Make sure the application is complete and legible. Remember, we analysts look at many, many deals each day including re-looking at prior submittals that were either incomplete when submitted or required additional information to help complete our decision. Be neat, complete and professional in your credit presentation. Incomplete submissions really hinder and bog down the credit process and your lessee's application will have a strike against it. Your credit presentation is a reflection on your firm and on your lessee, so take the necessary time to provide us a well-researched and complete credit submission. To the extent we can reduce or eliminate incomplete applications, time is saved at both your place and Pawnee and we both win.

Can you vouch for the vendor? Undoubtedly, you will be familiar with most of your vendors and have confidence that the vendor can provide not only the equipment requested but will be able to assure that the equipment will operate as agreed with the lessee. However, if you are not familiar with the vendor please get familiar before you submit the deal. You owe it to the lessee to make certain that the vendor is reputable and can perform. Generally, Pawnee doesn't consider vendors with less than one year of operating history or those who haven't established ratings on at least one of the business rating bureaus, such as D & B or Business Credit USA.

If you cannot vouch for the vendor because you have not had experience with them or particularly if they are contacting you directly with a first time "deal", do both of us a favor and proceed cautiously. Ask yourself "does this make sense" questions such as.. "Does the type of equipment vs. the type of business fit?" For instance, ice cream shops don't buy bobcats generally. "Does the type of equipment and the type of vendor make sense?" An example might be a heavy equipment vendor selling a computer system. Another question might be "Does the location of the vendor and the type of equipment make sense for this lessee?" For example, a lessee will customarily buy common office equipment, such as a telephone system or a copier, from a local dealer. They won't buy from a vendor who is across the country for this type of equipment unless there are very special circumstances. These sorts of "does this deal make sense" evaluations are helpful in avoiding fraud. If it doesn't make sense, get acceptable answers to these questions before proceeding and avoid possible embarrassment later.

Does the deal meet the broker guidelines for industry, equipment, geographic, time in business, and base credit-scores? Don't forget to check the Pawnee Broker Guidelines to assure that the deal is a fit for Pawnee. Our guidelines are under "Broker Services" - "Broker Package" navigation bar on our homepage. Generally, we require a CBR, your choice of model, on all owners. The bureau should have been open for three years or more with a minimum of seven credit lines. We don't consider corporate-only deals nor do we accept sale-leaseback or private party sale transactions. If the deal doesn't meet the guidelines don't submit it because we generally won't consider it. However, we realize that that there may be some instances where a deal may be a fit but you are not certain. On these occasions, please contact your Pawnee Regional Sales Manager directly. They can help you decide how to proceed.

Remember, we cannot do transactions for applicants who are not proficient in the English language nor for any persons who cannot prove they are long- term residents of the United States. This restriction is intended to assure that 1) the lessee or guarantors fully understand the lease document and 2) the lessee will be available to service the lease obligation for the full term of the lease. Further, all our equipment must be domiciled and must be retained in the United States. Make sure these characteristics are met prior to processing the application further and avoid possible hang-ups down the road.