It’s a headache and a hassle, and it causes complete confusion—It’s the Net-30 Trap. Does it mean you get paid 30 days from the date on the invoice, 30 days after the client bills their client, or within 30 days of what exactly? Do you get paid at all?
What does net 30 mean? It’s a power play—and you lose
Fact is, “Payment Terms Net 30” can mean different things to different people—but in most cases, the client wins. In essence, net 30 payment terms mean you’re extending credit to your client long after you’ve delivered as promised. Fair? I think not.
Chances are, you’ve seen or heard about large companies using their purchasing power to force a supplier to agree to terms that are more favorable to the large company—like a longer period of time to pay or relaxed rules for returning goods. How about the promise of future work to keep you at arm’s length when it’s time to get paid?
If you’re like most trucking or staffing companies, small to mid-size businesses (SMB), or government contractors, you don’t have great cash flow or a big cushion to fall back on. That forces you to finance your customers and accept their net 30 terms, or worse—net 60, or even net 90—leaving you looking like less than a good risk for banks or anyone else checking into your creditworthiness. And with few assets to balance such cash flow challenges, you’re not likely to have leverage to increase credibility and trust.
Three courses of action—and you win
1. Charge interest
One tried-and-true method to help ensure you’re paid—on your terms—is to charge interest if payment isn’t received on time. After all, the threat of interest for late payments is part of our everyday life, from credit cards to loans and even utility bills. In some cases, charging interest may be enough incentive for clients to pay on time.
2. Factor your invoices
Invoice factoring helps take the 30, 60, 90—or never—financial burden off your shoulders, allowing you to pay your bills and staff, stock up on materials, and sleep at night. You simply sell your invoices at a small discount to a factoring company such as Triumph Business Capital, and get immediate cash for your business. Learn more about how invoice factoring works in Invoice Factoring: The Antidote for Net 30, 60, 90, or Never .
3. Walk away
Your last course of action is to be willing to walk away. If the deal looks bad, or too good to be true; if you’re worried about a prospective client’s ability or willingness to pay—walk away before it’s too late. In the short term, taking the job gets you the work; but in the long term, you’d be taking on trouble—big time trouble.
Already stuck in a situation where you’re doing work and still not getting paid? Stop the work; your client will see this and make paying you a priority.
It’s time to get paid
Let’s face it: the hardest part about your job shouldn’t be getting paid. Free your business from the Net 30 terms trap and factor your invoices with Triumph Business Capital to get paid today.