POS Finance Pioneer etika and Specialist Bed Maker NHC Partner to Offer Affordable Finance Options

Personal Finance
20.07.2023 09:40 am

etika, the purpose-driven, people-first finance pioneer based on fair and ethical finance, has today announced its partnership with NHC Holdings, a manufacturer and retailer of therapeutic massage appliances, rehabilitation equipment and adjustable beds. Under the partnership, NHC will leverage etika’s agile POS finance tech platform to offer NHC customers affordable and transparent finance, whether they’re in-store, at home or online.

NHC manufactures a range of mobility, healthcare, beauty and fitness, and equine products, including adjustable beds, recliner chairs, horse massage systems and physiotherapy equipment. Its products are designed to improve the comfort and wellbeing of people and animals with health conditions, disabilities, chronic pain, or poor circulation and stiffness.

Pricing for specialist or adjustable beds, therapy or massage beds tends to be higher than for standard beds. For many customers, the affordability of these specialist beds can be out of reach, especially as their incomes might consist mainly of their pensions or other welfare benefits. Typically, people in these demographics have found it difficult to access finance, as they are seen as high-risk by mainstream lenders. Meanwhile, other customers may have higher incomes but are simply looking for more flexible and affordable ways to spread payments over longer timescales and want to avoid initial large outlays by using interest-free credit.

etika's unique business model of being both lender and tech platform provider means that it can configure its POS finance solutions to meet the specific needs of NHC’s customer base. etika's Agreement in Principle tool uses soft credit checks to provide customers with a reliable indication of their loan amount, without impacting their credit profile. This empowers NHC customers with transparent visibility and potential access to products that may have previously seemed out of reach.

NHC’s products are primarily directly marketed to consumers, while sales representatives can also visit consumers in the comfort of their own home, with the opportunity for consumers to try out the equipment for themselves. NHC sales reps take the time to thoroughly assess the customer’s personal circumstances and health needs, discuss the range of products available, and help to find the payment solution that suits the customer's budget and needs.

etika has configured its POS finance platform so that in-home customers have a grace period of one hour before confirming their finance agreement, giving the customer time and space to digest all the information, review the credit agreement presented to them, and consult with their doctor, family or support personnel if necessary. Once the customer is happy with the product and signs the agreement to complete the sale, NHC sales reps can put in the order electronically via a tablet and etika’s web portal. etika’s technology ensures the order goes live instantly and is sent to NHC’s factory straight away to get built.

Philip Ellin, Group Managing Director at NHC Holdings, comments: “We know that buying health and wellbeing equipment can be a major investment – and that means its important people feel confident they’re choosing a product that’s right for them and their unique circumstances. We believe in making things as straightforward as possible, and that’s why we’ve partnered with etika. They really stood out to us with their strong, ethical focus on making large-value items more affordable, backed by a finance platform that can be customised to our exact requirements.

“By working together, we’ve made the customer journey so much easier and smoother. The feedback from our sales reps has been glowing. They really appreciate the great support etika provide, and the helpful staff they have on hand to immediately deal with any questions that our sales reps or customers might have.”

Adam Kirkby, UK Country Manager at etika, comments: “We are delighted to work with NHC Holdings and the opportunity to bring their high-quality, medical products within reach of more customers through our affordable and transparent POS finance solution. At etika, we only work with other ethically-aligned businesses that share the same values as us – to improve people’s wellbeing, make a positive difference in our communities, and improve financial inclusion, especially for people in vulnerable groups, such as the elderly. That’s why we’ve made accessibility of our platform and web portal a priority.

“Our expert developers have worked hard to customise the platform to NHC’s customer journey. etika’s entire focus is making finance more accessible and affordable, with fairness and transparency embedded in everything we do. We believe in making more than just sales – we want to leave our partners’ customers satisfied. We’re thrilled with the initial results of our partnership with NHC and we’re committed to ensuring it becomes a long-standing relationship.”

Founded in 2012 by a group of technology entrepreneurs, etika is on a mission to make point-of-sale (POS) finance less complicated and more ethical by becoming a tool for financial wellbeing. It works to deliver fair finance options in a socially responsible way by bringing clarity to credit agreement terms and conditions, offering fair merchant fees, and no account or late fees.