WAPI News

Ian Withers Introduces a New Directory

Ian Withers

It is not every day that a brand new Directory appears, both in hard copy as a published Directory, and at the same time as an on-line Database Directory. More particularly so in the current climate of restricting access to information, and the selling of Mailing Lists at an ever increasing cost! Many newcomers to the Investigation Sector struggle to create a "niche" in an ever tightening market! Whereas in the "good old days" a new Agency could depend on the Classified/Yellow Pages for the phone to ring, it has now become progressively more difficult to break into the "professional" markets.

The Financial Sector in particular have been very slow over past years to instruct Debt Collection and Investigation Agencies, preferring to "write-off" rather than "throwing good money after bad"

However, "times is a changing" since the inception of the Consumer Credit Act, and the licensing of Debt Collection and Credit related Agencies, the DPA and now the licensing of Private Investigators, presently which is about to be implemented - attitudes have changed, and most of us in the Investigator Sector can look forward to a steady increase in Instructions from the Financial and Legal Sectors to undertake more and more Credit related investigations.

There is little doubt that the total number of PI's in the UK will be reduced significantly as regulation bites home, many who started after a full Police or Military Career, will feel that it is just not worth the aggravation of going through the licensing process, and there are some who just will not be licensed!

Thus, all in all, the future bodes well, and all of us need up to date and accurate Sources of Information to enable access to Target Markets, and networking opportunities.

I was therefore privileged, and indeed delighted to be asked to introduce this new, and incredibly useful networking tool for Professional Investigators and Collection Agencies!

It has been meticulously compiled and published by Chris Tabor as "Tabor's Credit Directory"

This wide-ranging National Directory of all the various Sectors which go to make up the broad Credit Industry are classified and listed in an easy to use format! It is anticipated that over half a million readers will access this Directory with numerous separate categories of Sectors involved in the Credit Industry - A rare opportunity to get everything one needs in one location!

Available both on-line, and in a printed format, it must surely become an essential asset for all of us who are involved on a day-to day basis dealing with all aspects of the Credit and related areas.

As the current Chairman of WAPI - World Association of Professional Investigators, I hear from many of our Members via our e-Group, seeking the very information and resources that will now be readily accessible via the Tabor's Credit Directory ! - I would certainly anticipate that many of our Members, and indeed the wider PI Sector will both seek to be listed, as well as having access to the Directory.

The few of us, so far, who have achieved an NVQ in Investigations are very well aware of the need to demonstrate for assessment purposes the ability to locate and utilise such Resources, in the management and progression of an Investigation. This useful Publication will certainly go a long way in providing a ready reference for the "hands-on" Investigator seeking to network, or market their services.

Together with the WAPI Governing Council, I would like to wish Chris and his Team every success with this new and vitally useful Project.

You can visit the directory by click here.

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