After a long-term customer failed to pay, security specialists, the EVI Group turned to Coface Debt Collection to rapidly recover the money owed.
Business challenge
Established family business, the EVI Group has been delivering and installing Security, Fire, Data, TV and Smart Homes systems since 1994. Based in Northolt, the company operates across London and beyond, and up until this point had fortunately not required debt collection services.
Things changed in late 2019 when a long-term customer failed to pay an invoice. David Burbidge, Credit Controller at the EVI Group explained:
“We originally didn’t have any problems with this customer, we’d been trading with them since the beginning of 2017.”
So when the EVI Group received a new order from the company towards the end of 2019, they didn’t hesitate to fulfill the installation. An invoice for the completedwork was sent in November 2019.
“This was all straightforward, as it should be” said David. But when the invoice became overdue, David took measures to contact the company to find out what was going on. Alarm bells started ringing when he failed to get a response.
“As a credit controller you get a feel for this sort of thing, and when someone doesn’t respond to your calls and emails, you know it’s not good” said David.
After months of getting nowhere, David decided in March 2020 to hand the matter over to the Coface Debt Collection team to resolve.
Coface solution
The EVI Group already had credit insurance through Coface but this was not the only reason they decided to use Coface Debt Collection.
“Coface Debt Collection is one the smoothest operations.”
David Burbidge, Credit Controller
“I’ve been in the industry a long time and have dealt with a number of collection agencies over the years, both good and bad. Coface is one of the best. I wanted to use them” explained David.
Coface hit the ground running, expertly handling the entire case from contact with the customer to legal assistance and collection.
“A credit controller wants a debt collection company they can trust to get on with it. I don’t want to have to micromanage the collection. Coface knew what they were doing and our needs” explained David.
“There was a single point of contact, which makes life easier. I didn’t have to keep explaining to new people what was going on. They updated me at certain steps, giving me just the right amount of information. I felt in the loop but not bombarded” he added.
After court proceedings ruled in favour of the EVI Group, the case was resolved in June 2020 with full payment recovered and returned.
The EVI Group was delighted. As David summed up: “We’ve chosen the right insurer. Not only do they insure us but they have the debt collection side of the operation too, which is equally good.”