Invoice Factoring: Helping Temp Staffing Agencies Grow

 

When a temp agency is experiencing a cash flow problem, they generally have two options: the first option is to apply to a bank or other lender for a business loan, and the second is to use Invoice Factoring. In this article we'll take a look at why Invoice Factoring may be the best option.

 

Many companies who bill their clients have discovered that Invoice Factoring is a very effective way of addressing cash flow issues, and this is also true for temp staffing agencies. Typically, temp agencies don't get paid by their clients until such time as their job vacancy has been filled and the employee hired has actually commenced work, which means that it's very common for temp agencies to experience cash flow problems.

 

Any advertising required to successfully place job candidates is paid for by the temp staffing agency, meaning that they're not able to invoice their client until they've found a suitable candidate and the candidate has actually started work. So, the temp staffing agency must wait to get paid.

 

Why Invoice Factoring Works Well for Temp Staffing Agencies

 

Temp staffing agencies are typically paid per hour, with the amount due being based on the number of hours their placement has worked. Of course, during this time they still have to pay their own bills, and these might include rent, payroll, advertising costs, utilities, and so on. So, it's easy to see that this can put a big strain on a temp agency's cash flow.

 

Many expenses incurred by a temp staffing agency can't be put off, so the agency must be able to access cash straight away: their employees need to be paid on time, as do their rent and utility bills. All businesses require office supplies, so money must be available to keep the business running smoothly. In addition, temp agencies must have money on hand for advertising job openings. For all of these reasons, it's not either feasible or practical for a temp staffing agency to apply for a business loan, then sit, wait, and hope to be approved.

 

These businesses need money and they need it now; and that's why Invoice Factoring may be the perfect solution to their cash flow problem.

 

Explaining Invoice Factoring

 

When a business makes the decision to use Invoice Factoring in order to generate cash, their cash-flow problem can be resolved almost immediately. In many cases, the business can secure up to 92% of the value of their invoice within 24 hours! A word of caution though: if this is the first time the temp agency has worked with a factor it could take longer - somewhere between four and seven days.

 

Any temp staffing agency that's experiencing a cash flow crisis, or even agencies that only occasionally experience cash flow problems, should do as much research as they can to learn about factoring and how it might help their business grow. With this knowledge they can then consider Invoice Factoring as and when the need arises. Factoring really is the perfect way for a business to access cash money when it's most needed. In many cases, once a relationship has been established with the factor, the money will be delivered within 24 hours.

 

Cash When You Need It!

 

Of course one of the major bonuses of invoice factoring is that temp staffing agencies no longer need to worry about whether they will or won't qualify for a bank loan, because factoring will take care of their cash flow crisis. All they need to do is provide their chosen factor with the invoices they wish to sell, complete with the time-sheets for each employee, and the cash that's due and payable to them can be deposited into their bank account within 24 hours. Now, temp agencies will have no problems meeting their monthly obligations, and best of all, there'll be no need to take on new debt.

 

How Medical Staffing Helps The Medical Industry

 

Mary Henderson sat in her office, waiting for the phone to ring. Her job was a busy one, and she had stopped all her calls and shut her door five minutes before the phone conference was set to begin just to get some time for herself. The truth was she was stressed to her breaking point. Her company Med Staff needed to hire three new people to cover the demand of their clients. The problem was, they couldn't. They were short on funds.

 

Med Staff did temporary medical staffing. They employed LPN's, RN's, and a few others of the same ilk. Companies that needed nursing for a short amount of time paid Med Staff, and the nurses were sent over on short term contracts. Then they came back, and they were sent somewhere else.

 

A retirement home had contacted Mary two weeks ago, they were undergoing an expansion, and they would need temporary staffing until they could appoint permanent nurses to the shifts. Mary had known she didn't have enough people for this, but she took the contract on anyways, figuring she could hire people. There were always a number of nurses and technicians applying for work at Med Staff, and she knew it wouldn't be a problem to hire a few new people.

 

There had been a problem though. There simply wasn't enough money in the books to do it. The company was doing fine, but a quick expansion, even as small as three people, simply wasn't going to happen, not without help.

 

She had gone to the bank for a loan, but they had denied her. It seemed to Mary that the only people who could get loan money from a bank were the people who didn't need to do so. And then she had found something different, a website online about factoring. She had looked the site over, and set up the conference call.

 

The phone rang, she picked it up. "Hello?"

 

"Hi, is this Mrs. Henderson?" a cheery woman's voice asked over the phone."

 

"It is."

 

"Great! My name is Stacy, I'm going to help you today."

 

"Okay great." Mary said.

 

"I'm looking over the form you filled out, it looks like your company temporarily staffs medical professionals?"

 

"Yes," Mary said. "Nurses mostly."

 

"Great," Stacy said. "And if you called me, it means you ran into a snag."

 

"I took a contract to fill five places in an expanding retirement community. I have two people available but needed to hire three more. Unfortunately, we just don't have that kind of money in the books right now. We have a few outstanding invoices yet to be paid, but until they come in, there's nothing I can do."

 

"Do you know how factoring works?" Stacy asked.

 

"Not really," Mary admitted.

 

"Okay, well we don't look at your business credit, we look at your clients' credit. We know they have some time to pay bills, and we're interested to see if they can pay those bills. If they can, we become interested in helping you out, because we think all businesses should have a fair shot to make it, and sometimes things just don't work out."

 

"This is the first time it hasn't worked out," Mary said. "And it's hard."

 

"I know. I hear about it every day. The cool thing about my job is I get to help fix it. So what we do, if we feel secure in our ability to help you, is we buy a piece of your accounts receivable. We aren't just loaning you money, we're basically becoming active in your business. That is you get the money you need right now, but we have an assurance that we get our money back, later down the road."

