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4 Common Risks Associated with Invoice Factoring

Triumph

November 15, 2016

Many businesses turn to Triumph Business Capital to get their invoices factored for relief from today’s financial pressures. Faster and easier than a bank loan, getting an invoice factored doesn’t rely on your credit or your years in operation. You simply convert your invoices into immediate cash to cover operating costs without taking on debt.

In some cases, invoice factoring is the only way a business can get cash quickly. In others, it’s simply the smartest way to get cash today. But what risks are involved when it comes to invoice factoring?

1. Can you trust the factoring company?

In its infancy, a few unprofessional factoring companies charged excessive fees and used deceptive business practices, giving the entire industry a black eye. Now, however, factoring is not only widely accepted; it’s a trusted funding source for businesses across many industries.

Of course, before entering into any business relationship, you should always exercise due diligence. Investigate how long the factor has been in business and find out where its headquarters are located. Check into the background of its management team. Go a step further and ask for referrals from current clients, and then research complaints or lawsuits using web searches, the Better Business Bureau, and your state’s Attorney General’s Office. Remember to trust your gut: if you feel you can’t build trust with the factor, walk away.

As a respected industry leader and a proud member of the International Factoring Association (IFA), Triumph Business Capital strictly adheres to the IFA’s code of ethics. Providing invoice factoring for over 7,000 small to mid-sized businesses since 2004, Triumph Business Capital is backed by the extensive assets of Triumph Bancorp, Inc., a financial holding company that maintains a diversified line of community banking, commercial finance, and asset management activities.

2. What about uncollectible invoices?

Triumph Business Capital offers two kinds of factoring arrangements to handle invoices—recourse and non-recourse. Both eliminate the hassles and headaches of collecting invoices, so you can spend more time growing your business, gaining more opportunities to find new shippers, or taking the next load because you’ve already been paid.

With recourse factoring, you ultimately take the responsibility for the payment of the invoice. If the customer doesn’t pay the debt, then the seller is liable to repay the factoring company. With non-recourse factoring, your company pays slightly higher fees, but takes on a lower risk. The factoring company assumes all the responsibility for collecting the debt. This lower-risk option is better for many small companies that can’t absorb the cost of unpaid invoices.

3. How will the factor communicate with your customers?

Triumph has designed a seamless process for our clients to transition to factor their invoices. To start, we create a lockbox to accept payments in care of your company. Either you create your invoices or we create them for you. In either case, all invoices are stamped by Triumph with a “Notice of Assignment.” Your debtor will know that the invoice has been assigned to Triumph Business Capital as a third-party partner to help you manage your accounts receivable financing.

4. Is your customer creditworthy?

Savvy business owners like you know that perfect customers are rare, and even your best customers may be slow to pay your invoices. At some point, your current or future customers may not be able to pay you at all.

That’s why it’s crucial to confirm your customer’s creditworthiness before conducting business with them. But routine credit checks can be a hefty expense for your business. Triumph Business Capital runs customer credit reports all day long—for free. It’s the Triumph advantage.

When you factor your invoices with Triumph Business Capital, we monitor the creditworthiness of your customers at every transaction. By doing so, we reduce the amount of risk you take, directly reducing the amount of invoices that get kicked back after 90 days. Invoice factoring is about reducing your financial risk, after all. Let’s get you paid.

The benefits outweigh the risks

Bottom line—the hardest part about your job shouldn’t be getting paid.

Factoring your invoice provides you with the immediate cash you need to run and expand your business. No more need to process invoices. Worried about your balance sheet? This financing doesn’t show up as debt. Factoring your invoices is easy, fast, and flexible.

Ready to get started? Factor your invoices with Triumph Business Capital today.