The previous blog mentioned a business that required invoice financing for contractual debt. Where there is a certain amount of contractual debt the business is deemed to be more risky and therefore the finance company will require a more control over the facility. Invoice discounting is risk because the finance company has no control over the invoicing and factoring is not always preferable for many business because they would prefer a confidential facility. Confidential factoring is a half way house. A dedicated credit controller chases your customers in you name with a dedicated telephone number. Whilst it is a compromise it can be a costly funding arrangement however it does give some businesses an option which they would oif otherwise had.
Archive for the ‘Factoring’ Category
Confidential Factoring Explained
Thursday, March 31st, 2011Factoring Contractual Debt
Wednesday, March 30th, 201199% of UK based independent and bank based factoring companies will run a mile when they see that a business supplier terms and conditions are deemed to be slightly contractual. Unless you operate on a sale and forget basis it is worth ironing out these issues from the start. If a supplier agreement is place that could be construed as contractual it is always worth getting your supplier terms checked out. XL Business Finance recently helped a very profitable business replace a bank overdraft with an invoice discounting facility. Although the business was actually getting 4 quotes only one finance company was able to fund contractual debt allot of time would have been saved at the start of the process if this had been know.
Factoring export Debt
Thursday, March 24th, 2011Factoring export debt has always been difficult for many finance companies. The good news is that there are one or two finance companies that can provide specialist expertise in this area. If you are exporting to Europe than there are several specialist companies that can assist. If you are exporting to the rest of the world then things are slightly more complicated. However providing you can obtain credit insurance in that particular country there are factoring companies that will provide funding just about to anywhere in the world. XL Business Finance has been helping many such companies choose the right funding partner in exactly these circumstances.
Does Your Business have the XL Factor?
Monday, March 21st, 2011Does your business have the XL Factor. XL Business Finance has been helping Managing Directors and Finance Directors put the X Factor back into their business. Whether it is factoring , invoice discounting , asset finance or refinance we are fast becoming one of the UKs leading and most respected independent finance companies.
In a time when it is very difficult to obtain funding via more tradition banking facilities we go the extra mile to help you find the right funding solution. Whether you are a blue chip company requiring the best interest market or a or a company requiring funding out of an administration we provide by far and away so many options than a high street bank. Give us a call today to see how we can the XL Factor into your business!
Factoring but doing all the collections yourself?
Thursday, March 10th, 2011Are you using an expensive factoring facility but feel that you are doing all the work yourself? This is the most common complaint regarding factoring finance. The factoring company is supposed to handle all the collections and credit control. However if you choose the wrong factoring company you end up having to do all the hard work which makes the facility doubly expensive. The good news is a CHOCS facility ” Customer Handles Own Collections” provides a half way house. Read on peops.
A CHOCS facility provides an alternative to a business that isnt eligible for invoice discounting however would not rather go to the expense of paying for credit control with a full factoring facility. CHOCS funding is very appropriate for business that already have their own in house credit control. As with factoring your customers will be ware that you are assigning your invoices to the finance company however you will be given sole responsibility for the collections element.
Obtaining confidential invoice discounting is not as easy as it used to be this factoring facility may be the perfect solution. High street banks will often try and switch a business from confidential invoice discounting to full factoring during and following a period of difficult trading. This is because a business in such circumstances is perceived a higher risk and as such full factoring gives the banks greater control and also a greater return for the increased risk.
A CHOCS facility can be provided by a number of independent factoring companies and as such can provide an improved service and affordability.
Factoring and EFG Funding
Friday, March 4th, 2011We automatically assume that the high street banks are the best places to obtain funding via the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme. In fact 90% of EFG funding is supplied by two such banks. If for some reason your business doesn’t meet all of the banks criteria than it maybe possible to obtain EFG funding piggy backed on the back of a factoring facility.
EFG isn’t a right. Your business must meet all the banks normal lending criteria. If you tick all the boxes but there is a lack of security in a deal then that is when the EFG funding kicks into place. If you don’t meet the banks lending criteria then you wont get passed first base. Factoring and invoice discounting companies have very different lending criteria and just because you have been knocked back via the banks doesn’t mean you will do so by a factoring or invoice discounting company.
There are two main factoring companies offering EFG funding and they do things slightly different. One funder will use EFG to lend up to 100% of your debtor book. For a business with high levels of turnover this could amount to significant levels of dosh.
Another funder will advance an amount equivalent to any directors loans in the business up to a maximum of no more than 50% of the debtors advance.
Both companies as always have a slightly different perspective on things and so if you have directors loans in the business it may be worth a have discussions with both to see which one will provide the best funding solution.