 

Mary nodded behind her desk, even though the other woman couldn't see her. She had never heard of factoring before she came across the site on the internet, but the way Stacy explained it certainly made sense.

 

The call continued, with Mary giving the information that Stacy would need. She promised to get back to her within a couple of days, and then they hung up. Mary went on with her work, and a day and a half passed.

 

Mary was at her desk when he phone rang then. It was Stacy.

 

"Good news," she said as soon as Mary said hello. Mary couldn't help but smile as Stacy went on. "We're going to be able to help you out."

 

"You don't know how great it is to hear you say that," Mary said.

 

"Believe me, I do," Stacy said. "I get to say it more often than not, and I know that we're really helping good people, and good businesses."

 

"The bank, they couldn't do anything," Mary said, she felt salty tears stinging her eyes as they welled there.

 

"They aren't built to help people like we are. They just want as much money as they can get. We want money too, because it's a business, but if you don't succeed, we don't succeed, and it's also important to us that we help people."

 

"So what's next?" Mary asked.

 

"Well the real answer is I fax some stuff over for you to fill out and sign, but the fun answer is your business gets the help it needs, and you keep going to work each day. Well, not the weekends."

 

Mary couldn't help but laugh. "Believe me," she said. "I work plenty of weekends."

 

Stacy laughed as well, and then got the fax number she would need. Once again the women hung up and Mary let out a long breath as she sat back in her chair. She used a tissue to dab the tears from her eyes. She knew everything was going to be okay.

 

 

Everything You Need to Know about Invoice Factoring

 

You've probably heard about invoice factoring, but like many business owners you may not be entirely sure how it works or whether it could help your own business. In this article we'll try to answer all your questions about what invoice factoring is, how it works, and whether it could help you grow your business.The following definition of invoice factoring may sound too good to be true, but let's look anyway! "Invoice factoring is a viable alternative to bank financing and other traditional types of financing, but it's not a debt, and there are no strings attached." For anyone who's approached traditional lending sources for financing and been refused or left hanging for weeks or months, yes, this probably does sound too good to be true, but it's actually not! Invoice factoring can provide the working capital you need to help your business grow and prosper, so read on then decide for yourself.

 

How Invoice Factoring Works

 

With invoice factoring you no longer need to wait 60, 90, or even 120 days to receive payment from your customers, because invoice factoring converts these invoices into immediate cash in-hand. It's up to you to determine which invoices, and how many invoices, you wish to factor, following this simple process -

 

- Once you've been accepted for invoice factoring by your factoring company, you can begin submitting your unpaid invoices. These invoices must be for products that have been delivered or work that's been completed. The process to follow is to fax or email a copy of the invoice directly to the factor, while at the same time invoicing your customer as usual.- Within 24 hours you'll receive a cash advance from your factoring company. Your invoices will be verified by the factor and you'll receive a cash advance of up to 95% of the invoice, which will be paid directly into your bank account.- Now that you've received this cash advance, you continue on with your work while the factoring company works to collect on the invoice on your behalf. Your factor will be highly experienced in collecting on invoices, thus allowing you to do what you do best, which is to continue providing excellent customer service and focusing on other important aspects of growing your business.- It's entirely up to you how many invoices you factor and how many clients you choose for the factoring process. You may decide to factor all your invoices, or it may be that you have one client that's always late in paying and you'd prefer the factoring company to only collect on that one invoice. It's your decision!

 

The Benefits of Invoice Factoring

 

The major benefit of invoice factoring is that, as the business owner, you're controlling your cash flow. Of course, there are other advantages of using a factoring company which can help your business grow and prosper.

 

No. 1: Your Factoring Company Will Provide Background and Credit Verification

 

It's very important to the viability of your business that you work with reliable customers in fact, it's the only way to turn your sales into revenues and to develop a solid payment history. But, we all know just how expensive it can be to run background and credit checks, and this simple exercise can dig deep into your working capital.

 

No problem! These checks will be provided to you by your invoice factoring company at no additional charge to you, which will provide reassurance that you are in fact working with quality customers. It also means that any issues that may arise can be addressed before they negatively affect your company.

 

No. 2: Your Factoring Company Can Assist with Credit Building and Repair

 

Perhaps your business credit is not ideal, but the good news is that you could still qualify for an invoice factoring program. The benefit of invoice factoring for a business with less-than-perfect credit is that, not only will you have available cash to meet your daily operating costs, you'll also be able to rebuild your credit rating by paying down current debt. Factoring companies are also well-equipped to assist start-ups, so if you're just getting your business up-and-running, invoice factoring is the perfect way to maintain regular cash flow.

 

No. 3: Invoice Factoring Opens Your Business to Great Money-Saving Opportunities

 

With invoice factoring, your business can utilize this rejuvenated cash flow to not only save money by offering competitive rates, but you'll now be able to negotiate early pay discounts and other incentives with your suppliers. And, depending on how many invoices you decide to factor, you could eventually qualify for a reduction in rates by receiving a volume discount.

 

No. 4: Invoice Factoring Provides Steady Cash Flow

 

In order for any business to grow and prosper it's vitally important to have a steady cash flow. And that's the beauty of invoice factoring: instead of late-paying customers controlling cash flow, the business owner regains control of the working capital. Perhaps you're simply tired of waiting for invoices to be paid, or maybe you're in an industry with seasonal fluctuations; whatever the reason you're struggling with cash flow, invoice factoring can help you regulate and take control of your business once again.

 

No. 5: Invoice Factoring Allows You to Dream Big Again!

