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For the inexperienced exporter Letters of Credit can be a minefield, leaving businesses at the mercy of bank checking staff. Take the case of Advanced EasyClad, a 30-strong Yorkshire company specialising in producing world-class anti-microbial wall cladding for use in hospitals. The firm, founded 15 years ago, had only rudimentary export experience. So when it clinched a £25,000 test order to supply hygienic cladding for use in military hospitals in Oman, it realised that the paperwork could drive it up the wall. Instead they took the sensible option and asked our specialists to prepare the documentation for them. It was lucky they did, because the bank rejected the shipping documents on ten separate counts – mistakenly as it turned out. Our Letter of Credit specialist Roy Broadhead was quick to intervene and challenged the bank who later conceded on all points.

“The bank had not checked the documents properly. The consequences for our client in terms of delayed payment and additional cost could have been quite serious. We see this a lot and it's probably the reason why so many exporters are asking for our help, especially during the holiday periods when their staff are away." says Roy.

“Previously with export orders we’d demanded payment upfront,” says Advanced EasyClad's managing director Lindsay McKenzie (pictured). “But when we got this order we had to look at a Letter of Credit. Colleagues advised us to contact Chamber International. Roy was very helpful indeed and guaranteed to get it right.”

To arrange a FREE pre-presentation Letter of Credit check with a guaranteed 24 hour turnaround (normally £59 plus VAT) or to enquire about our full document preparation service call us now on 0845 034 7200 or click here for a leaflet.