Slow revenues and thin margins can create a dangerous combination that leaves transportation companies vulnerable to unpredictable events – such as a slow customer payment, a major equipment breakdown, quick payment demands from drivers or fuel increases. Well capitalized companies can handle these events simply by tapping into their cash reserves. But growing companies, or companies with minimal reserves, run the risk of running into serious problems.

You can certainly minimize these cash flow problems by optimizing how you manage your accounts receivable. For example, you should run credit reports to make sure you only work with shippers that will pay for their loads on a timely basis. Additionally, you should always make sure that all the proper paperwork (e.g. freight bill, bill of lading, etc) is in order. Lastly, you should consider offering discounts in exchange for quick payments. But this strategies do have their limitations.

Although optimizing your invoicing processes will definitely help,  most transportation companies will ultimately need business financing to be able to grow and succeed. Usually, company owners will approach their local institution to try and get a business loan. However, getting a business loan in the transportation industry is very difficult for carriers and nearly impossible for brokers. Furthermore, institutions will usually require that the company present three years of pristine financial records. Also, they will only work with companies that have substantial collateral and whose owners have a solid net worth. Ultimately, few transportation companies will be able to meet this criteria.

However, there is a new alternative way to finance transportation companies that has been gaining traction in recent years. It’s called freight bill factoring. Factoring accelerates the cash that is due to your company from slow paying freight bills. It provides the quick liquidity you need to pay for company expenses – such as drivers, fuel and repairs – without having to worry about the timing of your shippers payments.

Freight bill factoring transactions are usually structured as two advances against your freight bill. The first advance usually averages 90% and is paid as soon as the load is delivered and invoiced for. The second advance, which is the remaining 10% less the fee, is paid once the shipper pays the invoice in full.  The factoring fee varies and is calculated based on the credit quality of your shippers, the size of your advances and the volume of invoices that you factor.

Perhaps one of the most important advantages of using freight factoring to finance your transportation company is that it’s easier to get than most conventional forms of business financing. Since factoring companies are funding your invoices – they view them as your most important collateral.  To qualify, it’s very important that your shippers, who pay your invoices, have very good commercial credit ratings. Also, your invoices must be free of any encumbrances created by tax or legal problems.

Freight bill factoring is also very flexible. Most conventional business financing solutions , like lines of credit or business loans,  have fixed ceilings. Factoring lines tend to have ceilings that are directly tied to your sales. This means that the line can grow along with your company, provided that you are selling to shippers that have solid commercial credit ratings. This makes freight factoring an ideal solution for small and medium sized transportation companies that have substantial growth opportunities but don’t have the cash flow to execute on their growth plans.

Not too long ago, getting a business loan was relatively easy, especially if the business owner had a home that could be used as collateral. Nowadays, business loans are much harder to get. Financial institutions will ask for two to three years worth of financial statements and review them very carefully. Likewise, they will only get involved in lending transactions if the business has substantial collateral and if the owner has a significant net worth.  These criteria all but rule out small business. Because of this, alternative business financing solutions have been on the rise.

Most small companies that look for business financing do so because they have cash flow problems. Usually these happen because the company has to give 30 to 60 day payment terms to their customers but has expenses that need to be paid quickly. In effect, they can’t afford to wait up to 60 days to get paid. One obvious way to fix this problem is to use a line of credit to cover expenses while waiting to get paid. But if a line of credit is not an option, invoice factoring may be the right alternative solution.

Factoring is an form of business financing that accelerates your cash flow due from slow paying customers. It works by using a financial intermediary, called a factoring company, that advances funds  against your slow paying invoices. The factoring company holds the invoices as collateral, while your company gets a cash infusion that can be used to meet your current business expenses. The transaction is settled once your customers pay the invoices , though many companies establish revolving factoring lines that can be used on a regular basis.

Most factoring transactions are structured so that invoices are funded in two stages. The initial advance is provided  as soon as the work is completed and your customer is invoiced. Most initial advances are for 80% of the invoice, but this can vary based on certain conditions. The second advance is provided once the invoice is paid in full and covers the remaining 20%, less the factoring fee.

Factoring fees usually vary based on a few parameters such as the creditworthiness of your customers, the quality of your invoices, how long it takes for your customers to pay and the size of the factoring line.   Generally the factoring fee will be based on a percentage of the invoice.

