Invoice Factoring: Helping Temp Staffing Agencies Grow

 

When a temp agency is experiencing a cash flow problem, they generally have two options: the first option is to apply to a bank or other lender for a business loan, and the second is to use Invoice Factoring. In this article we'll take a look at why Invoice Factoring may be the best option.

 

Many companies who bill their clients have discovered that Invoice Factoring is a very effective way of addressing cash flow issues, and this is also true for temp staffing agencies. Typically, temp agencies don't get paid by their clients until such time as their job vacancy has been filled and the employee hired has actually commenced work, which means that it's very common for temp agencies to experience cash flow problems.

 

Any advertising required to successfully place job candidates is paid for by the temp staffing agency, meaning that they're not able to invoice their client until they've found a suitable candidate and the candidate has actually started work. So, the temp staffing agency must wait to get paid.

 

Why Invoice Factoring Works Well for Temp Staffing Agencies

 

Temp staffing agencies are typically paid per hour, with the amount due being based on the number of hours their placement has worked. Of course, during this time they still have to pay their own bills, and these might include rent, payroll, advertising costs, utilities, and so on. So, it's easy to see that this can put a big strain on a temp agency's cash flow.

 

Many expenses incurred by a temp staffing agency can't be put off, so the agency must be able to access cash straight away: their employees need to be paid on time, as do their rent and utility bills. All businesses require office supplies, so money must be available to keep the business running smoothly. In addition, temp agencies must have money on hand for advertising job openings. For all of these reasons, it's not either feasible or practical for a temp staffing agency to apply for a business loan, then sit, wait, and hope to be approved.

 

These businesses need money and they need it now; and that's why Invoice Factoring may be the perfect solution to their cash flow problem.

 

Explaining Invoice Factoring

 

When a business makes the decision to use Invoice Factoring in order to generate cash, their cash-flow problem can be resolved almost immediately. In many cases, the business can secure up to 92% of the value of their invoice within 24 hours! A word of caution though: if this is the first time the temp agency has worked with a factor it could take longer - somewhere between four and seven days.

 

Any temp staffing agency that's experiencing a cash flow crisis, or even agencies that only occasionally experience cash flow problems, should do as much research as they can to learn about factoring and how it might help their business grow. With this knowledge they can then consider Invoice Factoring as and when the need arises. Factoring really is the perfect way for a business to access cash money when it's most needed. In many cases, once a relationship has been established with the factor, the money will be delivered within 24 hours.

 

Cash When You Need It!

 

Of course one of the major bonuses of invoice factoring is that temp staffing agencies no longer need to worry about whether they will or won't qualify for a bank loan, because factoring will take care of their cash flow crisis. All they need to do is provide their chosen factor with the invoices they wish to sell, complete with the time-sheets for each employee, and the cash that's due and payable to them can be deposited into their bank account within 24 hours. Now, temp agencies will have no problems meeting their monthly obligations, and best of all, there'll be no need to take on new debt.

 

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

 

 

"How a Factoring Company Saved This Owner of a Trucking Company Business"

 

Transportation industry plays a vital role in the economic scene. As people's lives become more and more sophisticated as time goes by, making the most out of the limited resources is the concern of all. Say for example the proper use of land to get optimum profit and convenience or what is known as the zoning. It is defined as the process of planning for land use to allocate certain kinds of structures in certain areas. This method separates the manufacturing sites from the sources of its raw materials, the employees and employers to their respective offices. This made the transportation industry play a vital role in the economic scene. It is a primary necessity for businesses of any size and of any type. It does not just transport raw materials to the manufacturers but also bring finished products into our every door.

 

Investing in a business which plays a vital role in the current economic scene is a thing that every investor should not think twice about. But business does not work that easy. The big question is, how you are going to survive the most challenging phase of establishing a business - the start. Starting a business requires a capital. If you now have enough money for capital, you can now start your business and since you are investing in a very promising type of business, finding customers is not a problem. The problem is, what if you found bad ones. Even if your customers are also managing a business and expecting cashflow, which does not guarantee that they would pay you up to date because some businesses are just ill-managed. For the business to survive, the most important thing that you would be doing is funding your operational cost - make payrolls, fuel, maintenance - it should rely on cashflow, but since things like mentioned above is very common, some business owners would resort for a loan. But that does not solve the problem of getting your receivables paid on time. As a business owner, you cannot afford the time it takes to collect the receivables, while trying to make your business grow.

