The crisis was the catalyst

Victor N., previously Uniastrum Bank announces plans to increase lending to small businesses. The market situation has made any adjustments? We have not changed their plans and are still willing to increase lending to small businesses. Joint Program Uniastrum Bank and Bank of Cyprus, signed during an official meeting of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias, will last until 2011, its volume is 15 billion rubles. Until the end of 2009, we plan to give small businesses the order of 8 billion rubles. As the crisis has affected the work of your unit? What has changed over the last six months? The crisis is very hard impact on our clients' businesses - small businesses felt the first of its influence. If large enterprises was a margin of safety and crisis they have started later, the development of small production stopped in September. ... And some small business case is still doing well? - I focused on the retail consumer. On the general background of their business looks pretty good. This is, primarily, small shops, workshops to repair clothes and shoes - they have even seen the rise due to the fact that people have stopped buying new things, and suffered in the repair of old ones. And if in Moscow this trend is not very strongly felt, in the regions of dynamics is very noticeable. It turns out that some types of crisis even contributes. You can select groups of small business, where growth is noticeable and a half to two times. First of all, it's entrepreneurs who are engaged in manufacturing semi-finished products, cakes, muffins. Not so much, but also increased business growth in repair and maintenance: the service stations of cars, different studios ... This applies to all areas of service? Not quite. For example, in road passenger transport sector all remained at pre-crisis level - there is no growth or decline. As for grocery stores, then this segment there is a decline of revenue by 15-20% - on the general background is not so crucial. And the trade has responded to the crisis very quickly: there were quickly raised prices on some food products, and profits fell insignificantly. Who was most affected? Of household goods, small businesses, specializing in cargo transportation and delivery of your property - these three groups have suffered the strongest of all. People stopped to rent a property? New treaties almost not observed, and old contracts are usually prolonged with a decrease in rental rates. Apparent whether any features of the development of small business during a crisis? Any clear-cut features are not observed, but there are some trends. Small businesses were the first group of the shock of falling consumer demand and they also were the first to respond to the changed situation on the market. On the background of the fact that large corporations are trying to get the government any benefits, not changing anything, small business behaves quite differently - change the group of products, reoriented to other clients, etc. They just do not rely on someone more than to for themselves ... In Russia there is a program to support small businesses, unfortunately, not all small businesses possess relevant information and therefore can take advantage of it. On the other hand, most small business mobile to changing external conditions and therefore most appropriately and quickly respond to changing market conditions. In the area of ??small business support, we work directly with the Moscow government. In addition, working with guarantee funds in other Russian cities. Therefore, we know the situation inside. There are two key problems in this area: low awareness among entrepreneurs about how they can benefit from state support, and very stringent requirements of funds. In addition, there is distrust on the part of entrepreneurs. What is it expressed? They do not apply to funds? Drawn no more than 10% of the total. Many entrepreneurs seem to get that state support is very difficult. Do you think that banks should take into account industry-specific, developing products for small businesses? Or rather universal proposals? In my opinion, should. We have identified thirteen niches, which we consider to be priorities on which we have the largest number of data to develop optimal strategies for funding and collaboration. Tell me more - your bank is one of the few who are now engaged in this ... I will tell you the contrast of the two compartments: the first - the production and processing of agricultural products, and the second - small retail shops. Specificity of agricultural processing is that it is a very seasonal business due to the large amounts of receivables and payables. Vintage borrows processed, sold, and only after that is debt. In the retail season is almost absent. Generally, accounts receivable is zero, and accounts - rather small - about 10-20%. Deferral of payments to suppliers are usually short: 15-30 days. These parameters determine the special approach to funding. In retail, we can use technology annuity payments and to use as collateral standard equipment, vehicle owner of the shop premises and, if it owns. A product of the reverse count? Neglected. But in agriculture, we are forced to use a different approach. Here it is necessary financing with deferred principal repayment for a period of 6-12 months, until the time will pass between the harvesting, processing, and the launch. In addition, small shops today fall under the support of foundations, whose guarantee we can accept as collateral for loans. Farmers are deprived of such benefits. Again, they have a different approach to the mortgage, because there is no standard equipment. As a rule, technical support in rural areas inherited from the Soviet Union and its book value is zero. We will carefully consider all the niches, and understand the unique requirements of each business, its needs and ways to meet them. These are the first steps in Russia so far has not been done. We continue to improve technology, to accumulate material in order to get away from the standard scheme of "bail-credit" and move on to the scheme "an opportunity to the borrower." To do this, you should very well know the borrower ... That is why we have identified a niche and created the so-called portraits of borrowers and accumulate material, improving these models portraits. And what are your successes? You're already using their developments? Yes. In April, started the first three niches - targeted lending service stations, program producers of sausages and semi-finished products from meat, as well as the product intended for retail grocery stores. In June, will begin work on producing and processing agricultural products and the sale of equipment. And by the end of the summer plan to run all thirteen programs. Great if the maximum amount you are willing to give loans to small businesses? Twenty million rubles. What is the maximum loan terms and the effective rate? Terms: Up to 5 years if the money is intended for the purchase of fixed assets, up to 10 years, if you are buying real estate, and up to 2 years for working capital. The effective rate is within the 24-26% APR. Too much ... Money for private commercial banks today are expensive. But in order to neutralize the high effective rate, we are working with the Moscow government program payment rates. In addition, preparing to sign several agreements with federal entities that implement similar programs. What share of Moscow is going to subsidize? If the loans up to a year, then quenched one-third of the Central Bank refinancing rate, up to two years - half as if the term of the loan over two years, offset by two thirds. So long money can be cheaper than short ones. It turns out that the advantage to take the credit for the long term, buying fixed assets such as ... So it turns out. This is aimed at development of production. What can we expect from the Russian small business in the near future? The crisis was the catalyst. During the crisis entrepreneurial efforts. Small business - is a tool that can pull out most of the population. Already it is clear that this segment even touched the reduction in the least degree. This suggests that employment in this sector will continue to grow.