| |
| |
|
Kellys Credit Information |
|
|
|
Trade Credit: How to Determine if You Should Offer Net-30 Terms to Your Customers
What is trade credit? One of the major differences between consumer and commercial transactions is that most, if not all, consumer transactions are paid in cash or by credit card at the time of sale. Because of this, most consumer businesses never have to worry about extending credit to a customer and can run their operations on an "all cash" basis. This allows them to focus on their core competencies because they don't have to carry slow paying Accounts Receivables and go through the expense of collecting on such accounts. However, commercial transactions are different. Most clients ask their suppliers to deliver services immediately and then to invoice them for the work, payable 30 days later (also known as offering net-30). In effect, clients ask their suppliers provide them with "trade credit" for 30 days. Although suppliers don't like offering trade credit, most have accepted it as an industry standard and have learned how to operate and live with it. In fact, some suppliers have even mastered how to offer trade credit and use it to better position their companies with leading clients. Large creditworthy customers, such as the government or large companies, will usually demand trade credit as part of their contract negotiations. Some examples of entities that ask for 30 to 60 day payment terms are: o Fortune 500 companies On the positive side, providing trade credit to the proper clients can be a tool that allows your company to win important contracts and position it for growth. However, providing credit is also risky and can erode the company's cash position if it is misused. Furthermore, offering trade credit to less-than-creditworthy clients can burden the company with bad debt and affect its growth prospects. Because of this, business owners must walk a fine line balancing their desires to grow their businesses with the necessities of offering credit to their customers. Keys to providing trade credit successfully The best way to minimize the risk of providing trade credit to a client is to perform a credit analysis on him. Although no credit analysis is 100% perfect, they allow business owners to make an informed decision on whom to issue credit to. Here are the three key points to making a credit analysis. o Have the customer fill out a credit application o Check bank and supplier references o Check commercial credit reports Doing a credit analysis on your clients will allow you to determine how much - if any - trade credit you can give them. Clients that do not have a favorable credit analysis should be placed on a COD (Cash On Delivery) basis, at least initially, to reduce the risk of non-payments. The challenges of offering trade credit One of the main drawbacks of providing trade credit is that it can create a cash flow problem for the company that offers it. Large suppliers with adequate cash cushions in the bank can easily afford to offer credit. However, small suppliers with lean bank accounts usually find that offering credit will drain their cash resources and create financial challenges. It is not uncommon for small businesses to find themselves with a cash flow gap after offering trade credit to their larger clients. This gap is created by the fact that the company's Accounts Receivable account is strong while the company's bank accounts and cash position are weak. The cash flow gap places the business at risk of missing payroll and debt payments. It also prevents it from pursuing new opportunities because they don't have the funds to buy resources or hire the necessary staff.
Bridging the "cash flow" gap The biggest asset that most new businesses have, aside from their equipment and intangibles (e.g. employees), is their unpaid invoices or Accounts Receivable. Accounts Receivable is an asset that can be quickly converted into cash by using a financial tool called factoring. Factoring allows a business to sell the financial rights to their Accounts Receivable to a third party, called a Factor. As part of the sale, the factor immediately advances a large portion of the cash value of the unpaid invoices to the business. The business can then use this cash infusion to strengthen its cash position and meet its obligations. In the meantime, the factor, which now owns the invoices, waits to get paid by the customer. Factoring enables business owners to outsource their trade credit function to the factor and to turn their companies into the equivalent of an "all cash" business. If you want to learn more about factoring and how it can be used to grow your business, please read our white paper titled "Factoring: Cash on Demand for your business without debt or loans" About Marco Terry Marco Terry is president of Commercial Capital LLC, a leading commercial finance company that specializes in providing working capital through factoring to small businesses. For more information or a free consultation, please visit our web site at http://factoring.ccapital.net or call us at (786) 206 4722.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