 

Mr. Paul, an owner of a small trucking company experienced the same kinds of problems and shared how he managed to survive. "I just released my head from the stress of how am I going to get my receivables, and focused on making the business grow"¦"

 

Mr. Paul just got his retirement fee from a big trucking company for almost forty years and was thinking on how to double his money in the shortest time possible. Seeing a small trucking company as a business of great potential and is a business that he knows. When he was still driving a truck, he was fascinated by how much money the company is making. He has also never experienced a delay in his salary. When he decided to invest his retirement fee in establishing a small trucking company, everything was just according to what he expected. He started with a single truck from his home. He started with just a few clients, the ones he knew already and never missed one deadline and kept freight damage as minimal as possible. Because of his outstanding services he started to get referrals and had more work than he can handle. From then, he started to expand, bought more trucks, hired more personnel. Using the knowledge he acquired from the company that he had served for a very long time, and dedication to his work, his little business grew in a rate that he had never imagined. The business is now requiring a more strategic plan and when Mr. Paul thought that everything was going very well, he encountered problems that he failed to foresee.

 

He had customers that made him wait for weeks or even months before paying. Since his little business is rapidly growing, his operational cost is also growing . This is a problem that he never knew and never observed in his entire career as a driver of a trucking company since he was never in an administration role. He was at the verge of breaking down, his business is losing money, growing too fast, not big enough has to rely cashflow to keep up to his fast growing business. He had to make his payroll, pay his suppliers, maintenance and fill his orders. Mr. Paul thought of going to bank and apply for a loan but was denied. "Maybe because I had a bad personal credit...haha"

 

Mr. Paul thought of declaring bankruptcy because of the stress that he never imagined he will be handling. He had to think of how to manage his business and at the same time, how will he keep the business alive by thinking of a solution on how is he going to deal with his receivables.

 

"You know that time, I, I, I just don't know what to do... I felt that as the business kept growing and growing, I become more and more incompetent. Then suddenly, a hero came along... Just at the nick of time. "

 

Then a close friend of his introduced him to a factoring company and everything turned out just fine. So what is this factoring company then? What does it do? How did it save Mr. Paul's business?

 

Well, this is how it works, Mr. Paul sells his invoices or receivables to a factoring company at a discount and not in an amount where he can no longer make a profit. The factoring company will then be the one collecting the invoices of Mr. Paul's business from his customers. Say for example, Paul still has 100 dollars to collect from one of his customers. He then sells it to the factoring company at a lesser price, say 90 dollars. The factoring company will now be the one who is going to get the 100 dollars collectible from Paul's customer.

 

The factoring company immediately gave Mr. Paul the cashflow he needed. He now has instant customer credit checks. He can rest well and likes doing business with companies that pay their bills on time. Save him from the stress of thinking how to deal with his collectibles, thus saving time and money. He can now focus on growing his business and keeping his customers happy. Increase his sales and cashflow.

 

The Factoring Company not just saved Mr. Paul's start-up business but made it a big company now. It has helped Mr. Paul's business, why don't you let it help yours?

 

 

Growing Your Trucking Company Just Got a Whole Lot Easier

 

There's a lot of hard work and dedication involved in growing a successful trucking business, but perhaps above everything else a disciplined approach to making the right decisions and taking the right actions is required. The aim of this post is to help both small fleet owners and owner-operators accomplish these goals.

 

The three key steps to building your trucking business are to grow your fleet, find profitable shippers and loads, and the successful day-to-day running of your trucking company.

 

The 1st Step: Growing Your Fleet

 

You won't be able to grow your trucking company unless you have the right equipment. But, securing finance to purchase this equipment can be very difficult, and this is where many truckers run into trouble. Today, there are several financing options for owner operators of trucking companies, and even those with less-than-stellar credit are typically able to achieve some sort of financing.

 

There are two more-commonly used financing options - the trucking company either leases a truck or it gets a loan to purchase a truck. There are various ways of structuring leases and loans, and each option has its disadvantages and advantages. Your final decision will be determined by its merits, your objectives, and your available resources.

 

We strongly urge you to consult with a CPA with expertise in trucking when considering financing. It's true that a visit to a CPA could cost around $150, but not only will they help you determine your best option, they could also save you a lot of money in taxes. In fact, it's critical that you seek a CPA's advice if you're planning on growing your fleet. This is not an expense you should try to avoid.

 

The 2nd Step: Finding Profitable Shippers and Loads

 

Possibly the hardest part of running a trucking company is finding quality shippers and loads. Many owner-operators use a loadboard to find loads, and this approach does have its advantages. Perhaps the main advantage is that the loadboard allows you to match your equipment and preferred routes with loads. Unfortunately, though, loadboards are not financially worthwhile for truckers in the long term. To start with, loadboards are highly competitive, particularly for the most popular routes, which means you'll be forced to charge low per-mile rates. Now the trucking company must become very vigilant and ensure the load they're pulling will end up being profitable. The second reason using a loadboard is not viable in the long term is that your company doesn't get to grow relationships with shippers. This means you'll always be working with new customers, which can be a time-consuming process.