 

Having a steady business is one thing, but having a growing business is what every business owner dreams of. Now that you've been accepted for invoice factoring and you have a steady cash flow, there are many ways you can use this cash to grow your business.

 

- You can increase your marketing efforts and get your name out there;

 

- You can negotiate bigger and better contracts with bigger clients;

 

- You can invest in technology upgrades;

 

- You can employ experienced personnel, or provide training programs for existing staff;

 

- You can upgrade or replace outdated equipment; and

 

- You can relocate your business or invest in expansion.

 

No. 6: Invoice Factoring Is Not a Debt to Your Business

 

It's very important to note that invoice factoring is not a debt, so there will be no more debt added to your balance sheet. In fact, it's exactly the opposite, because invoice factoring provides cash in-hand, so you can pay off old debts. The money is already yours, so there's no money to pay back or interest to add on. All invoice factoring does is get money that's owed to you into your bank account - faster.

 

I've Never Heard of Invoice Factoring

 

 

Many businesses know very little, or nothing at all, about invoice factoring, which is strange because invoice factoring is certainly not new. Perhaps it's because we typically think of bank loans and other traditional types of lending when looking to grow our business; however, factoring goes right back to the Roman Empire. Back then, businessmen, particularly farmers, used factors to grow their business, and in more modern times factoring was used to finance transactions in the clothing and textile industry, helping businesses accept larger purchase orders and pay for raw materials. Today, invoice factoring is used by almost every industry you can think of, like -- Construction

 

- Transportation

 

- Medical

 

- Staffing, HR

 

- Consulting

 

- Engineering

 

- Media and Marketing.

 

Understanding the Language of Invoice Factoring

 

Invoice factoring does appear to have its own language, so let's clarify some of the terminology -

 

- Your customers are known as Account Debtors.

 

- The report showing the total amount of unpaid receivables in addition to the amount of time they've remained unpaid is known as an Accounts Receivable Ageing Report.

 

- The two terms Invoice Factoring and Accounts Receivable Factoring can be used interchangeably because they mean the same thing.

 

- The percentage of the invoice charged by the factor as a fee for advancing funds is known as the Discount Rate.

 

- When your factor conducts background research to assess potential customers this is known as Due Diligence.

 

- The cash that's advanced to the business, typically within 24 hours and usually ranging between 80% and 95% of the total invoice amount, is known as the Factoring Advance Rate.

 

- The third party who connects a business with the right factoring company, to meet their business goals and needs is known as a Factoring Broker.

 

- The right to maintain possession of property until such time as a debt has been discharged is known as a Lien.

 

- It can occur that a customer fails to pay their invoice on time, or they may never pay their invoice. Non-Recourse Funding is where the factor assumes full responsibility for funds lost. Because the factoring company accepts this responsibility, non-recourse funding is therefore more expensive.- With Recourse Funding, your business will be required to buy back the receivables if your client fails to pay within the agreed-upon terms.

 

- The amount of money withheld by the factor until full payment has been received from your customer is known as the Reserve.

 

- Staffing companies may choose to enter a one-time agreement in order to factor a single invoice. This is known as Spot Factoring.

 

How Does Invoice Factoring Affect Your Customers?

 

It's important to point out here that your factoring company is not a collection agency and that factoring is not a bad thing. The aim of your factoring company is to maintain a good working relationship with both you and your customers, which means that your customers will receive great customer service. Both you and your factoring company have one common goal, and that is to ensure the payment process of your invoices is as seamless as possible. See below for how factoring typically works -

 

- You've decided to start factoring, so the first step is for your Account Manager to verify with your debtors that they are indeed your customers and to inform them of a change of address for remittances.

 

- Your customers must pay their invoices anyway, so a change of remittance address should not affect them in any way.

 

- Your account manager is a professional when it comes to collecting on invoices, so they will simply advise your clients that they will be managing your invoices in future and taking over your accounts receivable.

 

- And that's all there is to it! Nothing should change between you and your customers. They'll still receive an invoice from you; but their payment will now be sent to a new Post Office box. Your Account Manager will always be on hand to resolve any issues that may arise.

 

How Do I Choose the Right Invoice Factoring Company for My Business?

 

When you start looking for factoring companies you'll discover that there are many different companies out there, but they're certainly not all the same.

 

When making comparisons we suggest you consider the following points -

 

1: Factoring Fees

 

It's true that factoring fees can be more expensive than traditional bank loans, but sometimes the decision businesses are faced with is to simply have access to some working capital or have no working capital at all. What should you be aware of? You need to know the overall factoring cost, in addition to any smaller (or hidden) fees your factor may charge. These fees might include -

 

- Account Setup Fees

 

- Application Costs

 

- Credit Reports

 

- Costs to Research Liens

 

- Money Transfer Fees, or

 

- Last-Minute Funding.

 

Choose a factor that you believe you can trust and one that you feel completely comfortable with; because you're also looking for great customer service. Remember also that factors may charge for different things, and there may be hidden fees.

 

2: You Need Flexibility, so Carefully Check Your Proposed Contract

 

It's very important that you carefully read the fine print of your contract, prior to signing on the dotted line. It would be so disappointing to sign a factoring contract only to realize that you didn't completely understand the terms and now you're locked into a contract that's not clear on how the factoring company charges or how many invoices you can factor per month - or even worse - that you're now legally bound to this factoring company for the long term. Yes, long-term factoring contracts do exist, but be prepared to pay a lot of money if you try and break the contract. Make sure you know exactly how long you're signing up for, which of your clients are eligible for factoring, and how much per month you can factor.

