Leveraging Red Flag Alert's data to stay ahead of ongoing insolvencies
Begbies Traynor needed timely, granular data on financial distress to strengthen its market insights and position it as the UK’s leading voice on corporate recovery
Begbies Traynor partnered with Red Flag Alert for real-time insights on distressed companies, powering sharper campaigns with a competitive edge
Since adopting Red Flag Alert, they have boosted their media profile and authority by delivering real-time, sector-specific insights
Begbies Traynor is a leading management consultancy firm specialising in business recovery and financial advice. They needed a reliable way to tangibly measure financial distress across the UK business landscape, to support its growth and marketing efforts efficiently.
The UK's economic environment is rapidly shifting, and therefore the ability to understand and anticipate which sectors and companies are under pressure is invaluable. By partnering with Red Flag Alert, the Begbies Traynor has transformed how it gathers insight and communicates with the market, positioning itself as the top thought leader in corporate distress and insolvency within the UK.
Begbies Traynor sought to enhance its understanding of market trends and business distress, aiming to inform its internal strategic decisions and enhance its external profile. The business needed to access timely and actionable data that could be segmented down into granular detail, to set it apart from competitors and offer a more informed perspective on distress across different sectors, regions, and company sizes.
“One thing that we really needed was a data provider who could support our aims. It was about being able to tangibly measure distress in the UK market, especially within the client base we were looking to target," said Ian Stanley, National Head of PR at Begbies Traynor.
Traditional sources lacked the nuance and specialism that Begbies Traynor required. With insolvencies on the rise, the team saw the opportunity to position itself as a more agile and sector-savvy voice in the space. However, without the right data infrastructure, they risked relying on retrospective trends rather than forward-looking indicators, leaving them reacting to events rather than anticipating them.
The challenge wasn’t just data access. They needed software with the ability to break down this data into fragmented details regarding sector, size, and region, for a deeper dive into the insights. That way, it could be presented credibly to clients and stakeholders as a source of market leadership.
Begbies Traynor realised that Red Flag Alert provided the solution they were searching for and decided to partner with them. The platform enabled the business to access real-time data on UK companies at risk of financial distress, broken down by SIC code, size, and region. This granular level of insight became essential to the firm’s marketing, PR, and strategic outreach efforts, particularly their quarterly “Red Flag Alert” report, which is often featured on leading publications throughout the UK.
“I think it's the breakdown of the data that makes Red Flag Alert so easy to use, and the software’s ability to read the signals within the market."
"Even though insolvency is caused by a lot more factors than perhaps just a CCJ, it's the ability to understand how and why the algorithm decides what makes a distressed company. The knowledge is all in there, and it’s invaluable,“ said Ian Stanley, National Head of PR at Begbies Traynor.
Red Flag Alert’s unique ability to pinpoint companies showing early warning signs of distress allowed Begbies Traynor to create highly relevant and data-driven content. Whilst building media stories around vulnerable sectors to send to the national press, our data gave the team the evidence and confidence to lead with insight. This ability to react at pace to real-world events and align data to sector-specific narratives was a major advantage.
“Red Flag Alert gives us the opportunity to talk in an informed way about market distress," said Ian Stanley, National Head of PR at Begbies Traynor.
"It’s a unique dataset that sets us apart from our competitors.”
The partnership between Begbies Traynor and Red Flag Alert has allowed the organisation to push the boundaries of what was possible with data, while remaining grounded in accuracy and clarity.
"Even though insolvency is caused by a lot more factors than perhaps just a CCJ, it's the ability to understand how and why the algorithm decides what makes a distressed company. The knowledge is all in there, and it’s invaluable.“
Ian Stanley
National Head of PR at Begbies Traynor.
Since adopting Red Flag Alert, Begbies Traynor has significantly elevated its profile in the media and among stakeholders. The platform has become a cornerstone of the firm’s quarterly market commentary, helping it to position itself as a leading authority on financial distress in the UK.
The ability to provide real-time, sector-specific insight has driven media coverage, with journalists increasingly turning to Begbies Traynor for data-led stories. During critical moments such as the pandemic, this access to real-world, real-time data proved invaluable. It enabled the firm to back up observations with concrete figures and provided a compelling narrative supported by robust evidence.
“It’s a very much watched metric now. Red Flag helps us become a thought leader in itself within that area,” said Ian Stanley, National Head of PR at Begbies Traynor.
While traditional measures like cost savings or time efficiencies are harder to quantify in this use case, the increase in media exposure and brand authority is clear. The visibility of Begbies Traynor as a data-informed voice in the industry has opened new conversations with clients and positioned the firm as a go-to source of insight.
Looking ahead, the firm plans to expand its use of Red Flag Alert beyond quarterly insights. New strategies, such as financial misconduct and refinance opportunities, are being explored to further leverage the platform's capabilities. The potential to use Red Flag Alert not just to report on distress, but to anticipate and even mitigate it, marks a promising new chapter in the partnership.
“Red Flag Alert gives you the insights you need to measure business distress, identify opportunities, and build trust with your clients,” said Ian Stanley, National Head of PR at Begbies Traynor.
See how Red Flag Alert can give your business the same competitive edge as Begbies Traynor.
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