 

The best strategy for owner operators is to only use a loadboard as a starting point, but persist with making sales calls so that eventually you'll start building relationships with direct shippers. Statistics show that trucking companies with shipping relationships are earning approximately $20,000 per truck/per month; whereas trucking companies who rely on loadboards are earning approximately $10,000 per truck/per month. That's a big difference! As you can see from these figures, building good and lasting relationships with shippers can double your revenue. Therefore, the best way to grow your trucking business is to develop solid relationships with shippers.

 

The 3rd Step: The Day-To-Day Running of Your Trucking Company

 

All too often we see small fleet owners and owner-operators struggling with the day-to-day running of their trucking company. There's a lot of paperwork and related coordination that's involved in moving loads and running a trucking office can be very exacting and tedious. But, it's a necessary task and it's an important one.

 

If you're determined to grow your trucking company, it's critical that you employ both time-saving and money-saving processes. Managing a small trucking fleet is entirely different to managing a single truck operation. We strongly suggest you approach experienced truckers for advice and, providing you're not in competition with them, you'll generally find that small fleet owners are more than happy to share their expertise with you.

 

Managing Cash Flow

 

Managing cash flow can be a serious issue for trucking companies. It's fairly common for new truckers to experience cash flow problems when they first get into the trucking business, and the reason for this is very simple. Cash flow problems occur because most shippers settle their accounts in 30 days, 60 days, and some even wait 90 days. In the meantime, however, you've got your drivers to pay, fuel to purchase, machinery to repair, payroll to meet, and other necessities to take care of. The delay in receiving payments due to you can cause serious problems for any business that doesn't have a large cash reserve. Simply speaking, you run out of money, and without money your company will be stuck. Until such time as your shippers pay your invoices there'll be no more loads, no mechanical repairs, no meeting payroll, and so on.

 

How to Resolve Your Cash Flow Problems

 

Fortunately, there's a very simple answer to the question of cash flow problems. Today, many trucking companies are resolving their cash flow issues by factoring their freight bills. Freight factoring has become a popular way of financing new trucking companies because factoring provides trucking companies with an advance on their slow paying invoices. The result - no more cash flow problems! Now, instead of having to wait 30, 60, even 90 days to get paid, you'll be paid by the factoring company once the load has been delivered.

 

Receiving upfront payment on invoices gives trucking companies the money they so desperately need to cover the day-to-day running costs of their business, with money left over to grow their business. You'll also find that fuel advances are often offered by many factoring companies. This is an add-on feature which provides the trucking company with funding when they collect a load. These funds come in very handy for paying fuel costs and other delivery expenses.

 

 

About Invoice Factoring

 

Perhaps you've heard about Invoice Factoring but you're not sure how it works or how it might help your business. The purpose of this post is to provide a clear explanation of what Invoice Factoring is and how it works.Basically, Invoice Factoring is a viable alternative to traditional financing methods, providing your company with fast access to working capital. There's no large debt to repay and there are no strings attached. It probably sounds too good to be true, but we can assure you it's not! Invoice Factoring has become a lifesaver to many businesses, so let's go into this a little further to see how Invoice Factoring might help your business go from just so-so to really great!

 

How Invoice Factoring Works

 

A very brief definition of invoice factoring is that it converts your open invoices into immediate cash, which of course sounds perfect if you're experiencing a cash flow problem. Factoring saves you from having to wait the 60 or 90 days (sometimes even more) for payment by your customers. With invoice factoring you have the flexibility to factor whichever invoices you want and however many invoices you need, to ensure you have enough cash on hand to grow your business.

 

The following is a short description of how the process works -

 

Once you and your chosen factoring company have reached an agreement and set up your account, you're now free to begin submitting copies of your unpaid invoices to the factoring company. These invoices must be for products that have been delivered or for work that's been completed. With invoice factoring you simply continue invoicing your customers as usual, then fax or email a copy of the invoice directly to your factoring company.

 

Now here's the good part! You'll receive a cash advance within 24 hours! Once the factor has verified your invoices, a deposit of as much as 95% of the value of the invoices will be deposited directly into your bank account.

 

You continue working as per usual, and the factoring company works to collect on your accounts. It's now your factor's responsibility to engage in the active collection of these accounts, thus allowing you more time to focus on the big stuff, like providing your customers with excellent service and continuing to grow your business.