One of the main advantages of invoice factoring is that it’s easier to obtain than most conventional financing. The most important criteria to qualify is the credit strength of the companies that will pay your invoices – this represents the collateral for the factoring company. Aside from that, your invoices need to be free and clear of any legal or tax encumbrances.  Lawsuits, judgments and tax problems may hinder your company’s ability to  get factoring financing. Most factoring companies will check this information during their due diligence process.

The biggest benefit from factoring is its flexibility. Most factoring lines are not based on fixed amount, but rather are tied to your sales. This means that the invoice factoring line can grow with your business, provided that your sales to are to credit worthy companies. This makes factoring an ideal solution for small and medium sized companies that have good potential that is being hindered by cash flow problems.

Many small companies that have run into financial problems could be helped with the right type of business financing. The problem is that companies that have financial problems usually don’t have access to business financing. Financial institutions are very conservative and will only lend money to companies that have solid collateral, impeccable financial statements and a solid track record of profitability. This will rule out most small businesses and almost any company that is in financial trouble. It’s the common catch 22 – where businesses that could benefit from funding don’t have a way to access it.

However, there is a business financing solution that has been gaining popularity with troubled companies – it’s called invoice factoring. Invoice factoring solves one common issue for small companies – cash flow problems created by slow paying customers. It solves this problem by working with a financial intermediary – called a factoring company – that advances you a payment for your invoices and then waits to get paid by your customer. This provides your company with the liquidity it needs to be able to meet its obligations on time without worrying about slow payments.

Factoring financing does have one important limitation though – it can only help companies that have cash flow problems that are created by slow paying customers. It cannot be of much help to companies that have other financial problems – such as low sales.

One of the advantages of factoring financing is that it is easier to qualify for than most conventional financing solutions. Generally, the most important requirement is that your customers need to have good commercial credit. This is important because your invoices are the collateral for the transaciton. Additionally, your company will need to be free of legal and tax problems.

Another important advantage of invoice factoring is that it usually does not have a fixed limit – like a loan or credit line. The factoring line is usually dynamically tied to your revenues, and grows as your business grows – provided you are working with solid customers.

The problem with this is that many small companies live invoice-to-invoice (not unlike paycheck-to-paycheck) and a delay in invoice payments can easily send their finances into a tail spin. And since few small companies have any meaningful cash reserves, a delay may impact their ability to pay suppliers – and more importantly – their ability to meet payroll. Missing payroll can have substantial negative consequences that could ultimately lead to the closure of the business.

Your first line of defense to prevent a cash flow shortage is to build a cash reserve. This is easier said than done since most small businesses don’t have the wherewithal to build a cash reserves. But if you can build a cash reserve, your company will be in a better position to weather the inevitable storms that will hit your cash flow. If building a cash reserve is not an option, then you should consider using a business financing solution that can allow you to cover payroll and other expenses if things get tight.

Invoice factoring is a business financing solution that can be used to correct cash flow issues relatively quickly and without the hassles associated with conventional financing. It works by correcting the problem at the source. It provides you a cash advance for your slow paying invoices, providing the liquidity you need to meet payroll and other important expenses. With an invoice factoring solution you can eliminate the uncertainty of client payments, enabling you to obtain a more predictable cash flow.

One of the advantages of factoring is that the most important thing you need to qualify for this type of financing is solid commercial customers. It’s ok if your customers pay slowly – provided that they pay reliably. Aside from this, your company needs to be free of legal and tax issues. And factoring can be deployed fairly quickly – usually in a week or two.

Another advantage of factoring is that it’s dynamically tied into your sales. This means that it can be increased easily as your sales increase, provided that you are invoicing credit worthy customers. This makes invoice factoring the perfect solution for small companies with good prospects that are hindered by cash flow problems.

One way to solve this problem is to start requesting faster customer payments. This can sometimes work, especially if you offer your shippers a discount for paying early. Offering 2% for a payment in 10 days or less is quite common . The problem with this strategy is that you are still at the mercy of your customer who may – or may not – pay quickly.

A second way to solve this problem is to get conventional business financing such as a loan or line of credit. While a line of credit would certainly help address this cash flow problem, they are very difficult to obtain in this environment. Banks are notoriously risk averse and will usually demand strong collateral, a long track record and impeccable financial statements before providing financing. The problem is that few, if any, small carriers (or brokers) will meet this criteria.

A third alternative to solve this problem is to use freight bill factoring, a form of financing that can be used to speed up payments from slow paying shippers. It works by using a third party company, called a factoring company, that provides a cash advance for your slow paying invoices. The cash advance can be used by your company to cover expenses and take on new opportunities. The transaction closes once the customer pays the invoice in full. It’s common for carriers and brokers to factor invoices on a regular basis, thus ensuring smooth cash flow.

