Banker S.A. September 2013 | Page 16

enterprise development Head of Products at FNB Business Banking. ‘It really is the small, yet very important aspects that continuously trip them up. ‘This initiative will allow start-up businesses to be banked and company registered in a few simple online clicks. The same efficiency has also been extended to the annual renewals processes, and now businesses are notified when they are due for the renewal process to prevent their business from inadvertently being deregistered,’ says Orie. Nedbank recently told Business Day that it went beyond the call to finance small businesses. Nedbank said its procurement spend on services provided by small-medium enterprises was expected to be over R2.6 billion in 2013 and about 3 000 small business suppliers would benefit from this initiative. Nedbank further committed itself to the Prompt Payment Code which pushed for small businesses to be paid on time. The delay experienced by small businesses in payment for services rendered is one of the challenges that has suffocated many SMEs. Barclays Africa Group says it has been in their own interest to operate enterprise development programmes as this helps reduce the risk of default in payments due to a lack of business flows for small businesses. The Group says it has been working with large corporations in this regard to channel some of the procurement to small businesses who can deliver the goods and services. ‘Our approach is that in order to look after the capital we advance, it makes sense for us to spend money to achieve this,’ says the Barclays Africa Group. FNB’s assistance for small businesses extends to helping entrepreneurs compile their financial statements by using the FNB Instant Payroll solution, which assists enterprises in paying their employees. Donovan Steenkamp, Head of Business Banking Client Financial Solutions at Standard Bank, says the bank’s Enterprise Development Unit has established a four-party partnership between the bank, lar