 

As a customer of the factoring company you can repeat this process with as many different clients as you want and as many times as you want. You may choose to factor all of your clients, or just the clients that are known for being slow-paying clients. The choice is yours!

 

The Benefits of Invoice Factoring

 

Once you're working with an invoice factoring company you'll have control over your cash flow, and more importantly, you'll have a working relationship with your factor that will help your business grow in lots more ways. Let's take a closer look at some of the ways a factoring company can help you grow your business -Credit Checks and Background Verification

 

It's important to all businesses that they work with honest, reliable customers; customers who have a solid payment history. Sales must be turned into revenue as quickly as possible. However, we know that credit checks and background verifications can be very expensive and these costs very quickly eat away at your working capital. Now, it will be your invoice factoring company who provides these checks for you, at no additional charge. This means that any issues will be addressed before they affect your business, thus ensuring that you're working with top-quality customers.

 

Credit Repair and Credit Building

 

Even if your business credit is less than perfect, you can still apply for a competitive invoice factoring program. The benefit of this to the business owner is that, not only will factoring your open invoices cover your daily operating costs, it will also help pay down any current debt in order to rebuild your credit rating. The good news is that start-ups also qualify for invoice factoring so, if you're just getting your business off the ground, factoring is the ideal financing alternative to help you hit the ground running.

 

Other Money Saving Opportunities

 

Invoice factoring can certainly save your company money, and it's not only with competitive rates. By negotiating with your suppliers for early-pay discounts or other payment incentives, you'll soon discover new ways of putting your rejuvenated cash flow to good use. And don't forget that, depending on how much you factor, you could well qualify for a volume discount, and this will further reduce your rates.

 

Steady and Consistent Cash Flow

 

When you begin factoring your invoices you'll be able to regain complete control of your working capital. Whether you're simply tired of waiting up to 90 days for money that's owed to you, or perhaps your business is subject to seasonal fluctuations, either way, invoice factoring is the ideal method for regulating your cash flow.

 

Now You Can Start Dreaming Big!

 

You may have become used to business being steady, but with invoice factoring you'll have the opportunity for business growth in many new ways .

 

o You'll be able to attract larger clients, with better contracts;
o Increased business marketing efforts;
o New technology investments, or upgrades;
o The ability to employ more staff;
o Training and further education programs for existing staff;
o Relocation of your business, or site expansion.

 

Finally, No More Debt!

 

One of the most attractive things about invoice factoring is that it's not like a traditional loan: it won't add additional debt to your balance sheet. In fact, it's actually the opposite; because Invoice Factoring provides you with the extra cash you need to be able to settle old debts. With factoring, it's already your money so there's no money to pay back and no interest to pay. All factoring does is help you get your money into your bank account - quicker!

 

Why Haven't I Heard of Invoice Factoring Before?

 

This is a question a lot of business owners ask. Invoice factoring certainly isn't new, but maybe it's just been overshadowed in the past by bank loans and other types of business investments. The fact is that factoring goes right back to the days of the Roman Empire, where factors assisted businessmen (usually farmers) in growing their business. Then, later, it was used in the textile and clothing industry to help pay for raw materials, to finance transactions, and accept larger purchase orders. Today, invoice factoring is used by many different types of industries, such as:

 

' Construction
' Transportation
' Medical
' Staffing, HR
' Consulting
' Engineering
' Marketing/Media

 

Becoming Familiar with Factoring Terminology

 

Don't be discouraged because you don't understand factoring terminology. See below for an explanation of general factoring terms :

 

' Account Debtor:
An account debt or is your customer.

 

' Accounts Receivable Ageing Report:
This is the name given to a report which shows the financial figure of unpaid receivables, in addition to how long they've remained unpaid.

 

' Accounts Receivable Factoring; also known as Invoice Factoring:
These two terms can be used interchangeably because they mean exactly the same thing.

 

' Discount Rate:
This refers to the percentage of the invoice charged by the factor as a fee for advancing funds.

 

' Due Diligence:
This refers to the background research carried out by the factor to determine potential customers.

 

' Factoring Advance Rate:
This rate is a percentage of the invoice that's advanced within 24 hours to the client - this figure is generally between 80 and 95% of the total amount of the invoice.

 

' Factoring Broker:
A factoring broker is a third party whose position is to connect business owners with appropriate factoring companies in order to meet the business's goals and needs.

 

' Lien:
The right to retain possession of property until a debt has been discharged.

