Making International Payments

[omigod]

I wasn't quite sure where to post this but here goes.
Our retail business makes regular international payment to suppliers within the EU.
It's normally around 3k Euros once or twice a month so not a huge amount but enough.
The bank charges for making these payments seem relatively low but I am aware the exchange rate given can be quite poor.
I had a conversation with a cold caller (I can't remember who) who provided the transfer service at a much better rate than my bank and it got me thinking.

Does anyone have any experience in using companies or services of this type?
Can anyone be recommended?

 

[Talay]

SWIFT @ around £25 a throw. Very roughly, 1%.

Not sure I'd be sweating on trying to beat that.

Of course, if doing regularly, why not simply have a Euro account ?

Citibank ?

 

[StevensOnln1]

Don't know how good the exchange rate is but the Post Office don't charge any fees on international transfers.

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/international-business-payments

 

[Wavecrest Ltd]

We have been using a company called Baydon Hill PLC for a few months now. Their rates are much better than we were getting from our bank (Barclays) and the transaction fees are very low too.

It took a little while to get used to their system but everything seems to be running OK now.

Glen

 

[Talay]

Don't know how good the exchange rate is but the Post Office don't charge any fees on international transfers.

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/international-business-payments

We have a dormant account with them as their rates were really quite poor.

Just tested a £10k transfer and they are overpriced by around 0.9% against straight SWIFT (having noted SWIFT fee).