New Start Asset Finance
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011New start asset finance and factoring facility agreed for new start direct mail business
Very brave I hear you all shout. A new start business in the current economic climate. Well with the right type of funding support greatly increases the chance of survival. It is a well known myth that businesses don’t go bust because they don’t make money but because they run out of money. How many times have we seen many businesses purchase equipment for cash and then at a later date try and refinance the kit because they have run out of money. We say time and time again that it is far easier organising the finance on the outset rather than trying to do it retrospectively.
Under the right circumstances it is always possible to organise hire purchase and leasing for a new start business. Allot obviously depends on the type of equipment and the security that it offers. Traditional assets with good residual values always provides better security than high tech equipment and are easier to finance. In addition the people behind the business are just as important and your personal circumstances will be taken into consideration.
Once you are up and running it is important that your business has adequate cash flow. Overdrafts are hard to come by for new start businesses. A factoring facility providing cash against unpaid invoices will provide a valuable working capital and a life line. In choosing your factoring company beware not all factoring companies are the same and some are better at handling new start businesses than others. Much will depend on the nature of your business , the quality of the debtor book and your geographic location.
Providing payroll services for a recruitment company
Monday, February 21st, 2011It is now possible for recruitment companies to get a full payroll services that works in conjunction with a factoring facility. The following provides a recent case study whereby we were able to add value to a recruitment company to obtain the most appropriate funding.
Spend less time chasing payment and more time chasing business. A temporary recruitment company needing working capital to manage the gap between paying staff and receiving payments from its clients. XL Factoring sourced a factoring facility that provided 100% funding against unpaid invoices.
Not only did the facility provide working capital but it also provided credit control and payroll services. The credit control provided a full invoice and collection service whereby the customer only had to provide time sheets leaving the finance company to prepare invoices, monitor and chase payments. The payroll service handled the calculation of wages, generation of wages slips payments of NI and PAYE as well as year end payroll, sick pay and maternity records.
XL Business Finance has been helping businesses for over 10 years provide the most appropriate funding solution. Factoring is still a fast growing funding area of finance and in our opinion can be obtained via much better alternatives to the high street banks.
Trade finance explained
Wednesday, February 16th, 2011Trade finance provides the ability for a business to purchase wholesale goods on credit awaiting sale of the goods and therefore payment from the end user. There are several types of trade finance and this article tries to explain the differences which should help you decide which product or type of business is best for your business.
Firstly traditional high street banks provide trade finance based on the strength and performance of the business. We call this balance sheet lending and is based purely on the profitability and track record of your business It is more often than not nothing to do with the value of the goods you are purchasing and the security that they offer.
Secondly certain factoring and invoice discounting companies provide trade finance facilities on the back of an invoice finance facility however the goods in this instance must be pre sold. For example if you were inmporting Plasma TVs from China and you had an order from Costco for example it might be possible to obtain a complete funding solution. The factoring company will provide you with an import facility to purchase the TVs. On delivery of the TVs to cost and on raising an invoice a factoring facility will provide a further funding facility until Costco pay within the terms of the invoice. As factoring will only fund 80% of the end invoice the mark up on the imported goods must be at least 20% otherwise the invoice finance facility will not repay the trade facility.
Can I obtain Stocking Finance
Wednesday, February 9th, 2011The answer ( as with anything ) is MAYBE! Stocking Finance traditionally is an add on to a factoring or invoice discounting facility. It is sometimes possible to obtain funding in the form of a stand alone facility from an independent trade finance company and of course for the right sort of customer it is possible to obtain funding via your own bank. The following article will hopefully give you an idea as to where your business sits in terms of funding options.
Traditional bank funding as with most facilities is provided for own bank customers and is based on the trading performance of the business. A business that has been trading for at least three years, is extremely profitable, has a strong balance sheet and possible has tangible security will have a good chance obtaining funding from the high street banks. As with any finance product not all banks will offer stocking facilities and the product will vary from bank to bank. A good independent finance broker will be able to point you in the right direction.
Stocking on the back of a factoring or invoice discounting facility is slightly different. A business that is buying high value goods which can be easily disposed off maybe able to obtain funding irrelevant as to their trading history. For example non perishable items such as TVs which are being imported for a third of what they are being sold for will be more easily fundable than frozen fish for example. Whilst all factoring and invoice companies offer stocking facilities there are only a couple that offer a true revolving stocking facility. Certain funders offer an increase in facility to provide funding up to a 100% of the debtor book however this is done so on a short term basis. This overpayment secured against stock will be repaid back over a 12 month period.
