You may have seen that a number of our recent social media posts have referenced the Rugby World Cup to be held in Japan, September 2019 and some other sporting events.

So taken were we with the foresight of one of our clients - Joro Experiences - that we thought we must share the strategy we have discussed with them.

For one thing, thinking about payments they have to make some 18 months before deadline is commendable, but also, penning a bit about the reason for the payments they need to make is a good way to show the diversity of the payments and transactions we are instructed on and can cater for in a corporate context.

So, a luxury travel brand (introductions on request) is in discussions about a booking from an individual keen on going to the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

The individual in question would like to pay for this booking in US Dollars.

Our client is a UK based company, but, sensibly they have a USD account - they use one of our 'named accounts'. This serves more than one purpose.

On the one hand it means they can invoice their clients in USD - yay! Their client base is a global one - truly representative of the reach of contemporary travel businesses!

Also it means that they can carry a USD 'float' which enables them to happily and comfortably pay away USD expenses. So, rather than exchanging USD into GBP Sterling (the primary currency of operation) and then exchanging currency back into USD when they need to pay a supplier, they keep the USD revenue as US dollars; and just make a. same currency payment when invoiced so to do.

Their customer paying them in USD can choose which currency to pay them in. In terms of convenience it is unlikely to be a deal breaker, but it is a nice touch.

We, rather tongue in cheek, congratulated them on unearthing the most important thing about dealing in foreign currencies - if you're a business and you can avoid making a foreign currency exchange...do!

This matter (booking well before time) presents our client with more than one issue.

They're quoting their customer for a package/trip that is scheduled for 18 months from now and, as we all know, exchanges rates will move.

So, what are the key concerns here...and how does our client make sure they don't lose out on margin and ensure they're not carrying undue risk?

Between now and September 2019 the rate of exchange between USD (US dollar) and JPY (Japanese Yen) will go both up and down from the current point.

When calculating what USD/JPY rate to use to provide their customer with their quote, our client, like many, looked at the Prime Cap Data Centre and took the prevailing 'market rate' of exchange for their numbers.

The first thing to stress is that unless you actually lock in the rate you use for your calculations at the precise time you calculate your figures, you're going to find that the rate is either higher or lower within in moments of your tapping the '=' on your calculator.

Rates of exchange do not stay where they are...so, the only way for our client to ensure that their costings are accurate is to fix the rate the moment the quote is produced.

The trouble is that this is sometimes not realistic or practical to do so, especially if cash flow plays a part in what contract you can use for your currency booking.

They're quoting on a trip. Their customer might or might not accept their quote...in which case, had they fixed the rate, they might well find themselves locked in to an exchange that is no longer going to happen. Every business wants to avoid this.

So, therein lies one of the first issues for businesses with such long dated sales pipelines.

What happens if the customer changes their mind?

What happens if the rate moves between when you provide a quote to the client and the client gives you the 'green light' for the trip?

If the rate goes up then you're making more margin, but, you're client is getting less value.

If the rate goes down you're eating in to your own margin...should the client pick up that cost with a requote?

These are just some of the perils that businesses face when a) they're buying well ahead of time and b) they're being paid by an individual for a specific project/matter.

So, how does our client approach these issues?

We suggest they incorporate a buffer or 'extended margin' in to the USD price they quote their customer.