 

3: With Invoice Factoring, Communication Is Key

 

Great customer service is very important with any business, and the most important part of great customer service is good and easy communication. And now we're talking about dealing with a company that's handling your money, so you can see how important good communication is! The last thing you need from a factoring company who's handling your money is being forced to wait for days for someone to respond to your phone call or email communication. Any factoring company you talk to is going to say their communication and customer service is really great - but be very cautious. How well did your potential factoring company respond to your initial queries? Then ask yourself: is that how you'd want them to deal with your customers? Remember there are plenty of factoring companies out there, so if the answer to these questions is not an unequivocal ‘yes', then find someone else.

 

4: Look for a Factoring Company That Has Industry Expertise

 

Yes, there are factoring companies out there that cover general factoring, but ideally, you'll choose someone who specializes in your own industry; someone who has a good working knowledge of the type of business you're running. Once you start looking for the right factoring company for your business you'll see that there are many factoring companies that specialize in specific industries, which means they already know a lot about your business model. And, if they have a lot of expertise, they'll probably be able to offer specific programs that relate to your industry, like fuel cards, or back-office support. These little extras can be just what you need when deciding whether or not to factor your invoices.

 

 

Important Points to Remember When Choosing Your Factoring Company

 

Now that you’ve decided that factoring would be a solid business decision for your company, the next step is to find the perfect factoring company for you. Once you start looking you’ll discover that there are many factoring companies (orfactors’) in the marketplace, and this is the perfect situation for you as a potential factoring client.

 

But it can also be confusing, because now you have to find the right factoring company to suit your business’s needs. To assist you in making the right decision we’ve listed below the main issues that should be considered when choosing a factoring company.

 

Factoring Fees and Terms

 

Before making your final decision and entering into a factoring agreement, check out the fees applicable and the terms of the contract. Both of these can vary a lot, depending on the factoring company and the industry it's serving. When you start your research you’ll discover that some factoring companies charge a flat fee: this fee is, in effect, a certain percentage of the total value of the customer invoices you sell to them; whilst others have additional charges to cover the general costs of doing business – such as, money transfers, shipping, collateral, and so on.

 

Ensure that the factoring company you’re considering working with is transparent and upfront with you about its fee structure. In addition, you may want to consider a long term contract with your factoring company if it includes flexible rates or a price break. If you’re receiving competitive offers from other factoring companies or you have increased factoring volume, you’ll discover that many factoring companies will be prepared to adjust their rates. A one year contract is the industry standard for most factoring agreements. Generally, unless you give your factor a 60 or 90 day notice, your factoring contract will automatically renew.

 

What’s the Difference between Recourse and Non Recourse Factoring?

 

It’s important that you understand the difference between recourse and non recourse factoring prior to choosing your factoring company, because you need to know what the best fit would be for your company and your customers. So, with non recourse factoring, all of the credit risks for the collection of the invoice belong to the factoring company; while recourse factoring means that, with you being the client, you’ll ultimately be responsible if the factoring company is unable to collect payment on your customers’ invoices.

 

There are benefits to recourse factoring, and perhaps the main benefit is that it’s less expensive than non recourse factoring. If you have a recourse agreement and the customer defaults on payment, it doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll be asked to settle the debt out of pocket. Generally, what happens is that the factor will hold back a portion of either future cash advances or payments being held in reserve, with the money being placed in an escrow account awaiting settlement of the debt.

 

Our suggestion is that you find a factoring company that offers both recourse and non recourse factoring, because not all of your customers will be good candidates for recourse factoring. An experienced factoring company working with a strong credit team can also behelpful in ensuring you’re working with good customers: this will relieve some of the pressure of being stuck with bad debt.

 

Experience and Capital: The Two PreRequisites

 

Your company should be looking for a factoring company with experience in your industry, including the capital structure to fund your business as it continues to grow. Once you start researching factoring companies you’ll discover that there are a lot to choose from; however, many of these are recent start ups with limited experience. Prior to signing any factoring agreement, do your research and look into the history and background of the factoring company concerned, especially its ability to provide financial services in your area of expertise.

 

The idea with factoring is that, as your company grows, the funding of your customer invoices will grow with you.Research the factoring company’s client base and their capital structure. What’s a typical account size? What’s the factoring volume of their largest client? Is the factoring company limited to how many debtors it can handle? In general, factoring companies that have been serving your industry for many years will usually be able to offer your business the best deal.

 

Additional Factoring Services

 

There are many more benefits to factoring than simply increasing your company’s cash flow. Because the factoring company will be handling the collection of your customer’s invoices, your company will be saving time and resources. A good factoring company will also be able to evaluate companies in your industry and provide credit information. In short, your factor will ensure that you experience excellent customer service. You’ll be matched with your own representative who’ll be able to address any questions or concerns you may have about your factoring account.

 

So, when researching factoring companies, look for a factor who not only offers additional products but provides a high level of customer service that will help your business grow by assisting you in making smart business decisions.

 

 

Growing Your Trucking Company Just Got a Whole Lot Easier

 

There's a lot of hard work and dedication involved in growing a successful trucking business, but perhaps above everything else a disciplined approach to making the right decisions and taking the right actions is required. The aim of this post is to help both small fleet owners and owner-operators accomplish these goals.

 

The three key steps to building your trucking business are to grow your fleet, find profitable shippers and loads, and the successful day-to-day running of your trucking company.

 

The 1st Step: Growing Your Fleet

 

You won't be able to grow your trucking company unless you have the right equipment. But, securing finance to purchase this equipment can be very difficult, and this is where many truckers run into trouble. Today, there are several financing options for owner operators of trucking companies, and even those with less-than-stellar credit are typically able to achieve some sort of financing.

