worthy of an increase in credit, what actions are youtaking to protect yourself on theseincreased orders?

Here is whereaCredit Guarantee (Director’s Personal Guarantee or PG) can help.A Credit Guarantee provides a little bit moreprotectionand securityagainst acredit risk and allows afurther avenue of pursuit should thecustomer’s business encounter atricky financial time in thefuture.

CREDIT WHERE IT’SDUE

The new and improved Direct RouteAccountAssyst package can help youwithinstantly securing Credit Guarantees on theoccasions youmay need them,anadditional featurethatweknowmay well become essential during thenext12months.

Running abusiness is an ever-changing scene, customer details can change, owners of abusiness can change and thelimitsand accounts that business is worthcan change.

What doesn’t change is Direct RouteAccountAssyst’s abilitytocope withany new account information that you, our client, requires to keep your businesses on track.

All businesses should have one eyeonthe futureand how we can affect same, not only forourselves but forothers. We at Account Assyst areconfident that we’realready on that road and we shall continue to laythe tracks forour clients to follow

If youare not aBPMA Member it might even be worthyou considering joining so that youcan access benefit solutions suchasours. Of course, youdonot need to be aBPMAMembertoutilise the Direct RouteAccountAssyst service, it is simply that the BPMA Membership benefit package provides inclusive AccountAssyst units annually, providing amajor return of investment to many Members year in year out.

MikeCollins is managing director of Account Assyst

Local Support

Contact Details

Please contact amember of our local support team for advice on any matter related to debt and credit management

London and South

David Barker dbarker@directroute.co.uk 07766545871

Midlands and East Anglia

KenBrown kbrown@directroute.co.uk 07795214426

Wales and North West

Ian Jenkinson ijenkinson@directroute.co.uk 07860 197476

North East,Scotland andNorthern Ireland

MikeCollins mike@accountassyst.com 07866 427363

BPMA appointsvicechair andco-opts newblood forthe Board

The BPMA has announced well respected BoardDirector,Clive Allcott of Direct Textiles +Bags Europe, has been appointed as Vice Chair to support Chair HaydnWilletts.

In line withBoard plans, theBPMAhas also co-opted Jules Adam of WCM+A and RichardSullivanofNavillus to join theBoard withimmediateeffect.

Delighted withthe appointments, Willetts said: “Clive has agreat track recordwiththe Board, already responsible forour Charter programme on theBoard bringing about significant change forCharter members. His appointment as Vice Chair represents the next steps in development forthe BPMA. We also welcome new bloodinthe form of two new talented business owners, Jules Adam and RichardSullivan, coopted to theBoard to bring fresh skills and vision to our progressive plans.”

Announcing themovesatthe BPMA’s first International Women’s Dayon8 March,the news wasmet withapplause from assembled members. Supporting theevent, Clive Allcott, Jules Adam and RichardSullivanwerecongratulated by attendees.

Jules Adam also took part in aseries of panels also featuring fellowBoard members BPMA President Angela Wagstaff,Board Directors Helen Brennan and Melissa Chevin during theevent.

Planning Forthe Future

Jules Adam said: “I am delighted to be joining theBPMABoard at this exciting andincredibly important time forour industry. Ithoroughly enjoyedmyfirst Boardmeeting and wasimpressed with thelevel of dedication and theamazing plans theBPMABoard areputting together forthe future.”

RichardSullivanadded:“I’mhonoured to be invited to join our dynamic BPMA boardand very much lookingforward to giving something back to theindustry that has supported me forover30years.”

CEO Carey Trevill explained thecoopting would be made official at the AGMthis November

“It’simportant to bring skills intoa boardatoptimum times and withkey planning forthe next two years, this wasthe perfect timing to bring Jules and Richardonboard withtheir wealth of experience, and withClive taking up Vice Chair supporting Haydn, we’reall set forprogress,” she said.

The BPMA also recently added to the executive team with theappointment earlier in FebruaryofSarah Connor as Events &Training Manager and Sarah Irwin as Membership Executive, supporting TomRobey as Membership Director

The BPMA will hold its AGMin November 2023 and is open to all BPMA members.

BPMA launches sustainability conferencefor June 2023

The BPMA has nowlaunched its SustainabilityConference as amember only event on 8June2023, taking place at theprestigious Crowne Plaza in Marlow. The Conference celebrates theofficial launchofthe BPMA’s StepForward Pledge withworkshops and speakers aimed at helping everymemberbusiness on their sustainable journey

Attendees will be welcomed intoa networking breakfast to fuel theday before theconference starts, focusing on the StepForward Pledge and thebusinesscase to sign up.Followedbyworkshops and speakers, attendees can enjoylunchbefore reconvening forinspirational speakers on thethree ESG goals theBPMAisfocussed on –Products, People and Planet.

WHO SHOULDATTEND?

The Conference is open to all BPMA members and is perfect foranyone interested in learning moreabout the sustainable futureofthe industry, fortheir business, already in asustainability focused role, business owners, commercial and sales, through to anyone handling dayto daybusinessneeding agreater knowledge.

Deep Dive Intosustainability And Our Industry

The BPMA has stated speakers arefocussed on ESG elements and will covertopics from selling sustainably,togreen washing through to building sustainable policies. Tickets arenow available to bookand eachmember ticketincludes awelcome breakfast, lunch, all dayrefreshments on tapand access to theConference. Tickets forthe event arepriced at

Golf Daydateannounced

The BPMA’s annual golf daywillbe held on the22June 2023 at the NottinghamshireGolfClub.

Following last year’s successful event, thesporting dayout will once again returnoffering an opportunitytoplaya round withindustrycolleaguesold and new

As well as being achance forplayers of everylevel to have some fun and network,therewillbeprizes on offer for arange of activities, including nearest thepins, longest drive andlotsmore.

It’salwaysgreat fun so don’t delay and bookyour placetoday. Bookings areaccepted forteams of four and individuals who will be assigned ateam forthe day.

The daystarts withcoffee or teaand baconbutties beforeamorning teeoff on theChampionship Course for9holes. After lunch, teams take on the SignatureCoursefor 18 holes, beforean eveningmeal withawards.

Hotelaccommodation is locally available.

Sponsorship forthisevent is also open. Please contact TomRobey formore information on theoptions available at tom@bpma.co.uk. More details at bpma.co.uk

£100+VAT formembers and £95+VAT for Charter members.

Booking forthe Conference is now open. Members can use thebooking form on theBPMAwebsitetosecuretheir places and select theappropriateticket type. Moredetails at bpma.co.uk.