Site visits can be an essential part of what we do. They give our clients the opportunity to show us around their farms, meet our team members, and speak face-to-face about any questions they may have. It also allows our team members to get to know our clients and to learn from them. These direct learning opportunities are important to us as we continue to serve Canada’s farmers with adaptable financial solutions that meet their evolving needs.
When a new client approaches us for farm financing, we will sometimes conduct a site visit to their farm as part of the process. The purpose of the visit is not to assess the value of the property or the operation, we trust professional appraisers to do that. Here are some of the main reasons why site visits are important to us:
Understand the Business and Property
As a team of farmers ourselves, we see your business differently than traditional lenders. We have hands-on farming experience and understand the challenges that the agricultural industry can pose. Getting a visual of your farm operation can have a big impact on our understanding of your business and property. Seeing your farm in action will give us a better understanding of your needs and what we can do to help.
Move Things Along Faster
Meeting face-to-face gives our team members the opportunity to talk with you one-on-one and answer any questions on your mind. Rather than back and forth communication over the phone or by email, an on-site visit gives our team members and our clients the chance to have rich conversations. This can help move the application process along faster.
Build Trust
We value our client relationships and know that trust is a big part of your decision when it comes to financing. Since we service a big region that covers all of Ontario and Western Canada, site visits allow us to connect directly with our clients and earn your trust. We understand that not all clients are comfortable asking questions over the phone or by email, and have been asked some excellent questions during our site visits—speaking to the importance of these face-to-face conversations.
Learn From Farmers
We know that the needs of Canada’s farmers can evolve as quickly as the industry itself. We learn a lot from talking to our clients during site visits about the real challenges they’re facing or the goals that they’re working towards. This helps us be more adaptive with our financing solutions and to gain valuable understanding that helps us be more responsive to our future clients.
While not every situation requires a site visit, we aren’t geographically limited— so we go where we need to, if we need to. We try to meet clients in person because we believe in the relationship and the trust-building value of face-to-face conversation. The better we understand your business, the better guidance and support we can offer to help you meet your financial goals.
Interested in learning more about our farm financing solutions for farmers in Ontario and Western Canada? Fill out a quick online application today to get started.