Factoring Company Guide
Step One: The Client Application
You start by completing a simple client profile that we provide. This will include basic details like your company's name, address, what your business does, and some info about your customers.
You might also have to provide some documents like an accounts receivable aging report, or your customers' credit limits. The goal here is for us, the factor, to understand how creditworthy your customers are, beyond just their history with you. We want a more complete picture of their credit situation.
In this early phase, you'll also discuss financial arrangements with the factor. This includes things like how many invoices you plan to factor each month (or how cash-ready you need to be), the advance rate, the discount rate, and how fast we can provide the advance.
Usually, the answers to these questions will depend on your customers' financial strength and the expected monthly sales volume to be factored. Things like the type of industry, how long you've been in operation, and the general riskiness of your customers can make a difference. For example, factoring for a large number of high-risk clients will be more expensive than for a small number of slow-paying government agencies.
In factoring, volume is crucial. The more you factor (the total dollar amount of invoices), the better your rates will be.
We'll use the client profile you submit to decide if your business is a good fit for factoring. This involves weighing the potential risks and benefits based on the information you provided.
Once you're approved, you'll get to negotiate terms and conditions. The negotiation process considers various aspects of the deal. For instance, if you're factoring $10,000, you can't expect as good a deal as a company that wants to factor $500,000.
During negotiations, you'll learn all about the cost of factoring your accounts receivable. After an agreement is reached with the factor, we start the funding process. This involves checking your customers' credit, looking for any liens against your company, and verifying the validity of your invoice before buying your receivables and advancing money to you.
Factoring Company Benefits
Perks of Factoring:
- Say goodbye to cash flow worries and say hello to more time managing your business.
- No need to stress about monthly loan payments. Get your cash in as quick as two to four days.
- Enjoy the power of having full control over your business.
- Reduce or even eliminate costs tied to chasing down payments.
- Decide how many invoices to sell and when, giving you more control over your cash flow.
- Overcome the challenge of clients who are slow to pay.
- Boost your production and increase your sales.
- Get access to professional collection and credit checking services.
- Make sure your payroll is always met on time.
- Easily pay your payroll taxes.
- Have the ability to give cash discounts for your materials.
- Get more purchasing power, allowing you to take advantage of bulk purchase or early payment discounts.
- Improve your credit score by consistently having the cash to pay your bills promptly.
- Have cash ready for growing your business.
- Have money to spend on marketing your business.
- Improve your financial status.
- Get comprehensive and detailed reports about your accounts receivable.
Is Factoring For You
Recognizing the Importance of Factoring
"When you don't collect the money, a sale remains unfinished."
Have you ever felt like you're taking on the role of a part-time banker for your customers?
Take a moment to examine your accounts receivable aging schedule and count how many accounts are overdue by more than 30 days. Congratulations, you're essentially providing credit to those customers. By not receiving timely payment for your products or services, you're essentially offering interest-free financing to your customers. This may not align with your original business intentions, does it?
Let's consider this:
If your customers were to approach a bank and borrow the same amount of money, they would undoubtedly expect to pay a significant amount of interest for that privilege.
Moreover:
Not only are you missing out on earning any interest on that money, but more importantly, you're also losing the opportunity to utilize that capital while waiting for your customers to settle their debts. What is the cost of not having this money readily available? Essentially, your customers are essentially requesting you to finance their business by granting them extended payment terms, often exceeding 30 days.
However, have you ever taken a moment to contemplate the expenses incurred due to "missed opportunities" when your funds are tied up in accounts receivable? It's worth reflecting on the impact this has on your business and exploring how factoring can help alleviate these challenges.
Factoring History
Factoring History
Welcome to the world of factoring. Whether you're a business owner, aspiring entrepreneur, or seeking new financial tools for your current employer, factoring can help you achieve your financial goals. Surprisingly, factoring serves as the financial backbone for many successful American businesses.
The irony lies in the fact that factoring is rarely taught in business colleges, seldom mentioned in business plans, and remains relatively unknown to the majority of American businesspeople. However, it plays a crucial role in freeing up billions of dollars every year, enabling thousands of businesses to thrive and prosper.
So, what exactly is factoring? It is the process of purchasing commercial accounts receivable (invoices) from a business at a discount. In today's business landscape, offering credit terms to customers has become a common practice in order to secure business. However, these terms can strain the financial health of new or struggling companies, as cash flow is the lifeblood of any business.
Factoring has a rich and ancient tradition, dating back 4,000 years to the days of Hammurabi, the king of Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia, often called the "cradle of civilization," contributed numerous advancements including writing, structured business codes, government regulations, and the concept of factoring.
Over time, various civilizations embraced factoring. The Romans, for example, were the first to sell promissory notes at a discount. In the American colonies before the revolution, factoring gained widespread documented use. The colonists relied on merchant bankers in London and Europe who provided funds in advance for shipping cotton, furs, and timber before they reached the continent. This allowed the colonists to continue their operations without waiting for payment from European customers.
It's important to note that these arrangements differed from modern banking relationships. If the colonists had relied on traditional banking services in eighteenth-century England, the process would have been much slower. Banks would have awaited payment from the European buyers before paying the colonists. This impractical process led to the emergence of factors in colonial times, who advanced funds against accounts receivable, enabling clients to continue their operations before receiving payment.
