Guidance Regarding Complaints About Invoice Finance Companies, Factoring Companies & Invoice Discounting Companies
Thousands of businesses use invoice finance products such as factoring and invoice discounting and the vast majority are completely satisfied with the service that they receive. However, occasionally a client may have reason to complain about their invoice finance company and this guidance is to help with those situations.
Complaints About Invoice Finance Companies
Complaints about invoice finance companies, factoring companies and invoice discounting companies could include the following:
- Service issues - regarding collection of invoices, allocation of cash or any other service aspects.
- Funding issues - restrictions in funding levels, reserves, unapproved invoices or other restrictions.
- Pricing issues - issues over pricing, misselling or other pricing problems.
- Relationship issues - a breakdown in the relationship with the invoice finance company's staff.
- Credit issues - for example restrictions in credit limits.
- Other issues - other problems and complaints that don't fall into the above categories.
Guidance Regarding Invoice Finance Complaints
Below is some guidance regarding complaints about invoice finance companies:
- Resolution With Your Provider - the simplest approach is to resolve your complaint direct with your invoice finance company. Normally you will have been assigned a Client Relationship Manager who will be your main point of contact for such matters. Explain your issues to them and seek a resolution. It is a good idea to put any complaint in writing to the invoice finance company, including details and examples of the issues, so that there is a record for future follow up if the issue re-occurs. Not all invoice finance companies record all their phone calls so you cannot necessarily rely on that. If you cannot reach a resolution with your CRM ask for your complaint to be escalated to their boss - often a Client Services Director or even the Managing Director/CEO of the invoice finance company.
- Escalation To An Industry Body - check if your invoice finance company is a member of UK Finance which was formerly called the ABFA (Asset Based Finance Association, the industry's trade association. If so UK Finance have a code of conduct (Invoice Finance and Asset Based Lending (IFABL) Standards Framework) that their members must abide by, and a complaints procedure which is backed up by an Ombudsman to arbitrate if a resolution cannot be achieved. The ABFA have now become part of UK Finance but their complaints procedure remains in place pending it's migration to UK Finance. To contact them call +44 (0)20 3934 1456 or email: [email protected]
- Consider Moving Invoice Finance Companies - not all invoice finance companies are alike and the service levels, funding, pricing and procedures vary enormously between them. If you are unable to satisfactorily resolve your grievance or complaint you could consider moving to an alternative invoice finance company, factoring company or invoice discounting company. An invoice finance broker such as ourselves will be able to advise you as to which invoice finance companies would most closely meet your requirements and be able to overcome your issues.