ChexSystems: Alternative Options for People Whove Been Checking Accounts Individual banks elect to become members of ChexSystems, and to use their services.Those individual banks are the ones who decides what is sufficient cause to close your account and report you to ChexSystems. Credit cards If gold medals were awarded for marketing consistency, the credit card industry would be the Sarah Hughes of the business world. Major players Visa and MasterCard, who have maintained their steady rates of spending and commitment to their positioning platforms for years, will stick to their established routines this year. How To Repair Your Credit Report A credit report is run on a buyer when he or she needs to buy something that will take a long-term loan, such as an automobile or a house. The credit report can come from one of three agencies - Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union. Why Credit Cards are a Bad Idea Credit cards are just so convenient, aren't they? There's no need to carry any money with you ever again: you can just take one with you to the shop and pay the exact amount just by handing it over. If you haven't been paid yet, then you don't need to worry, because the money will still be there. What is Credit Card and Debit Card Blocking? Have you ever been told you were over your credit card limit, or had your debit card declined, even though you knew you had available credit or money in your bank account? If this happened shortly after you stayed in a hotel or rented a car, the problem could have been card "blocking."What is Blocking?When you use a credit or debit card to check into a hotel or rent a car, the clerk usually contacts the company that issued your card to give an estimated total. SuperCharged Secret 2, Credit Card Utopia INTEREST BEWARE, THERE'S SAFETY IN NUMBERS!Note: The following is part 2 of a 5 part series, Over the course of these 5 articles, I am going to introduce you to several methods for maximizing the use and benefits of the best Credit Cards and offers on the market today. This information, when used in conjunction with one another, is unlike anything you've ever seen before. Fair Isaac Corporation Credit or FICO Score As I am not from the US, I had no idea what FICO meant before researching it. FICO stands for Fair Isaac Corporation, a company based in California. Credit Suicide Few things influence the home buying process more than your credit. I like how Clark Howard refers to the three credit repositories as, "the three screw-ups". Credit Repair Companies and Credit Counseling Let's be crystal clear, right up front. Paying someone to "fix" your credit is a waste of your time and money, since the negative issues that are temporarily removed from your file will only reappear again in a couple of months. Improving Your Credit Report Even if you think you have a wonderful credit report, be wary of the error factor. Just as you receive mail with your name and address misspelled, your credit report can have errors as well. Credit Counseling: Is it Really Necessary? Not everyone has a positive experience with credit counseling. Potential creditors often frown upon consumers who are going through credit counseling, denying them credit or sticking them with elevated interest rates on new lines of credit. Dealing With and Repairing Bad Credit Bad credit can be a burden for otherwise good credit. It may not seem fair at times that financial mistakes in the past can haunt you in the present, but with a little bit of work and some time bad credit can be turned around and repaired. Repairing Your Credit Score and Clearing Derogatory Marks on Your Credit Report Raising your credit score can be a fairly simple and straightforward process unless you have derogatory marks that need to be disputed (which will be explained below).The reasons for bad credit can be as follows, high balances, bankruptcies, late payments, and many others. Credit Report Hassles There is no end to the amount of pain that your credit report can cause you. If you have a bad credit history this is something that can follow you around and wreak havoc on your life without you even knowing it. How a Credit Card Can Be Your Friend We have all heard countless stories of people over their heads with credit card debt-maxing out every card they own, then only being able to afford the minimum monthly payment. High interest payments shackle people to their debt for years, not to mention the significant income drain the finance charges have on their families. Your Consumer Rights If you have ever fallen behind on your debts you already know that dealing with your creditors can be a hassle. Sometimes it can be downright humiliating. Top 5 Reasons To Check Your Credit Report Regularly #1 Make sure mistakes aren't hurting your credit.Reviewing your credit report can help you avoid costly errors. Credit Reports - Why Your Credit Score is Important If you have never heard of a FICO score before, you should become familiar with the term. Named for the firm that invented it, Fair Isaac Corp. Credit Education Having credit education is like knowing how to read. It will be necessary throughout your life. How did a Thief get my Name? Don't be a Victim of Identity Theft How do these people get my name? If you have a credit card, your name is sold to third parties, if you do not want this to happen, you must contact your credit card companies to inform them that you do not want your information sold. Check the privacy notice that comes with your bill.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
