Bookkeeping for Freight Brokers and the Most Common Mistakes Businesses Make

 

A freight broker is either a company or an individual who effects the transportation of goods by pairing up shippers with transportation services. The freight broker is not only responsible for pairing reliable and authorized transportation carriers with shippers, but also organizing the shipping needs for various organizations. Besides matching shippers with carriers, a freight broker is also responsible for ensuring each and every piece of cargo reaches its destination - and in good condition.

 

In addition to these tasks, freight brokers are also responsible for maintaining accurate bookkeeping records, and those who fail to keep meticulous accounting records are likely to lose money in the long run. In this post we've detailed what we believe are the most common accounting mistakes freight brokers make, and ways in which they can be avoided.No. 1: Attempting to DIY Your Bookkeeping Can Result in Costly Errors

 

Whether you handle the books yourself or delegate this vitally important job to an unqualified employee or even a family member, DIY bookkeeping is seldom, if ever, a good idea. Yes, initially you'll undoubtedly save some money, but your inexperienced bookkeeper's errors can ultimately become very costly to your business and result in expensive financing terms, increased bond premiums, and other unnecessary costs.

 

We strongly suggest you employ the services of an experienced bookkeeper who's qualified to deliver accurate accounting records, which will ultimately result in fewer errors and the job being completed quickly and efficiently.

 

No. 2: Postponing Important Bookkeeping Tasks Due to Heavy Workloads

 

It's not easy running a business, and anyone who finds themselves in this situation understands only too well just how difficult it can be to find the time to complete day-to-day time-consuming tasks. It's imperative that things like reconciling credit card and bank statements be completed each month because it's only through these reconciliations that errors can be found; plus of course it's how you determine out how much credit or cash you actually have.

 

As tempting as it may be to postpone these tedious tasks, you must ensure that your credit card and bank statements are reconciled every month, ideally as soon as you receive each statement. Keeping on top of statements means you can quickly identify any lost checks, missing deposits, or fraudulent charges, and be able to handle any discrepancies in a timely manner.

 

No. 3: Failing to Track Receivables and Invoices

 

Your business depends on you getting paid, and you won't be paid if you're not regularly and properly accounting for receivables. The lifeblood of your business is cash, which means the success of your business is entirely dependent upon you accounting for receivables. To put it another way, if the period of time between paying your carriers and receiving payment from customers is unnecessarily delayed by poor accounting practices, your business cash flow is going to be very strained.

 

If you're time-poor and realize you simply don't have time to track and collect invoices, then invoice factoring is the perfect solution for you. For just a small fee your applicable invoices will be purchased by the invoice factoring company, but the best part about invoice factoring is that you receive immediate payment! No longer will you have the time-consuming responsibility of trying to collect payments, thus saving an enormous amount of office time: plus, it leaves you free to take care of your own job, which is handling the day-to-day running of your business.

 

No. 4: Overlooking Liabilities Can Have Disastrous Results

 

When a surety inspects your business records to underwrite a bond, one of their first and most important considerations is whether your assets are sufficient to cover your liabilities. It's difficult for inexperienced bookkeepers to understand the full implications of accurate record keeping and sometimes DIY accountants record a liability but once the payment is made they forget to reverse the liability. This is a serious error because it understates net income while overstating liabilities, which makes your business appear less financially stable than it actually is.

 

The only way to avoid these unnecessary accounting errors is to hire an experienced bookkeeper. It's always handy to have another set of eyes, whether it be a CPA or an owner, to regularly review the balance sheet and check for discrepancies in account balances.

 

No. 5: Miscategorizing or Creating Unnecessary Expense Categories

 

All too often we see inexperienced bookkeepers either creating unnecessary expense categories or wrongly categorizing expenditures, either of which can be a huge red flag. Generally, each industry uses a standard set of categories for expenses and failing to follow this set of rules can signal to a surety or loan underwriter that an inexperienced person is handling your books; meaning that they may not be well prepared.

 

It's really important that your business's accounting software is correctly set up, preferably with the help of an accountant or experienced bookkeeper. Additional expense categories should not be added unless absolutely necessary. If you have any queries about how to classify expenses, don't hesitate to ask for guidance from your qualified accountant or CPA.

