Google is your friend (3 October 2009)
I have recently been asked to try and obtain money for a new client from one of their suppliers who has not delivered the service which was paid for. The amount paid was £500 but in addtion to this my client lost future business from their customer as they were blamed for their suppliers non delivery of service.
There is nothing I like more than chasing people for money but always ‘prevention is better than cure.’ In my experience too few businesses credit check their customers before supplying them but I wonder how many credit check their suppliers before paying money up front? What is the difference?
In this case a quick credit check on the company would have started alarm bells ringing as there were a couple of CCJs outstanding. However, even if you are not set up to do credit checks there are other tools available at your finger tips.
A quick search on Google (other search engines are available!) using the words Company Name and Complaint brought up three links on page one with the UK box ticked. Item 1 was the Company’s own complaint’s procedure, the other two were detailing complaints made by other businesses where the Company had failed to deliver in exactly the same way as for my client. This check alone which took seconds would have been sufficient for at the very least further questions to be asked and enquiries made.
I would be the first to acknowledge that there is a lot of ‘rubbish’ on the internet and it is easy for a disgruntled customer/staff member etc to post adverse comments on forums etc.
However, the art of making good credit decisions is making use of all the information available to you and why then would you not take what Google tells you into account when commiting your money?
Good article and it’s about putting things into context.. where there is a risk there should be a credit check. I also encourage people to credit check potential new employers too
Great article and very relevant as you know!
I did google my bad supplier beforehand with no results. That could soon change!
Nice article: succinct without missing anything, to the point – and which proves the need to check where you are spending (or getting) your money!
Well done!
Nice article.
I always make a point of doing this when I’m suspicious of any site which I may buy from. If a site provides a bad or scam service then you will almost always find complains and mentions of it on Google.