 

There are two more-commonly used financing options - the trucking company either leases a truck or it gets a loan to purchase a truck. There are various ways of structuring leases and loans, and each option has its disadvantages and advantages. Your final decision will be determined by its merits, your objectives, and your available resources.

 

We strongly urge you to consult with a CPA with expertise in trucking when considering financing. It's true that a visit to a CPA could cost around $150, but not only will they help you determine your best option, they could also save you a lot of money in taxes. In fact, it's critical that you seek a CPA's advice if you're planning on growing your fleet. This is not an expense you should try to avoid.

 

The 2nd Step: Finding Profitable Shippers and Loads

 

Possibly the hardest part of running a trucking company is finding quality shippers and loads. Many owner-operators use a loadboard to find loads, and this approach does have its advantages. Perhaps the main advantage is that the loadboard allows you to match your equipment and preferred routes with loads. Unfortunately, though, loadboards are not financially worthwhile for truckers in the long term. To start with, loadboards are highly competitive, particularly for the most popular routes, which means you'll be forced to charge low per-mile rates. Now the trucking company must become very vigilant and ensure the load they're pulling will end up being profitable. The second reason using a loadboard is not viable in the long term is that your company doesn't get to grow relationships with shippers. This means you'll always be working with new customers, which can be a time-consuming process.

 

The best strategy for owner operators is to only use a loadboard as a starting point, but persist with making sales calls so that eventually you'll start building relationships with direct shippers. Statistics show that trucking companies with shipping relationships are earning approximately $20,000 per truck/per month; whereas trucking companies who rely on loadboards are earning approximately $10,000 per truck/per month. That's a big difference! As you can see from these figures, building good and lasting relationships with shippers can double your revenue. Therefore, the best way to grow your trucking business is to develop solid relationships with shippers.

 

The 3rd Step: The Day-To-Day Running of Your Trucking Company

 

All too often we see small fleet owners and owner-operators struggling with the day-to-day running of their trucking company. There's a lot of paperwork and related coordination that's involved in moving loads and running a trucking office can be very exacting and tedious. But, it's a necessary task and it's an important one.

 

If you're determined to grow your trucking company, it's critical that you employ both time-saving and money-saving processes. Managing a small trucking fleet is entirely different to managing a single truck operation. We strongly suggest you approach experienced truckers for advice and, providing you're not in competition with them, you'll generally find that small fleet owners are more than happy to share their expertise with you.

 

Managing Cash Flow

 

Managing cash flow can be a serious issue for trucking companies. It's fairly common for new truckers to experience cash flow problems when they first get into the trucking business, and the reason for this is very simple. Cash flow problems occur because most shippers settle their accounts in 30 days, 60 days, and some even wait 90 days. In the meantime, however, you've got your drivers to pay, fuel to purchase, machinery to repair, payroll to meet, and other necessities to take care of. The delay in receiving payments due to you can cause serious problems for any business that doesn't have a large cash reserve. Simply speaking, you run out of money, and without money your company will be stuck. Until such time as your shippers pay your invoices there'll be no more loads, no mechanical repairs, no meeting payroll, and so on.

 

How to Resolve Your Cash Flow Problems

 

Fortunately, there's a very simple answer to the question of cash flow problems. Today, many trucking companies are resolving their cash flow issues by factoring their freight bills. Freight factoring has become a popular way of financing new trucking companies because factoring provides trucking companies with an advance on their slow paying invoices. The result - no more cash flow problems! Now, instead of having to wait 30, 60, even 90 days to get paid, you'll be paid by the factoring company once the load has been delivered.

 

Receiving upfront payment on invoices gives trucking companies the money they so desperately need to cover the day-to-day running costs of their business, with money left over to grow their business. You'll also find that fuel advances are often offered by many factoring companies. This is an add-on feature which provides the trucking company with funding when they collect a load. These funds come in very handy for paying fuel costs and other delivery expenses.

 

 

Factoring

 

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trucking factoring companies
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As the owner of your own business, you may be more than aware already of the difficulty in making sure that cash flow issues do not become a problem down the line. After all, the worst thing that can possibly happen for your business is to find yourself embroiled in a long and difficult situation that leaves you forever trying to find two pennies to rub together.

 

For any business in this situation, the problem can come for waiting for work to clear up and actually be paid into your account. Invoices, cheques and the like can take some time to actually processed which can leave you with short-term cash flow issues. Thankfully, there are options out there for businesses to look into - and one of these is factoring companies.

 

Factoring companies will, in exchange for your invoices, provide you with the cash today so that you don't need to worry about the waiting period that could make paying the bills and getting materials more difficult. With this type of setup, invoice factoring can become incredibly useful for many businesses who need to get out of a cash trap which they have found themselves in.

 

Because, depending on the size of the job, it can take up to 60 days for some businesses to get paid then it's important to cover your own back and not leave yourself short in that day. after all, how many businesses have two months revenue just lying there to cover all the losses until they get paid?

 

This is especially true of trucking companies. They tend to deal with lots of invoices which means a significant amount of running around and donkey work for the business owner themselves. Trying to get paid in time can become an incredible hassle and this is why you get specific trucking factoring companies who are happy to help out truckers specifically.

 

As we all know, trucking is an incredibly large industry with many companies out there employing hundreds of drivers. Unfortunately, many of these drivers can spend night in the cold or hungry as they are still waiting for work from six weeks ago to actually pay them. When this is the situation for a trucking company, turning to factoring companies for assistance might be the best choice left.

 

This means that a trucking company can pay the wages of the staff, keep all the vans topped up with fuel and continue to scale, grow and expand without always waiting for the never-never with money which is taking forever to arrive coming in. businesses running without a factoring model put in place are leaving themselves in significant risk, as competitors cash out fast and continue to expand.

