Long-term partners



Building a long-term relationship with a reputable finance partner offers IT suppliers both financial and business benefits. Datel, the number one SAGE business partner in the UK has been working with Syscap for ten years. Under the guise of SAGE Finance, Syscap delivers a completely integrated finance service, from qualifying prospects to the up-front delivery of funds.

Syscap and Datel began working together in 1996. Over time the two companies have developed and maintained a strong partnership, and Syscap is now Datel’s only finance provider. With such a long-standing partnership, Syscap has been able to work alongside Datel as both companies have grown, technologies have evolved, customers’ needs have changed and finance options have become more sophisticated. Syscap has adapted its own offerings and services accordingly, and finance is now a completely integrated part of Datel’s sales process.

End to end


The key feature of Syscap’s service has been the development of SAGE Finance. Operated entirely by Syscap and with SAGE branding, SAGE Finance enables Datel to offer a completely seamless and specialist finance service that customers can trust. “As far as our customers are concerned, SAGE Finance is an arm of SAGE,” explains Paul Crompton at Datel. “It is finance that is tailor made for SAGE customers, so they get the best possible service from a name they already feel comfortable with.” Syscap offers a complete range of finance solutions and services for Datel. Importantly, these services begin at the very outset of the sales process, as Crompton explains: “Syscap provides an all encompassing service which takes us from the early stages of talking to prospects and qualifying both their technology and financial needs through to the final agreement where we close the sale and Syscap delivers the funds.”

Real time solutions


The two companies have always worked closely together, and this relationship has been further enhanced recently by the introduction of Syscap Online. This service enables Datel’s sales team to get finance quotes and decisions in real time, helping to close more business more quickly. Although much of the process is automatic, the Syscap team is always on hand to offer advice about potential prospects and suggest finance strategies appropriate to each individual customer.

“We use Syscap Online to log our sales prospects,” explains Crompton. “Then our Syscap Account Manager uses that information to check the financial situation of each prospect and develop the right finance solution.” The business benefits to Datel of having such a close finance partner are clear. Over the years, there have been many occasions where a sale has been in danger of collapse through lack of customer budget or where credit has been less favourable. In these instances Syscap has been able to demonstrate a flexible, innovative approach to finance that has enabled Datel to overcome many of the potential barriers to sale, helping the company meet its growth targets year on year. “Our Syscap team is always prepared to go the extra mile and find finance solutions wherever possible, even in difficult or complicated situations,” says Crompton.

Asset finance


The personal relationships that underpin Syscap’s business partnerships are an added bonus in an industry that thrives on trust and integrity. Datel has worked consistently with the same core personnel at Syscap, and Crompton and his team trust Syscap to understand their business needs as well as they do.

Syscap’s in-depth knowledge of Datel’s market sectors, customer base and business development plans assists in the creation of finance solutions that benefit both companies now and into the longer term. Datel is an ambitious and forward-thinking company, looking for 10 percent growth during its next financial year. Currently, one in three sales are made with the help of a Syscap finance solution, and Datel has set a target to use Syscap on 50 percent of transactions. “I’d be happy if we worked with Syscap on every deal,” says Crompton. “Not only do they provide support and financial guidance, but also they pay us for the entire deal up front, so we’re never out of pocket. That makes our ongoing partnership a great asset to Datel.”