Originators in the commercial equipment finance and leasing industry are working harder and smarter to win new opportunities. Those with a positive attitude and advisory approach are winning more than their fair share of quality assets. The following account emphasizes the power of a positive attitude in winning a key vendor relationship.

An originator was a secondary source of funding for a large high-profile vendor in his territory. The originator was funding just a few transactions a month and was well aware that the primary financial partner was funding five to ten times more business each month. The primary and secondary partners  recently increased their yield requirements and both companies have tightened their credit requirements. However, the two originators representing the financial partners approached the situation differently.

The originator representing the primary financial partner was more apologetic. He projected that volume with this vendor would decrease over the coming months. He pulled back in his communication, because he saw each conversation as a negative experience. Each call was strictly for follow-up purposes and to work on active transactions.

The originator representing the secondary financial source saw the changing situation as an opportunity to pick up additional business from this regional vendor. He offered to meet with the entire vendor sales team and explain the current financial situation. He explained the current economics of approving, documenting, and funding transactions. He explained how he was willing to provide additional services and work more closely with the sales team to close more business in the face of changing conditions. He was leaning into the new reality with a positive approach to working with the vendor, working with their end-users, working harder to keep communications open and positive, and to helping both the vendor and end-users navigate a changing environment.

Both financial partners remain active with the regional vendor. Both financial partners have similar financial products. The previous primary source has seen its business decrease by nearly 50%; while the secondary source has seen its business nearly double in the last three months. One company has treated the relationship as half empty and results followed their expectations. The more aggressive, positive originator treated the relationship as an opportunity being half full and has doubled his volume. More importantly the more aggressive originator is well on his way to winning a new position as the primary financial partner for a high-profile, regional vendor.

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