 

There's genuinely nothing to be worried about when it comes to using a Factoring company - they aren't like a payday loan firm or somebody who is going to leave you with a huge pile of debt to apy back. Although you are technically borrowing a loan, so long as you only ever give them genuine invoices from work you have already finished you are merely speeding up the payment process.

 

In the United States, where trucking companies thrive, factoring companies are not considered borrowing in any capacity. This confidential agreement then allows both parties to profit and enjoy a comfortable future - it gives the factoring company a guaranteed asset of income to add to the list and it gives the trucking firm a wad of cash that they worked hard to earn.

 

The trucking company will usually need to pick up the invoice and cash it in still, and then make the payments back to the factoring company. Because it's a confidential agreement, and it can look bad for a business to be involved in this type of short-term finance even though it's perfectly legal and a very common practice, it's usually in the hands of the company to get the money for the factor.

 

This is an extremely old business type and has been used for many years by many different types of work - but none more so than truckers. While you may miss out on a small part of the money , something like 15% depending on who you work with, it means that you are getting the money today and can actually start putting some food on the table.

 

After all, an IOU or an invoice is not going to be you fed and washed, is it? For trucking companies when the money can be good one day and gone the next, it's up to the drivers to work sensibly and to ensure they are leaving themselves with a significant amount of time and finance to get through the week until they are paid again.

 

So the next time your trucking business is having some short-term cash flow issues and you are spending too much time chasing up slow paying clients, why not start considering to use factoring businesses as a way to change your motive and give yourself a more comfortable future in the eyes of your trucking staff and your bank balance?

 

 

Questions You Need to Ask Your Factoring Company

 

In today's marketplace we're seeing more and more factoring companies, and factoring fees, rates and agreement terms have become very competitive. This means that, as a potential factoring customer, this competitiveness should work to your advantage. However, there are some issues you must consider when choosing a factoring company to suit your specific requirements.

 

Before entering into any factoring agreement, here are some important questions you should ask -

 

What Are Your Terms?

 

As a factoring customer, you'll be looking for as much flexibility in your factoring agreement as possible. It may be that you choose a long term contract with your factoring company if it includes flexible rates or a price break. In today's competitive market, many factoring companies are agreeing to adjust their rates based on competitive offers from other factors or increased factoring volume.

 

The majority of factoring agreements are a one year contract, which appears to be industry standard, and this contract will renew automatically unless you provide the factoring company either 60 or 90 days notice.

 

What's Your Fee Structure?

 

The fee structure may vary depending on both the factoring company involved and your industry. Some factoring companies charge a flat fee, which is calculated as a percentage of the total value of the invoice. On the other hand, other factoring companies charge additional fees to cover costs associated with doing business, such as money transfers, software, and so on. Ensure that the factoring company you're considering working with is completely upfront and transparent with you about its terms and fees.

 

Are You Able to Offer Both Recourse and Non Recourse Factoring?

 

Recourse factoring:

 

Recourse factoring is less expensive than non recourse factoring. With recourse factoring, you (being the client) are ultimately responsible if the factoring company is unable to collect on your customers' invoices. However, you're not necessarily required to pay the debt out of pocket if you have a recourse agreement and the customer defaults on payment. It may be that the factoring company will withhold a portion of future cash payments or payments held in reserve, with the money being placed in an escrow account until such time as the debt has been paid.

 

Non recourse factoring:

 

When you have a non recourse factoring agreement, the credit risk for the collection of customers' invoices lies with the factoring company.Therefore, we believe it's to your advantage to use a factoring company that offers both recourse and non recourse factoring, simply because you may find that some of your customers are more suitable for recourse factoring than others. In addition, you need a factoring company with a strong credit team because they can work with you to ensure you're dealing with good customers: to a certain degree this will relieve some of the pressure of being responsible for bad debt.

 

How Long Has the Factoring Company Been in Business?

 

With the marketplace becoming increasingly competitive, today we're seeing the creation of more and more factoring companies. However, many of these companies are recent start ups, with limited industry experience. Make sure you research the factoring company's history prior to entering into any factoring agreement: also research its background into providing financial services in your specific industry.

 

Do You Have the Capital to Grow with Me?

 

The fact that there's no limit to the level of financing is the major advantage factoring has over traditional bank lending. As your company continues to grow, so too should the funding of invoices grow with you. Do your research and learn as much as possible about your potential factoring company's client base and their capital structure.

 

Does this factoring company have a limit to the number of debtors it takes on? What's a typical account size? What's the factoring volume of their largest client? You'll probably find that factoring companies who have been serving your industry for many years will have greater capacity to finance your company as it continues to grow.

 

Is There Anything Else You Can Do for Me?

 

Obviously, factoring is more expensive than a conventional bank loan, and this is partly due to the back office services that your factoring company is able to provide. Besides collections and financing, many factoring companies will evaluate companies in your industry and provide credit information. Therefore, when looking for a factoring company for your business, make sure the one you choose offers additional services and products that can assist you in making good business decisions.

 

How Do We Start Factoring?

 

Fortunately, factoring companies are not unduly concerned about your balance sheet before they decide to work with you, unlike banks. However, they do have a process to follow when selecting new clients, so be sure you understand what the factoring company is looking for when it's considering you as a client. Are they looking at your credit ratings and/or your customers' payment histories?

 

Are they looking at your personal credit score?

 

In many cases a company will start factoring because it's looking for a quick injection of cash, so you need to know how many days the factoring company will take to review and process your application.

