The company has transformed what used to be its credit services team into the new department and will be placing the emphasis firmly on the services and business enablement.
Nick Tiltman, Credit and Finance Solutions Director at Tech Data, said: “We are putting credit back in the spotlight in a positive and proactive way. We see good potential for SMB resellers to develop and increase their business and we want to take a very progressive approach to supporting them and providing credit and finance options that enable them to take opportunities and fulfil their potential. Tech Data has always been a leading – and probably the biggest – provider of credit to the channel in the UK and Ireland. We are now raising the bar once again and making credit and finance part of what we offer as a trusted advisor to our customers.”
The aim of the new team will be to find a solution for every scenario, he added. “The formation of the Credit and Finance Solutions team signifies a change of mindset for everyone across the business. When customers come and talk to us, we will be positive. We are not here just to set a credit line and manage risk – we are here to find a solution for every deal and help resellers and retailers do more business.”
The timing of the move is also a response to changes taking place in the market, Tiltman stated. “The cloud and new emerging technologies are transforming how IT is used and consumed, compelling IT resellers to adapt their own business models. We need new and more innovative ways of financing these new methods of consumption and supporting our customers as they migrate to new business models that are underpinned by a mix of traditional sales and subscriptions and services income.”
Tech Data supports the UK&I channel with a substantial ten-figure credit line and recently extended its Credit Elevator programme, making it easier for smaller resellers to get onto and to subsequently climb the credit ladder. The company can also help resellers when it comes to funding bigger deals and managing financial interactions with end-customers.
Tiltman wants to encourage more resellers to talk to the Tech Data team about their needs. “We have some very experienced Credit and Finance professionals and we’ll be happy to talk to resellers about their needs at any time. A smaller reseller might end up with a larger opportunity and be concerned that if they use alternative methods of finance – such as leasing or a deed of assignment – that they will look small in the customer’s eyes.
“Our challenge is to show them [the reseller] that if they partner with us, our financial stability and willingness to back them should give the end-user customer confidence in them as a supplier. It is all about building relationships and being prepared to discuss situations, and that’s where we can help.”
The Tech Data Credit and Finance Solutions team can provide resellers with access to a range of options, including leasing, loans, factoring, invoice discounting, deeds of assignment, and other initiatives.