With the economy beginning to pick there is one barrier to growth that many business owners don’t see until it’s too late and that is lack of cash to fund future growth. Two recent surveys have highlighted the recurring problems UK businesses have when it comes to late payment.

The first survey from Close Brothers reveals that of those businesses experiencing problems due to late payments, 58% said that it impacts on their day-to-day cash flow management with 17% saying it has resulted in them reining in necessary spending. A further 15% say it threatens their ability to trade.

The impact of late payment is not just on poor cashflow but also in terms of the time taken out of the working day to chase up outstanding debts. Close Bros found that 17% of businesses spend more than 10 hours a month chasing late payers.

Despite chasing for payment it can often happen that the debt remains unpaid and findings from Satagom an automated credit control firm have revealed that 40%of firms have written debts off in the past.

As discussed in previous blogs part of the solution the late payment is to ensure there is a system and process in place for chasing bad debts. The Satago survey found that 77% of firms don’t have a person or a procedure in place so making the chasing of late payments even more difficult.

If your growth plans are held back by poor cashflow there are a number of solutions including invoice discounting, factoring, and spot finance which are detailed here – Cashflow Solutions.

Also here is a chat Rob Warlow had with Steve White of Thornbury Collections on steps you can take to avoid late payment.

Small businesses on the hunt for bank finance are seeing a higher success rate in getting a yes than in previous years, with 80% of applicants receiving a positive response.

The survey, carried out by Albion Ventures as part of its annual Growth Report, revealed the success rate had increased from 71% in 2013 to 80% in 2014, a sign that banks are becoming more responsive as the economy improves.
Access to finance has been a prominent concern for UK business owners since the onset of the recession but it seems that the situation is now proving to be less of an issue. The survey found that access to finance now ranks fifth as a key concern for business owners.

However it may be that businesses are being more realistic in their chances of success in getting finance as the report reveals that only 10% of those surveyed said they had applied for funding compared to 17% in 2013. Are they assuming they will get a ‘no’ and so not bothering applying?

But the future is not so bleak when businesses were asked about their plans for the next 12 months. Looking ahead a third said they are planning to raise finance over the coming 12 months with 27% being for business development purposes and 23% to expand their premises.

This move to a more positive reason to raise finance was backed up by a 25% drop in those looking to raise cash to support trading (24% in 2014, down from 32% in 2013); an indication that businesses are moving in the right direction.

The news that businesses are feeling more positive comes on the back of the government announcement that in autumn it will be introducing legislation to force banks to refer businesses which they can’t support to alternative lenders. With small businesses being given more guidance we could see a further increase in the already fairly healthy success rate.

In the latest episode of the Business Finance Bulletin Rob Warlow examines an issue that keeps many small business owners awake at night… late payment and poor cashflow. Rob looks at a recent survey which reveals how painful the task of chasing late payers can be.

One way to solve cashflow problems is to unlock the cash trapped in a business and Rob shares a relatively new financial solution to this problem which is spot financing.

And in the Business Finance Tip of the Week, a clip from a live seminar Rob delivered at a Kevin Green property and wealth creation weekend hosted in Amsterdam. In this clip Rob talks about raising growth capital via selling equity and how it can benefit a business.

Posted on 28.02.2014, by Rob Warlow 

In the latest Business Finance Bulletin Rob Warlow looks at the latest tranche of British Business Bank money given to peer-to-peer lender Funding Circle for on-lending to UK businesses. Rob also looks at an incentive being run during March by another peer-to-peer platform, ReBuildingSociety to encourage use of this alternative lending source.

A new survey from the Manufacturing Advisory Service reveals a buoyant mood amongst manufacturers and in his Tip of the Week Rob looks at why you should contact your bank before you make a formal approach for commercial mortgages to find out how your proposal fits.

Posted on 27.01.2014, by Rob Warlow

In this edition of the Business Finance Bulletin Rob Warlow looks at the low level of awareness among business owners of crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending; how the government has been taken to task for its lack of success in stimulating bank lending; and why you need to keep a close eye on cash during times of growth by balancing the use of cash with different forms of finance.