 

 

Freight Bill Factoring: The Best Way to Achieve Your Business Goals

 

Freight bill factoring is not a secret, but many businesses are still unaware of the benefits available to them by factoring their business invoices.

 

If you're planning on starting your own trucking business, or perhaps you already own a trucking business, you may well have heard of freight bill factoring. Many trucking companies confirm that freight bill factoring has been entirely responsible for helping them achieve their overall business goals. So, let's discuss freight bill factoring and how can it help you grow your business.

 

How Freight Bill Factoring Assists Trucking Companies

 

It was recently reported that freight bill factoring has become the financial backbone of the trucking industry, and that's not a surprising statement because factoring provides financing capital that businesses would not otherwise be able to access. The freight bill factoring process is a very simple one: your Bill of Ladings is purchased by a factoring company at a discounted rate. The trucking company receives immediate funds and, because the money received is not a loan, the trucking company is free to use these funds as they see fit. No more cash flow problems!

 

Is Freight Bill Factoring a New Financing Concept?

 

No, it's not new. In fact, freight bill factoring has been around for a long, long time. Almost every civilization engaged in commerce has used some type of factoring. Businesses actively engaged in factoring during North America's colonial period when they made cash advances against accounts receivables to enable the business to carry on with their commercial operations. Of course, factoring has become quite advanced over the years and is now more focused on financial management, collections, and credit worthiness; however, the basic idea of purchasing accounts receivables remains the same today.

 

Today, factoring companies have a lot more to offer than just funding: they now have factoring specialists who assist their clients by evaluating their customer's credit worthiness, defining credit limits, and managing their accounts receivables collections in a professional manner.

 

Right across North America we're seeing all forms of factoring companies servicing business sectors and industries of all types. It's interesting to note that, today, many large financial corporations have their own in-house factoring divisions; however, factoring companies are typically independently-owned enterprises.

 

Commercial Banks Are No Longer Supportive of Small Business

 

Commercial banks today are operating under very strict regulations with constantly changing lending criteria, thus making it very difficult for business owners to apply for and be accepted for a bank loan. Their inflexibility has left small and medium-sized businesses out on a limb, searching for alternative financing sources. Fortunately, factoring provides these businesses with the financing solutions they're looking for.

 

Freight bill factoring offers a workable solution for these businesses when conventional financing methods are simply not available. And now that banks and other lending institutions have become less friendly to small business owners, factoring as a financing remedy is looking much more attractive.

 

Interesting statistics show that the volume of factoring around the globe has now exceeded the trillion-dollar mark, with factoring companies operating right around the world. In the last four years alone, there's been an increase in factoring transactions by 60%.

 

Factoring companies provide businesses with the working capital they need to operate and grow their businesses and, because factoring is not a loan, there really are no disadvantages to factoring.

 

 

How Factoring Saved A Staffing Agency

 

The Bellosa Temporary & Permanent Hiring Agency has been experiencing a major uptick in business since the unemployment crisis began. The unemployed and underemployed workers have been keeping the phones ringing. The staffing agency is also fielding a lot of calls from employers too, looking for just the right hire. Company President and Vice President, Laurie Bell and Ted Stevens, have not experienced a boom in business since they first opened the doors in 2009, during the recession. They had an idea then that this would be a profitable venture.

 

The mantra that Laurie and Ted live by is that there's always going to be people searching for work and of course employers will always be on the lookout for good workers. This is especially true in healthcare staffing, the industry they specialize in. This seemed to be a safe bet for them as they embarked on this venture, but with any small business, the only way to keep the doors open is to keep pressing forward and out perform the competition.

 

In a relatively short period of time Laurie and Ted had built a nice sized business, they were able to hit the ground running with some brilliant marketing programs and a number of contracts from insiders. They grew rapidly, the timing couldn't have been better and they were very lucky in this aspect. By the fall of 2011 Laurie and Ted had weathered some ups and downs but they did have some solid clients like a few big insurance companies and a university hospital close by. These clients always paid their invoices on time. But they did start to notice a decrease in accounts receivables from some smaller clients such as rehab centers and private practices.

 

As winter approached they recalled previous winters and holiday seasons and realized that accounts receivables usually did slow down during this time. Laurie and Ted made the decision to delay their late payments until after the New Year. This plan didn't really appeal to them as it's no way to start a New Year, but they seemed to have no other options.

 

When New Year's had come and gone they realized that their Accounts Receivables had gone from 30 days past due to 60 days past due. Before meeting with their accountant Scott, they'd decided something had to be done, but they didn't know what.

 

Sitting in the conference room with Scott they listened as pulled all the figures up on his iPad saying,"Okay you two, I've been looking over the files you sent over and I can certainly see why you're worried about your late A/Rs but there may be a way to fix this. Do either of you know what factoring is?" Scott inquired.

 

Laurie and Ted looked at each other quizzically, and then Laurie said "I think it rings a bell, but I'm not really sure. Can you explain it?"

 

Scott began laying out the details, "You are sitting on a pile of invoices that are past due. The more time that goes by without them being paid, the bigger the bind this puts your business in. It makes it very difficult for you to grow, much less hire anyone new. If you don't have enough cash coming in . "

 

Ted interrupted with, "Then it could make it difficult to take on any new business because we wouldn't be able to hire the additional personnel we need and meet our weekly payroll. We need an inflow of cash and we really can't wait. If we have to wait any longer on these invoices we'll be in trouble."

 

Scott jumped in saying, "And this is precisely why I wanted to discuss factoring with you. The factoring company will purchase the invoices you are sitting on that are up to 3 months late, which gives you the cash you need now." He then showed him a chart on a piece of paper he placed in front of them.

 

Laurie began to carefully scrutinize it asking, "Is this the fee schedule?"

