The Intermediary –- May 2026 - Flipbook - Page 67
SPECIALIST FINANCE
Opinion
Time and tide
waits for no deal
T
here was a time when
geing online meant
plugging in your
computer, waiting for
the dial-up tone to do
its thing, and hoping
the connection didn’t drop halfway
through. It took a few minutes, and
that was just part of the process.
Now, if we have to wait more than
five seconds for a page to load, it feels
like forever.
Time is a luxury we just don’t have
in finance, and for brokers, speed
is critical.
However, it’s no longer just about
how quickly a deal gets going but also
about how clearly it’s understood,
how smoothly it progresses and
whether it actually follows through
to completion.
This especially maers for the
businesses that the brokers we work
with on a daily basis support –
established businesses. These are the
restaurants, local manufacturers and
care homes with five to 250 employees
that we rely on every day, and they
make up around a third of UK GDP
and employment.
Many are working to tight timelines
and managing rising costs, so when a
deal slows down or loses momentum,
it doesn’t just create frustration, it
can hold back growth and put the
business at risk.
Momentum makes or breaks
This risk is why momentum is
everything once a deal is in motion.
Brokers cannot afford to waste time
when it comes to securing finance
– they need to trust the lender at
every stage so they can guide business
owners with confidence.
Achieving this means having
the right conversations early,
understanding how a lender is likely
to view a deal before it progresses too
far, and making sure there is clear
ownership from the get-go. It’s this
combination of access, clarity and
ownership that allows brokers to
keep deals moving, even when
timelines are tight.
One recent deal we worked on
brought this into focus. Fozia Dick
at FD Financial was helping a client
refinance a convenience store to assist
in the purchase of two additional sites.
When a down valuation came in, the
deal needed reworking quickly with
additional security put in place to keep
everything moving.
Between 4th March – when the case
was presented to us – and 25th March,
we managed to secure a £315,000
refinance at 61.67% loan-to-value
(LTV). This was a quick turnaround
but also an example of responding
fast and efficiently when something
changes and making sure the client
doesn’t suffer.
This example also demonstrates
how it is relationships that really
influence how deals progress and
whether they are won or lost.
When brokers can pick up the
phone and speak to someone who
understands the situation, context is
not lost and obstacles are overcome
quickly. It removes friction, reduces
repetition and allows issues to be
addressed before they turn into delays.
Another commercial finance broker
we work with, James Ellaco, shared
that speed “isn’t just turnaround
times, it’s having a lender who truly
understands a client’s business,
picks up the phone, takes ownership
and helps guide clients through key
decisions when it maers most.”
Recently, James had a client who
was facing a tight deadline with
vendor pressure increasing rapidly,
but because he was able to get in
touch with his business development
manager (BDM) quickly, he could
sense-check the deal and secure a fast
and considered decision.
That early engagement allowed us
to structure the transaction correctly
and move at pace, giving the client real
confidence at a stressful time.
CHARISSA CHANG
is head of broker sales
for the North and Midlands
at Allica Bank
Now more than ever
Right now, brokers are doing
more than ever to help established
businesses navigate pressure,
uncertainty and tight timelines, and
lenders need to match that effort from
start to finish.
As Fozia put it, speed can make or
break a deal. For her, James, and many
other brokers, it’s not just about one
part of the process, but everything
from the initial enquiry through
to drawdown, with tools like title
indemnity helping to keep things
moving where they might otherwise
stall. The impact of delays is clear –
missed opportunities, disappointed
clients and, in some cases, knock-on
effects for future business.
What makes the difference, she
says, is how lenders handle those
moments; picking up the phone
when something needs resolving,
communicating clearly and
understanding the time pressures
everyone is working under.
Speed and service are not just
internal measures; they shape
how brokers and business owners
experience the process. When
decisions are clear, communication
is consistent and progress is visible,
brokers are beer able to manage
expectations and maintain trust and,
in turn, trust in the lender.
For the established businesses at
the centre of these transactions,
that trust is hugely significant.
These are businesses that underpin
local economies and drive growth,
and they rely on flexible finance
that works at pace with their best
interests at heart. ●
May 2026 | The Intermediary
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