 

No. 6: Submitting Invoices with Insufficient Details

 

Don't try to save time by skimping on invoice details. Your customers' invoices should have detailed information on each line item; for example, do you invoice per mile, by weight, or by piece? Is the charge a flat fee? If there are additional charges such as fees or reimbursements for fuel, these should be listed as separate line items. The only way to avoid any confusion is to ensure that charges are properly detailed on invoices.

 

The last thing you want is for your customers to complain about charges they don't recognize on their invoices; and missing information can cause much confusion, resulting in delays in payment. All of these problems can be prevented by ensuring that your invoices have complete, detailed, and accurate information. Don't create unnecessary problems by trying to skimp on invoice details.

 

No. 7: Not Learning or Understanding the Full Functionality of Your Accounting Software

 

Getting a business up and running can be very expensive and time-consuming, and many freight brokers simply don't have time to learn how to use their accounting software package to its full capacity. This is not a problem if all your accounting and bookkeeping tasks are being outsourced; however, if you're using the software in any way at all, perhaps even just for entering checks and running reports, we strongly recommend that you learn how to use all functions of your accounting software package.

 

You can save so much time and have easy access to real-time information on the financial status of your business if you have the right accounting software and you know how to use it correctly. Having this information at your fingertips can help you make the right decisions to grow your business.

 

Factoring: An Overview

 

What Is Factoring?

 

'Factoring' is when a third party commercial finance company purchases the Invoices or Accounts Receivable from a business. The finance company concerned is called a 'Factor' and the transaction is known as 'Factoring'. Factoring is also known as 'Accounts Receivable Financing' because factoring occurs when a business needs to access cash quickly, quicker than if it had to wait the 30 to 60 days (or longer) to receive payment from a customer.

 

The majority of factoring companies purchase invoices and advance cash within 24 hours, although the terms and nature of factoring can differ between industries and different financial service providers. Depending on the industry, the customers' credit histories, and various other criteria, the advance rate can range from between 80% and 95%. The business also receives back office support from the factor. Once the factor has collected from the business's customers, the business will be paid the reserve balance of the invoices, less a nominated fee for assuming the collection risk.

 

The main benefit of factoring is that a business is not required to wait one or two months (sometimes more) for payment by a customer - the business will receive cash in hand to operate and grow their business. It's important to note that factoring is not a loan: there's no debt with factoring. Funding is unrestricted, which means that a business has more flexibility than borrowing from a bank.

 

The Five Simple Steps of Factoring

 

1. As a business, you provide a service to your customer;
2. The invoice for this service is sent to a factoring company;
3. On this invoice, you'll receive a cash advance from the factoring company;
4. It's now up to the factoring company to collect full payment from your customer;
5. Once payment has been received, you'll receive the balance of your invoice account from the factoring company - minus their fee.
The Advantages of Factoring

 

There are many reasons why factoring has become a popular and valuable financial tool for businesses today. The key benefit of factoring is that a business receives a quick boost to its cash flow: in fact, many factoring companies offer cash on their Accounts Receivable within 24 hours! The factoring company takes responsibility for collecting customer payments, and may also evaluate the payment and credit histories of a business's customers.

 

Other Benefits Include:

 

' When a business needs access to cash, factoring can be customized and managed in order to provide the necessary capital;
' The business balance sheet will not show this financing as a debt;
' Factoring is not based on the company's credit or business history: it's based on the quality of its customers' credit;
' Factoring is not determined by the company's net worth: it provides a Line of Credit based on sales;
' There's no limit to the amount of financing through factoring, unlike a conventional loan;
' Factoring is an ideal solution for start up businesses that often require immediate cash flow.

 

Is the Concept of Factoring New?

 

No, it's not! In fact, the origin of factoring comes from overseas trade among nations and dates back several centuries to the 1400s when it became part of doing business in England. In the year 1620 it arrived in America with the Pilgrims. Like other financial tools, factoring has improved and evolved over the years. It became an effective way of creating cash flow in the United States at a timewhen companies faced strict limitations when trying to secure loans in the country's damaged banking system.

 

Who Uses Factoring?