During the Industrial Revolution, factoring evolved to focus more on credit issues while preserving its core principle. Factors assisted clients in assessing the creditworthiness of their customers and establishing credit limits, thus guaranteeing payment for approved customers. This practice, known as non-recourse factoring, is common in today's business landscape.
Prior to the 1930s, factoring primarily occurred in the textile and garment industries, as these industries directly inherited the colonial economy's reliance on factoring. After the war years, factors recognized the potential to extend factoring to other industries that relied on invoices, leading to its expansion.
Today, factors come in various forms and sizes. They exist as divisions within large financial institutions, but more frequently as privately owned entrepreneurial endeavors. The rise of private factors surged in the 1960s and 1970s when interest rates soared to unprecedented heights. This trend continued in the 1980s due to increasing interest rates and changes in the banking industry. With banks becoming costly and inflexible due to heavy regulations (recall the Savings and Loan crisis), small business owners sought alternative sources of financing for their expansion and growth. As more banks distanced themselves from small business owners, factoring emerged as a popular option.
Each year, thousands of businesses sell billions of dollars in accounts receivable through factoring. They do so to achieve profitability, fuel growth, and, in some cases, ensure their very survival.
Credit Risk
Unleash Your Business Potential with Quick Cash and Expert Credit Risk Assessment
Gain a Competitive Advantage at No Additional Cost
Accurately evaluating credit risk is a fundamental aspect of our factoring services. Our objective approach sets us apart, as very few clients can perform this function as effectively as we do.
As part of our comprehensive offering, we serve as your dedicated credit department for both new and existing customers. This gives you a significant edge over managing these tasks in-house, without incurring any extra fees.
Imagine a scenario where a salesperson is pursuing a new account with the potential for substantial purchases. In their eagerness to secure the business, they may overlook warning signs of credit difficulties and bypass your internal credit checks. While this may result in a quick sale, it offers no guarantee of timely payment, which is essential for sustained success.
With us, you can avoid such pitfalls. We make credit decisions based on a comprehensive understanding of the new customer's credit situation. We refrain from purchasing invoices from customers with poor credit ratings, minimizing the risk of nonpayment. Importantly, our involvement does not imply a tightening of credit that could negatively impact your business beyond your control.
Ultimately, the decision to do business with a new customer of questionable creditworthiness remains yours. (However, we reserve the right to say, "We warned you!")
While we may not purchase those invoices, you retain the freedom to extend credit terms as you see fit. You remain in complete control. Regardless of the decisions you make, our participation ensures you have access to comprehensive, objective, and high-quality information to make informed credit decisions, surpassing your previous practices.
We conduct thorough research on new clients and diligently monitor the credit ratings of your existing customers. This stands in stark contrast to the common practice of neglecting routine credit updates for established customers, which can be a costly oversight.
Most businesses only conduct credit checks when problems have already spiraled out of control. In contrast, we promptly inform you of any changes in the credit status of your existing customers, empowering you to take proactive measures.
In addition to providing specific customer credit information, we offer comprehensive reports on your accounts receivables. These reports include accounting details, transactional insights, aging reports, and financial management reports. This valuable data allows you to analyze sales performance, track account history, and make informed decisions to drive your business forward.
With over 70 years of successful experience managing cash flow and credit, we are excited to leverage our expertise for your benefit. Let us put our knowledge to work, helping you achieve your financial goals and unlock the full potential of your business. Experience the advantages of quick cash and expert credit risk assessment at no additional cost.
How To Change Factoring Companies
Changing Your Invoice Finance Provider
Thinking about switching your invoice finance provider? Our comprehensive guide provides you with a clear understanding of the entire process. We cover the essentials, from UCCs to transitioning, along with critical questions to consider before committing to a new partnership.
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Explained
Invoice finance companies use UCC filings to protect their interests. Understanding UCCs is crucial as they:
- Track rights over assets.
- Inform other lenders about existing financial agreements.
- Ensure the financier's priority on your invoices, akin to how mortgages or car titles work.
Transitioning Between Providers
When you switch providers, it involves a "buyout." Your new provider takes over the balance from your previous one, similar to a mortgage refinancing. This is formalized in a Buyout Agreement.
Calculating the Buyout Amount
The buyout amount typically includes your unpaid invoices minus any reserves, plus additional fees. It's important to request a detailed breakdown to fully understand all costs, including early termination fees.
Cost Implications of a Buyout
Transitioning can be cost-effective, especially if you provide new invoices to your new financier. Avoid re-submitting previously financed invoices to prevent double fees. Prompt communication with your old provider is essential to avoid additional charges.
Time Considerations
Changing providers may require extra processing time due to buyout calculations. Working with an experienced financier can help make this transition smoother.
Complex Scenarios
In some cases, both your old and new financiers may hold rights to your invoices during the transition, though this is not always the case.
Questions to Ponder Before Committing
- Is it possible to work with multiple invoice finance companies?
- What are the notice periods and penalties for changing providers?
- How long does the new provider take to process payments?
- Who will be your point of contact at the finance company?
- Are there any postage costs for sending invoices?
- What additional fees, like credit checks or new customer setups, can you expect?
- When does the financier start reserving funds?
