Applicable to both property search agencies and individuals, and companies retaining the services of such agents, we look at the various ways a broker can add value and reduce cost, as well as the extent to which the introduction of a foreign exchange (FX) or currency broker can enhance a brand's 'stickiness' when courting internationally minded private clients and corporates alike.
For Individuals | Clients:
Whether you live in the UK and are looking to acquire property abroad, or you are buying a property for personal use, as part of an investment portfolio, or as a business acquiring an asset, having an understanding of the real time changes in the value of the currencies you hold is both prudent and profitable.
Unlike a lawyer or financial adviser, because of the way currency brokers are paid you can make use of our services even if you do not proceed to use us for the conversion of funds for a purchase.
At Prime Cap we have no hourly rate and we do not charge a retainer or for pre-engagement consultations.
Our goal is provide a sufficiently valuable service and competitive rate that logic compels you to consider us the only worthwhile and credible mechanism for transmitting and exchanging your capital.
If you are in the preliminary stages of a property search or purchase then by registering as a client you can access our online platform to get live rates of exchange useful in the calculation of the sterling of foreign currency amount you may be required to 'spend'.
Our Data Centre has imbedded in it charts and data relating to the current and prior performance of certain currency pairs and, whilst you will not find us 'calling' the market for you or providing predictions as to the movements of a rate, our brokers will talk you through what the information we provide means.
Broadly speaking our commercial rates of exchange will improve your buying power by between 2 and 5%. By this we mean that we can give back this proportion of the money you're converting. We charge less than other exchange providers and this feeds directly into you having more to spend.
Considering the fact that an agent may charge you between 2 and 10% for a search, the improvement we offer to the rate of exchange offsets some, if not all, of that expense for you; plus, you have an experienced guide at the end of the telephone and an intuitive platform designed specifically to stream-line the process by which you can get your money into the UK or to a foreign currency bank account abroad.
With our help you might exchange your money before you've found your new purchase, or as little as a few hours before you need to pay funds to the appropriate parties dealing with a transaction. Choosing the best time to convert you money remains a luxury you do not have to give up because of lengthy or uncertain transaction terms from your bank.
We can keep each stakeholder informed throughout your transaction at no cost to you.
For Agents:
All of the above applies for clients who retain you, but, crucially, those who do not retain you now have a reason to make use of a valuable introduction you might have provided.
Many search agencies are diversifying into lettings and management rather than just the search side of property acquisition. Aligning yourself with a trusted operator who caters for clients already using online transaction tools like online banking to make or receive their payments constitutes an upgrading of your offering for international clients or those relocating abroad.
The numbers are compelling and so is the service. Giving your client 2-5% back because your recommended currency partner can add that back into the rate of exchange they receive is a compelling lure.
As a boutique, Prime Cap makes sure that we do not over apply ourselves. We are selective in the businesses we work with and we take this approach precisely because our appeal is particular and the standards we maintain are of paramount importance. Operating 'lean' but making use of innovative and 'of the moment' technology which works to reduce cost and improve our clients' experience of using us, means we can match our partners' longer term development goals.
Sure, currency companies have traditionally aimed their services at large volume, one-off transactions because therein lies a bigger proportional income, but, for brands within the property space our goal is different. We want to cater for all sundry and extraneous, regular and repeat transactions first and foremost. We believe that by making an individual the centre of our approach, we have a surer footing when it comes to their longer term use of our services.
Brokers who have a 'minimum transfer size' tend to have significant overhead - whether that be in terms of geographical presence or marketing and business development. The intense and integrated way we work with referrers, only, means we're not having to account for BD or marketing from within the margin on our transactions.
Aside from whatever we might pay an introducer to connect us with their client, the improvements we can offer to rates of exchange mean that the overall cost of using a search agent is reduced. This is our bottom line.
As a nimble brand with an eye on innovation and penetration of new markets and new ways of engaging our clients, we feel we represent the future of value added but unobtrusive partnership development within the financial services space. Commercial edge is one attraction, but if we can help our partners in more ways than just lining their pocket then we're well placed to remain connected with our partners and affiliates for the long term and in a way that isn't the focus of many of our peers.
Each of the partnerships and arrangements we strike with our partners, whether they in fact refer to us or not, is unique. It cannot feasibly be one size fits all and so we invite you to give us a ring to find out how we might approach working with you to the mutual benefit our all our clients and contacts in the UK or further afield. 02031728193.