 

Factoring is available for companies of all sizes, ranging from a one person business to Fortune 500 companies. Every business can use factoring as an effective way of increasing their cash flow. In addition, factoring spans all types of industries, from transportation, trucking, textiles, manufacturing and distribution, staffing agencies, and oil and gas.

 

The cash generated from factoring is used by companies to purchase new equipment, pay for inventory, expand operations, add employees, and basically cover any expenses related to the running of their business. The beauty of factoring is that it allows companies to make quick decisions and to expand at a faster pace.

 

How Does Factoring Work?

 

For the purpose of this post, we'll describe a fictional example as a way of illustrating a common factoring situation.

 

XYZ Transport is a trucking company: their intention is to double their fleet size over the next two years in order to service more clients in the West. The company has just successfully won a new customer on the West Coast who requires freight to be shipped from Oklahoma to Los Angeles. This new customer is more than happy to pay for the service within 30 days; however, that won't cover all the immediate costs involved, like payroll, fuel, and maintenance costs of running the route.

 

This is a familiar situation for the owners of XYZ Transport: the lack of available cash flow in the past has prevented the company from accepting new business. So now XYZ Transport has turned to a factoring company: they have agreed to sell the West Coast customer's invoice to the factoring company in exchange for a 90% advance on the total amount - within 24 hours! This much needed influx of cash will replenish the trucking company's reserves and allow it to continue running the Oklahoma - Los Angeles route. In addition, XYZ Transport now has the added flexibility of taking on new customers.

 

How Much Do Companies Factor?

 

Each company has its own unique business needs, so somecompanies only factor invoices for customers that are slow in paying, whilst other companies factor all of their invoices. Companies can factor receivables ranging from a few thousand dollars right through to millions of dollars each month.

 

What's the Difference between Factoring and a Traditional Bank Loan?

 

Factoring, also known as Accounts Receivable Financing, is a quick, flexible and effective way for businesses to create a steady cash flow stream. See below for how factoring is different to a Line of Credit at a bank or a traditional business loan

 

 

Small Business Invoice Factoring: The Clever Choice!

 

Many small businesses are discovering invoice factoring and quickly realizing this was a very smart business choice! Why? Because small business invoice factoring converts receivables into immediate cash!

 

The Ideal Alternative to Traditional Bank Loans

 

Small businesses are discovering that invoice factoring is the perfect, and much easier, alternative to traditional funding sources, like bank loans and cash advances. Any small business who sells to the government or other companies can use invoice factoring to enjoy the many benefits of accessing immediate cash flow. Whether you've applied for traditional funding and been refused or applied and are still waiting to hear if you've been accepted, keep in mind that small business invoice factoring is a very viable option for you.

 

How Does Invoice Factoring Work for Small Businesses

 

One of the major benefits of small business invoice factoring is that it's the credit worthiness of your customers that determines the funding decision. This means that if you're a business who sells to the government or other businesses with good credit, you're the perfect candidate for small business invoice factoring.

 

Applying for invoice factoring is a very simple process, and you certainly won't be forced to wait weeks, even months, for a decision as you would with traditional funding sources.

 

Why Small Businesses Are Choosing Invoice Factoring

 

Many businesses are only just learning about invoice factoring, even though factoring has been around for a long time. Any business owner who has applied for a bank loan knows only too well that, to start with, the application process can take months, and secondly, there's still no guarantee you'll be approved for finance.

 

According to the Small Business Administration, in the first quarter of the year 2015 small business loan approval rates at banks were 22%, and at credit unions it was 43%. The limit on business credit cards is often capped at less than $100,000, which is often not sufficient to cover unexpected expenses or large projects.

 

Invoice Factoring: The Smart Alternative to Traditional Lending

 

Today, small business invoice factoring has become the smart alternative for many business owners because factoring provides an immediate cash advance, with no restrictions placed on the money received. It's also important to note that factoring is not a debt, which means there are no limitations on how you choose to use the funds received.

 

Yes, small businesses can access quick money with a merchant cash advance, but there's always a high cost involved. You'll soon discover that the cash advanced will cost your business more than 70% effective annual interest. Alternatively, cash advance lenders demand daily repayments with full payment due in just a few months. The demand for daily payback can destroy a small business, but sometimes business owners are left with no choice.

 

So, let's take a quick look at just some of the benefits of small business invoice factoring, and once you read through this list we're sure you'll think of more benefits to your own business.

