Enforcement agencies Stronger together Debt Recovery Plus (DRP) and Credit Style have joined forces with Bristow & Sutor to offer a comprehensive debt-recovery service to their clients. Louise Parfitt talks to a director from each of the three firms to find out more H ow did the acquisition of DRP and Credit Style come about? Andrew Rose, chief executive, Bristow & Sutor (AR): Bristow & Sutor had been exclusively a local authority enforcement service provider. We wanted to diversify into the private sector and other complementary services from which the group could benefit. Our acquisition of DRP means we are now partnered with the largest enforcement agency for the private parking sector. The acquisition of Credit Style came about because we saw its legal skills were a good fit to enable DRP to extend its suite of enforcement tools. Gareth Brierley, deputy managing director, DRP (GB): When Bristow & Sutor approached us, we were delighted to discover the similarities between our organisations. It was equally encouraging to be dealing with experienced people who, thanks to their knowledge of the sector, could instantly grasp the ideas and nuances behind our ambitions for the future. We are all successful businesses in our own right, so that has underpinned our approach: we refer to it as a house of brands Richard Martin, director, Credit Style (RM): We were initially contacted by Bristow & Sutor a couple of years ago. We maintained contact to establish that our plans for the future were aligned with the goals and ambitions of the Bristow & Sutor group, and found there was a strong cultural fit. What attracted you to the acquisition? AR: Bristow & Sutor has built up a reputation for doing a good job in a difficult sector. Its fundamental that we do not do anything to tarnish that, so our starting point was looking for good-quality opportunities with firms that had a similar reputation. We are all successful businesses in our own right, so that has underpinned our approach: we refer to it as a house of brands. GB: Our key concern during initial discussions was to safeguard our client relationships. Bristow & Sutor understood the importance of these relationships and was keen to help support us through the transition to ensure that these relationships would be solidified further. RM: While all companies in the group have their own unique selling points, we share common values about how to do business in a tough environment. Credit Style has always challenged the traditional approach to debt litigation, in particular to deliver great results with an innovative and competitive commercial model. The same approach is evident throughout the services offered by Bristow & Sutor and DRP. 30 britishparking.co.uk PN Nov19 pp30-31 Bristow and Sutor.indd 30 24/10/2019 12:24