One advantage of freight factoring over other solutions is that it’s easier to obtain. The most important requirement to qualify is that your shippers need to have good commercial credit. This is important because their invoice is the collateral that the factoring company is financing. Aside from this, your company needs to be properly established and be free of legal and tax problems. Another advantage of invoice factoring lines is that they can be implemented very quickly. It’s common for a line to be up and running within a week or two.

Perhaps the most important feature of factoring is that it’s dynamically tied to your revenues. This means that the line can increase easily as your sales increase – provided your shippers have high quality credit. This makes freight factoring an ideal solution for small and medium sized freight companies with growth potential whose main problem is that their customers pay slowly.

With this in mind – what is the best way to deal with slow paying customers? In reality, there is no best way. Rather, there are a number of steps you can take to make sure you get good customers with solid payment records. If you follow these steps diligently you will minimize the chances that you will have problems from slow paying customers.

There are two things that you can before singing on a customer that will reduce the likelihood of having payment problems. First, when you work with clients you should always have an attorney written contract that outlines all the critical points of the sale, including the payment terms and the product/service acceptance criteria. This is critical because it puts all expectations in writing and gives both parties an opportunity to measure performance. Second, you should only extend payment terms to commercial customers that have a solid payment track record. To do this you will need to check your client’s commercial credit or references. Dun & Bradstreet and Experian both produce well respected business credit reports that are available online.

The next step is to manage your receivables properly. There should be a dedicated person that calls the customer shortly after the sale to make sure that they are happy with the product or service. This will help you identify potential disputes so you can resolve them quickly. And If the invoice remains unpaid after the due date, be sure to call the customer promptly to check on the status. However, be mindful of how often you call the customer since calling too often can cause problems. Lastly, you should always be respectful, polite and professional with all customer interactions.

However, there are times when you follow all the right steps and customers still pay slowly. This can create a cash flow problem for your company. In that case, you should consider using invoice factoring to accelerate the payment of your invoices. Factoring is a form of business financing in which a funding company, called a factoring company, advances funds against your slow paying invoices from credit worthy commercial customers. This provides you the needed funds to operate your business and relieves the pressures created by slow paying customers.

One of the advantages of factoring is that it’s much easier – and faster – to obtain than conventional business financing. Since factoring companies use your invoices as collateral – it’s critical that you work with credit worthy customers. Aside from this, your company should be free of legal and tax problems. Most factoring lines can be implemented in a couple weeks – which is comparatively fast. these Teatures make invoice factoring an ideal solution for growing firms the have good, but slow paying, customers.

Most financial institutions provide financing based on your company’s collateral, your assets, the strength of your financial statements and your track record. Few companies with cash flow problems can show solid financial statements. Furthermore, most institutions can’t provide business financing quickly. Most require a month or two to complete the process. If your company needs emergency financing, waiting a month can spell disaster. However, ff you have a specific type of cash flow problem, there is an alternative that is usually easier (and quicker) to obtain than a business loan – it’s called invoice factoring.

Most companies that that sell commercial goods or services have to give payment terms to their clients. This means that they have to wait up to 60 days to get paid for their services. On the other hand, they also have to cover their current business expenses regularly. This creates a timing gap between income and expenses. Companies manage this timing gap by paying for expenses out of their reserves, while waiting for customers to pay. Sometimes due to circumstances, the gap becomes unmanageable. And that is where companies run into problems.

The simplest solution is to close the timing gap by asking customers to pay quickly . This can work if you offer them an incentive, such as a 2% discount for quick payments. But ultimately, you will end up at the mercy of your customers payment habits. A better solution may be to factor your invoices.

Factoring provides your company with a quick payment for its invoices by using a financial intermediary. The financial intermediary buys your invoices for an upfront payment and then waits until your customer pays. This provides your company with the needed liquidity to operate and expand. The factoring company charges a small fee for this service.

Invoice factoring is relatively easy to obtain and can be setup fairly quickly – usually in a week or two. The most important qualification requirement is the credit quality of your customers – factoring companies can only finance your invoices to credit worthy customers. Aside from that, your company need to be free of liens and legal encumbrances. Invoice factoring an ideal solution for companies that need emergency financing due to cash flow problems.