 

With this immediate cash advance you'll be able to -

 

- Employee new staff members

 

- Easily meet payroll

 

- Accept larger orders from bigger customers

 

- Invest in marketing and sales

 

- Expand manufacturing and production

 

- Your business will be able to weather cash flow cycles and seasonal sales periods

 

- Pay down any existing debt

 

- Take advantage of early pay discounts from your suppliers (these discounts often cover your factoring fees)

 

- Extend your customers' payment terms

 

- Provide a smooth cash flow to support daily business operations

 

- Overheads are lowered due to reduced administration expenses

 

- Your business will be self-financed during rapid growth periods, without having to give up equity.

 

As you can see, the benefits of small business invoice factoring are many and varied, so why not contact us today and let's talk business!

 

 

Medical Factoring: Healthcare Professionals Choose Medical Factoring As Their Preferred Financing Option

 

Healthcare professionals are finding that business loans and commercial lines-of-credit are becoming more difficult to qualify for, so today we're seeing more healthcare professionals looking to medical factoring to alleviate cash flow problems. All types of medical and healthcare practices can benefit greatly by choosing to factor their receivables and thus receive immediate cash payments.

 

In the past, healthcare has typically been a resilient industry, but today we see this industry facing financial challenges that leave practices struggling to meet their own financial commitments. Cash flow was virtually a non-issue for medical facilities, professionals, and their suppliers, but today with Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance companies working with strict reimbursement guidelines, professionals are forced to wait much longer than they previously waited to receive payment on their invoices. In addition, complicated documentation and billing requirements are resulting in fewer dollars and longer waiting periods.

 

Financial Difficulties Experienced by Healthcare Professionals

 

The above issues are creating serious problems for a large number of medical providers who not only must wait longer to get paid less money, but who are also forced to deal with growing operating expenses, including salaries and other benefits. Operating under these unsure conditions means that the viability of these businesses is being threatened and it's become almost impossible for them to pursue new growth opportunities. Today, a medical practitioner operating a relatively small practice could have receivables of up to $1 million tied up!

 

Any business that's confronted with cash flow problems will typically look to banks or other lenders for a loan. Offering the business a loan or line-of-credit can certainly be very helpful in the short term, but unfortunately neither of these products are an ideal financing solution because neither will permanently solve the real problem.

 

A business loan may be ideal for fixed capital purchases, but it's no solution at all for handling recurring business expenses. A line-of-credit can certainly be very helpful, but because it will have a credit limit and a fixed term it won't provide a renewable source of business capital. Once the credit limit has been reached or the term of the line-of-credit expires, the lender may either increase the credit limit or perhaps not renew it at all. It's a sad fact that, today, many healthcare professionals are finding themselves in this unfortunate situation.

 

Finding the Ideal Medical Financing Solution

 

The perfect financing solution would be one that's flexible and one that would provide a steady and reliable source of working capital. It would grow with the healthcare business, without the need to re-apply or having to approach a bank for an increase in the credit limit. In short, this perfect financing solution would provide working capital to finance both the current and future growth of the business. So, is there such a solution? Fortunately, yes there is! It's called medical factoring.

 

Explaining Medical Factoring

 

Medical factoring is a receivables factoring program designed exclusively for medical invoices. Because factoring medical receivables can be quite challenging, many factoring companies today are specializing only in the healthcare industry. It does require a certain amount of expertise to manage the medical claims process; plus, it becomes even more challenging when many healthcare receivables are either reduced or denied altogether by insurance providers.

 

What Types of Business Can Use Medical Factoring?

 

Many business owners are surprised to learn that factoring in general has been around for a long time. Medical service providers, in particular, seem to be completely unaware of the existence of factoring. The truth is that invoice factoring has become one of the most flexible and powerful business financing tools available today.

 

Many healthcare providers can benefit greatly from choosing medical factoring. Below we've listed just some of the healthcare service providers who can achieve huge benefits from a medical factoring program.

