• Home
• Leasing Options
• Clune Difference
• Testimonials
• Section 179
• Contact Us
• Applications
• About Us

They have developed customized leasing programs specific to the needs of our industry. Clune has taken away many of the inherent dangers associated with presenting a lease that eventually end up holding our customers hostage. The beauty of Clune is that they have taken away the pain of the past and packaged a solution that will offer overall long-term value for our customers and us. We are also better protected against losing a customer's future business.

James O'Keefe, R.S. Knapp Co Inc

The Organic Lease Agreement

By Kevin F. Clune, CLP

The term "organic" is normally used in reference to food products that have no unnatural additives or other potentially harmful ingredients.

It's curious that people will spend time reading the labels of $4 cereal boxes to make sure of safe ingredients but they all too frequently don’t give the same time to reading the terms and conditions of lease agreements for items costing $40,000 or more.

The choice of organic food is preferable for those who are concerned about the health of their body, and the choice of a dependable financial product is preferable to those who are concerned about the stability and success of their businesses.

The Leasing Industry, being unregulated, has deservedly gotten a black eye from many customers who have been burned by the many revenue enhancing ploys added into most lease agreements.

Examine the "label" of your financial product, meaning the terms of the contract. Clune & Company has created a simple check list of items to examine. This list is also a central component of our customer informational packets. Watching for these pitfalls can save customers thousands of dollars.

Secondly, the leasing industry is not subject to the same oversight and regulation as a bank. Ironically, this can translate into an advantage for the leasing customer, who can finance 100% of their equipment purchase with a lease as opposed to a bank loan. Also, many banks will simply refrain from making any loan secured only by capital equipment.

Clune & Company is a 50-plus year-old business that has long defined itself as "self regulated in an unregulated industry." In recent years, the establishment of the Certified Lease Professional Accreditation has helped assure leasing customers of a level of ethical standards in the leasing company with whom they are negotiating. Clune has had four employees attain the certification of Certified Lease Professional (CLP). Most companies in our industry do not hold themselves to similar standards.

Finally, when examining a lease contract, a business owner would also be wise to question the salesperson about the leasing source he or she has recommended. Can you obtain references from former and current customers of the leasing company? Manufacturers who offer leasing contracts have become commonplace in recent years. They profit from both the sale and the subsequent financing. An independent leasing company may offer more desirable terms since they are detached from the sale of the equipment. Additionally, utilizing an independent leasing firm allows a business owner to partner with a leasing company and more easily arrange financing for all of their diverse equipment needs through one-stop shopping.

It boils down to reading the "labels". Make wise business choices by doing your research to ensure that a product is as ethical as it appears at first glance.

Kevin F. Clune, CLP, is the second generation owner of Clune & Company, a 50 year-old capital equipment leasing firm located at 5950 Roe Avenue, Mission, KS 66205. Visit them on the web and sign up for their bi-monthly newsletter at www.clune.net.