Most pipeline installation and maintenance companies run into cash flow problems because their customers pay their invoices in 30 to 60 days. However the pipeline maintenance company needs to pay a number of expenses much sooner than that – payroll needs to be met, rent needs to be paid monthly and suppliers need to be paid quickly. This creates a gap in the timing between revenues and expenses. And this gap can get many companies into trouble since they need to use their own cash reserves to cover expenses while waiting to get paid by clients. Ultimately, the company runs the risk of exhausting their cash reserves. At the very least, this will limit growth. If left unchecked, it could send the company into a financial tail spin.

There are three ways to handle and shorten the timing gap between revenues and expenses. You can accelerate your revenues by asking your customers to pay their invoices quickly. You will need to give your customers an incentive if you want them to pay sooner – a common incentive is to give them a 2% discount for if they pay an invoice within 10 days. A second approach is delay your expenses by paying your suppliers in 30 to 60 days. This may work for larger pipeline maintenance companies with good credit, but may not work for smaller companies. Most companies usually try to improve their cash flow by using a combination of these two strategies. While these two strategies can work, they ultimately leave you at the mercy of your clients and suppliers, who could change their minds at any time.

A third approach is to accelerate your revenues using invoice factoring. This strategy accelerates your revenues by using an financial intermediary, called a factoring company, between your company and your customers. The factoring company purchases your invoices for completed work (at a discount) and pays you upfront. This accelerates your cash flow and puts you in a better position to manage and grow your company. The factoring company then waits until your customer pays the invoice, at which time the transaction is settled.

One major advantage of factoring is that it’s easier to obtain than conventional business loans. Factoring companies consider your invoices to be your most important collateral and can finance them, provided they come from reputable and credit worthy customers. Because of this, factoring is accessible to small and medium sized companies that would not traditionally qualify for bank financing. Factoring can be a valuable tool for companies whose biggest challenge is that they need their customers to pay sooner.

Having cash flow problems is one of the biggest reasons why many growing companies run into problems. For many, these problems start because they give their customer up to 60 days to pay their invoices. This common practice forces companies to use their own resources to cover expenses while waiting for customers to pay. This can lead to problems when the company runs low on cash or when customers start taking longer to pay. At the very least, it will prevent growth. At its worst and if not managed properly, it can put your company out of business. There are two ways to solve this problem without using a business loan. One way is to give your customers an incentive to pay quickly. A common practice is to offer then a 2% discount if they pay in 10 days. The problem with this strategy is that you are still ultimately at the mercy of your customers. The second alternative is to use an invoice factoring facility, a tool that allows you to obtain quick payments from your creditworthy customers.

Factoring accelerates your customer payments by using a financial intermediary, called a factoring company, that buys your invoices at a small discount and pays you upfront for them. This eliminates the problem of having to wait for customer payments and strengthens your cash flow. When managed properly, you can use factoring as a platform to grow your company without incurring in conventional debt. An important feature of factoring is that most transactions are structured as invoice purchases rather than as business loans.

The factoring company’s fee, commonly referred to as a discount, varies and it’s based on the size of your invoices, your sales volume and the credit quality of your invoices. As a matter of fact, the credit quality of your invoices is the most important criteria for qualification. This enables small companies, whose biggest asset is a list of strong clients, to use factoring to their advantage.

There are three ways to reduce the timing gap and improve the cash flow of your business. One alternative is to accelerate your revenue by asking customers to pay sooner. Many companies are willing to offer a 2% discount on their invoices to customers that pay in 10 days or less. Another strategy is to delay your expenses. For example, ask your suppliers to give you 30 to 60 day payment terms. However, to get 30 to 60 days payment terms, your company needs to have a good commercial credit. Using these two strategies will allow you to better match your revenues and expenses. The problem is that ultimately, you are leaving the fate of your company at the mercy of its clients and vendors.

There is a third alternative to solve this problem. You can accelerate your revenues using an invoice factoring facility. Factoring allows you to finance your invoices from large credit worthy customers – basically leveraging their credit strength to get financing for your own company.

Factoring works by using a financial intermediary, called a factoring company, that buys your invoices and provides an upfront payment. Your company gets immediate funding that can be used to cover current expenses or invest in growth opportunities . Once the factoring company buys the invoice from your company, they hold it until your customer pays. Once your customer pays the invoice, the transaction is settled. The factoring company charges a small fee for this service.

Obtaining factoring financing is relatively easy – your company needs to be free of problems and it needs to work with credit worthy customers. And, the financing line is directly tied to your sales, enabling it to grow dynamically as your sales grow.

Factoring is an ideal business financing solution for companies whose biggest challenge is that they can’t afford to wait 60 days to get paid by customers.