 

- Hospitals

 

- Medical Centers

 

- Physicians: Both Specialists and General Practitioners

 

- Outpatient Clinics and Facilities

 

- Medical Staffing Services

 

- Medical Labs

 

- Dialysis Facilities

 

- Home Healthcare Providers

 

- Physical Therapy Clinics and Groups

 

- Rehabilitation Centers

 

- Medical Equipment Providers

 

- Medical Labs, and

 

- Many More

 

What Are the Benefits of Factoring Medical Receivables

 

The benefits to healthcare professionals are very similar to the benefits enjoyed by many businesses in many other industries. They include -

 

- Faster (almost immediate) payment;

 

- Increased percentage of billings collected;

 

- Consistent cash flow;

 

- Access to debt-free working capital;

 

- Stress-free outsourced accounting and collection; and

 

- Being able to improve your business credit.

 

Medical Practices Can Depend on Factoring for Reliable Cash Flow

 

Medical factoring is an excellent financing alternative for medical practices because practices receive consistent and flexible financing which is directly tied to their insurance claims. This means that the financing will increase as more claims are filed. It's highly desirable for all medical practices to achieve a scalable and reliable cash flow, thus ensuring sufficient liquid business capital to cover operating expenses.

 

And with medical supply companies the situation is very similar. Depending on the volume of sales these companies can achieve fast and predictable business financing by signing up for a medical factoring program. And, as sales continue to grow so does the amount of financing, providing the much-needed working capital required to both grow and maintain business operations.

 

Medical Receivables Factoring for Smaller Medical Offices

 

Medical factoring is especially beneficial for smaller medical offices. Office overheads and staffing expenses can be dramatically reduced because the factoring company will take control of the more tedious and time-consuming administrative work involved in collections and processing claims. This frees up remaining staff members to concentrate on delivering excellent medical care. If you're a small medical practice and you have good growth prospects but a slow cash flow, receivables factoring could well be the ideal tool to assist in financing the growth of your business. You'll find that many factoring companies have minimums, and there are factoring companies prepared to finance a medical office billing just $50,000 per month.

 

Explaining How Medical Factoring Works

 

In simple terms, if a healthcare business is dependent on third-party payors, those payments will be accelerated with medical factoring. Within just days of the initial billing, the majority of the amount billed will be deposited directly to the business's bank account. The instant rewards are a dramatic shortening of the collection cycle and the elimination of cash flow problems for the business concerned.

 

Importantly, receivables factoring is not a loan, so there are no credit or financial requirements; there will be no impact to your balance sheet and there are no arbitrary limits. Medical factoring is the ideal financing tool for business growth because you can factor as much billing as your business is capable of generating.

 

How Long before My Business Is Accepted for Factoring?

 

With medical factoring there are no lengthy delays, certainly not like when applying for bank finance! A medical factoring program will usually take around two weeks to set up. This timeframe allows the factor to determine the stability of the medical practice and to ensure the reliability of its third-party payors. Then, once a medical factoring program is in operation, the financing will be predictable and constant. Once claims have been submitted to the medical factoring company, claims are typically funded within 48 hours.

 

The process of medical factoring is very simple, as follows -

 

 

- Your medical practice periodically submits billings to Medicaid, Medicare, and insurance companies. At the same time, copies of these billings should be forwarded to your factor.

 

- Within 48 hours of receiving a copy of these billings, the factor will deposit an advance of up to 85% of net collectables into your bank account. The balance will be held by the factor until such time as the account has been paid in full.

 

- Once the factoring company has received payment in full, the balance of the billings - less the agreed-upon factoring fee - will be remitted to you.

 

Medical Factoring Fees

 

Medical factoring fees vary depending upon the size and types of claims generated by the medical practice. It's not known why medical factoring today is not as widely known as it is in other industries; however, interest in this type of financing is now becoming more popular and widespread as business owners are beginning to understand the many financial and other benefits of medical factoring.

 

Medical factoring in the healthcare industry is fast becoming a widely accepted tool to resolve shortfalls in working capital financing and as a long-term solution for patient accounting support and medical financing. It's certainly a tool that healthcare businesses should give careful consideration to because cash flow problems can stall growth and prosperity in businesses of all sizes and types.

 

Factoring

 

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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.