 

Scott answered, "Yes it's all right there. The factoring company makes 1% to 3% of the total amount of each invoice they purchase."

 

"That's sounds like a good deal to me", Ted said.

 

The three of them sat there and talked this over for a while and then Laurie and Ted made the decision to go forward realizing this was the best way to keep them afloat. They knew if they couldn't accommodate all the new clients they were acquiring the competition would get them and they would go down, they could just not afford to turn any business away.

 

They now needed to fill out an application and submit it to the factoring company and they also needed to show them a few back invoices, undergo a credit check for their company. Credit checks would also need to be done on the companies owing the debts that the factoring company would be purchasing.

 

It didn't take long for Bellosa's credit to be approved and the creditors' as well. Before long the factoring company purchased the overdue invoices and Laurie and Ted got the influx of cash they needed to cover things and allow them to continue growing their business.

 

The next time Laurie and Ted met with their accountant Scott, there were smiles all around.Scott said, "I've taken a look at your books so I know that factoring was the right solution for you."

 

"It worked perfectly", Laurie stated and went on to say, "The tiny amount we paid out for this influx of cash was certainly worth it."

 

Ted chimed in with, "Without a doubt! Whatever the fees were we made back and more since we were now able to hire more personnel so we could take on more business. It worked out for us and for them I would say!"

 

"That's what's great about factoring!" Scott exclaimed with a look of satisfaction on his face.

 

Oilfield Services Factoring Services

 

Running a company in the oilfield services industry is no easy business, especially with payrolls to meet, equipment to purchase and deadlines that must be met. The sheer complexity of combining the geological research and modeling, imaging and exploration and finally the drilling to see whether oil is really present can take a lot of investment before any payoff can be seen.

 

For those who own a Frac Sand Hauler for example, the efforts that must be put in to start such as business can be considerable. But arguably the biggest challenge is paying the expenses as the invoices come in. A Frac Sand Hauler often has expenses that must be met immediately, but their invoices can take up to 60 days before they see the money.

 

What follows is an interview with Ray McClerand, a man who owns a Frac Sand Hauler business and ran into the same difficulties that many new companies of his type face. How Ray overcome some of the challenges in paying his bills through oil service factoring are explained in the interview.

 

"Welcome Ray, I'd like to know first why you decided to start up a Frac Sand Hauler company and how you prepared for the challenges it created."

 

Ray McClerand (RM): "I've been in the oil business for the past 15 years or so working on different jobs from roughneck to foreman to deskwork for different companies. A few years ago I saw the potential of having a Frac Sand Hauler business in this area and got together with a couple of partners to create a company. We sat down, went over the details and decided that this would be a real good time to build a business that was serving a particular need in this industry."

 

"So, I take it you created a business plan and took out the appropriate loans in order to purchase the equipment and hire the personnel necessary to get your company started?"

 

RM: "Exactly. Because I had been around this business for a while, I understood what was needed in terms of personnel and equipment. Plus, I had some contacts with others in the business that needed the type of services that a Frac Sand Hauler provides, so I felt that there was some real potential to make a profitable business work."

 

"How did it go over the first six months or so?"

 

RM: "At first, we were really thriving as my contacts had lined up some business my way. Our loans covered the first six months or so of operations and we were doing quite well with the business we had. My partners and I were certainly happy and everything was going good when something really strange happened."

 

"Could you elaborate on what you mean by "strange"?

 

RM: "Yes, after the first five months or so I started getting requests to have our company work with several other businesses in the area. This would mean having to expand our company through buying new equipment and hiring more people. But we did not have the cash on hand to make such a move. We were getting invoices from the businesses that we worked with, but it was taking up to 2 full months before we actually got the cash."

 

"So, you were making enough money to expand, but you didn't have it on hand because of the invoice system?"

 

RM: "You got it. Add to that our initial money from the loan was running out and we needed to start paying it back as well. I knew that if we didn't expand and accept the new business that others would step in and we would lose that money. So, we were in a real pickle until I heard about oil service factoring companies."

 

"Tell us a bit about oil service factoring and how it helped you out?"

 

RM: "Well, one of my partners had heard about factoring companies, so we checked it out and decided to go with one that was best suited for our needs. A factoring company buys our invoices with cash so we have money on hand to pay our bills and do what we need accomplished immediately. The factoring company then collects the money from the invoices when they become due. It's really been a win-win for what we do."

 

"That's interesting. I wonder if you could you explain a little further just how factoring has helped your company?"

 

RM: "Sure, instead of having to wait up to 60 days before we could collect on the invoices, we were able to have the cash on hand immediately to purchase some new equipment and hire some more people to expand our business. This meant that we could accept the new offers that other businesses were providing for us and not having to pass. I cannot say enough about how factoring really benefitted us when it came to expanding our business."

 

"So, it seems like factoring really paid off for you. Do you still use factoring today?"

 

RM: "Yes we do. Although for the most part we still cash our own invoices, whenever we need money quickly so we can buy some new equipment or expand our business a little further, we go back to the factoring company and cash in our upcoming invoices. It really has worked wonders for our company."

 

"Tell me, what would have happened if factoring was not an option?"

 

RM: Frankly, I don't know how we could be in the position we are today without factoring. In this business, you have to take advantage of new opportunities quickly because there are other companies out there who will step in if you don't. Basically, I don't think we would be anywhere near the company we are today if it had not been for factoring.

 

There is little doubt that Ray's company would not be where it was without oil service factoring that allowed him to expand his company when he needed. For those in the oil industry, having your invoices cashed immediately by factoring companies allows greater flexibility so you can grow your business a lot more quickly and take advantage of opportunities.