 

 

Explaining 'Factoring'

 

A 'Factor' is a third party commercial financial company who purchases the Accounts Receivable from businesses: this transaction is known as 'Factoring'. Factoring exists so that businesses can receive a quick injection of cash, as opposed to waiting the 60 or 90 days for customers to pay their invoices. Factoring is also known as Accounts Receivable Financing, and Invoice Factoring.

 

The majority of factoring companies purchase invoices and advance money to the business within 24 hours; however, the nature and terms of factoring can (and do) differ among financial service providers and industries. Depending on your customers' credit histories, your industry, and other specific criteria, the advance rate on your invoices can range from 80% to as high as 95%. The factoring company not only collects on your invoices; it also offers back office support to your business.Once the factoring company has collected on your customer's invoice,you'll be paid the balance of the invoice - less the factor's fee for assuming the risk. The primary benefit of factoring is that businesses no longer need to wait anywhere between one and three months for a customer to pay their accounts: they now have access to cash in hand so they can operate and grow their business.The Advantages of Factoring

 

There are a few reasons why factoring has become an invaluable financial tool for many businesses, including start ups. As mentioned above, the main benefit is that businesses can now receive a quick boost to their cash flow because factoring companies, in general, will provide cash on accounts receivable within 24 hours. This resolves the problems businesses experience with short term cash flow, and in many ways this injection of cash can help to grow a business. Besides handling your customer collections, factoring companies can also evaluate your customers' payment and credit histories.Other benefits of factoring include:

 

' It can be customized to a business's needs and managed to ensure that capital is available when it's needed;
' It's not based on your own business or credit history: it's based on the quality of your customers' credit;
' It's not based on your company's net worth: it provides a line of credit based on sales;
' There's no limit to the amount of financing, unlike conventional bank loans;
' This financing will not show up as a debt on your balance sheet, because it's not a loan.
Who Uses Factoring?

 

Companies of all different sizes, including start ups, use factoring; and today factoring has become common business practice across many industries. Factoring is now widely used in the transportation industry, including manufacturing, textiles, trucking, oilfield services, wholesale and distribution, and staffing agencies. Interestingly, factoring receivables is practiced in many countries around the world and has a long history of success.

 

Can I Factor? My Company's New, with No Financial History

 

Yes, you can! In fact, factoring has become an excellent tool for start up companies because no company credit history or balance sheet is required. It's not really your company's finances that the factoring company is concerned with; they'll base their financing on your customers' payment histories and credit scores.

 

What Percentage of My Invoices Should I Factor?

 

The answer to this question really depends on the unique needs of your business. Some companies only factor invoices for customers who typically take a long time to pay, while others factor all their invoices. The receivables that a company can factor range anywhere from a few thousand dollars to millions of dollars each and every month.

 

What's the Difference between Factoring and a Bank Loan?

 

' The difference between factoring and a bank loan is that you're not assuming any debt with factoring because it's not a loan;
' With factoring, there's no emphasis on your balance sheet - it's all on your customer's invoices;
' In addition, a bank loan is typically one lump sum, whereas factoring provides a steady flow of funds;
' Factoring companies can also help improve your company's balance sheet by assisting with your credit and collection functions;
' A bank loan adds to your debt, whereas factoring converts receivables (an asset) into cash (another asset);
' And of course, bank loans can be very difficult to get because they're limited by your balance sheet.
How Do You Start the Factoring Process?

 

The factoring process can be very simple to set up. The customer will be asked to complete a short application form, and may be required to follow up with other reports and documents.

 

Recourse and Non Recourse Factoring: What's the Difference?

 

' With Recourse factoring the client is ultimately responsibility for the payment of the invoice; whereas
' With Non Recourse factoring, the factoring company accepts responsibility for the risk of collecting the invoice.It's important to note that some factoring companies over offer both types of factoring - recourse and non recourse.

 

What Are the Contract Terms and Fees Applicable with Factoring?

 

There are different fee structures with different factoring companies: some factors charge an overall factoring fee which is determined by the creditworthiness of your customers and the monthly volume of invoices; while others charge additional fees to cover shipping, money transfers, and other costs associated with doing business. Before signing with any factoring company make sure you understand the fees and terms applicable to your contract. Also note that most factoring contacts are renewed annually.

 

Do I Need Credit Insurance on Debtors?

 

Insurance is not typically required, but in specific circumstances it may be.

 

 

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.