 

' Non-Recourse Funding:
Most businesses have experienced customers who fail to pay their invoices within the agreed payment terms, or worse, the invoice is never paid at all! Non-Recourse Funding is when the factor assumes all responsibility for unpaid invoices. Because the factoring company is accepting the risk, Non-Recourse Funding is more expensive than Recourse Funding.

 

' Recourse Funding:
With Recourse Funding, your company must buy back the receivables if your client fails to pay within the agreed payment terms.

 

' Reserve:
This is the amount of the Accounts Receivable retained by the factor until such time as full payment has been made by the customer.

 

' Spot Factoring:
This refers to a one-off agreement that offers staffing companies the ability to factor just one single invoice.

 

Your Customers, and Factoring

 

It's important that we point out here that factoring is not a negative thing, and your factoring company is definitely not a collections agency. In fact, it's important to your factoring company that they maintain good relationships with both you and your customers, and it's their aim to provide the best customer service possible. It's in your factoring company's best interests that the factoring process works as smoothly as possible.

 

The following will give you a general idea of how factoring works :

 

' Once you've made the decision to start invoice factoring, your dedicated account manager will start by verifying that your debtors are indeed customers, in addition to advising them of your new remittance address. It's important to remember that it makes no difference to your clients where they send their payment: they know their invoice must be paid, so this is simply a change of address for payments.

 

' Your factoring account manager will be very experienced and will assure your clients that they'll be well taken care of, and that the factoring company will be managing your invoices in future by taking over your accounts receivable. And that's all there is to it! Nothing will change between your company and your customers: you'll still invoice them as usual, and they'll simply forward their payment to a new Post Office box. Your account manager will be available to help if any problems should arise.

 

What You Should Look For in a Factoring Company

 

Once you start doing your own research you'll discover that there are many factoring companies out there, but they're definitely not all equal. The following are points to consider when comparing factoring companies:

 

' Fees
As we've explained, factoring is a little more expensive than a traditional bank loan, but some small businesses don't qualify for a bank loan, so being able to achieve some working capital is better than none at all. Do your research, and make sure you understand the overall cost of factoring, in addition to the extra smaller fees that may be charged by your factor. These extra fees may include account set-up fees, application fees, credit reports, costs to research any liens, charges for last-minute funding, or for money transfers. Not all factors charge these extra fees, and not all factors have hidden fees, which means that it's very important that you choose a factor you're comfortable with and one that you can trust.

 

' Flexibility
This is a very important aspect of factoring, and one we can't stress enough. Make sure you very carefully read the fine print of your factoring contract! If you start working with a factoring company and then realize that you're locked into terms that don't suit your own particular circumstances, you're going to be extremely unhappy. These unsatisfactory terms might include how much you're able to factor each month, or being tied to a specific factoring company for the life of your business. If you sign up for a long-term contract, then change your mind, it's going to be a very expensive exercise trying to get out of the contract. Don't let this happen to you! Be very clear on how much you can factor each month, which clients are eligible for factoring, and how long you're signing up for.

 

' Communication
At one point or another we've all had to deal with a business with poor communication skills, and we probably all agree that it's extremely frustrating. So, imagine a business with poor communication skills that's also handling your money! Naturally, when it comes to your business and your money, you need someone that's going to immediately respond to your inquiries. All factoring companies are going to say their customer service is second-to-none, but be very cautious here. Pay close attention to when and how your potential factoring company responds to your calls and emails, because this is how they'll be responding to your customers. If you're not 100% happy then move on to another factoring company, because there are certainly plenty to choose from!

 

' Industry Expertise
Remember that there are many factoring companies out there servicing many industries, so you should be looking for one that services your own industry. Ideally, you'll choose a factoring company that specializes in your niche, which means that they'll already understand a lot about your business. The bonus of using a factoring company with industry expertise is that they may also offer programs specific to your industry, such as fuel cards and back-office support. It's these extras that may prove very beneficial when making your final decision on a factoring company.

 

 

Payroll Funding: The Perfect Solution for Financing a Temp Staffing Agency

 

Many people run very profitable temp staffing agencies. Today's business environment lends itself very nicely to outsourcing employees instead of hiring them; thus providing staffing agencies with very attractive financial opportunities. But, like all other businesses, temp staffing agencies require working capital. In this industry, accessing capital can become a serious problem and many agencies struggle to meet their own financial obligations. In addition, business growth suffers because the agency is unable to add new clients. Fortunately, there is an answer to cash flow problems in temp staffing agencies.

 

Payroll: The Biggest Expense for Temp Staffing Agencies

 

Perhaps the most important expense, and often the biggest expense for a temp staffing agency, is employee payroll. It's vitally important that employees are paid regularly and on time. Failure to cover payroll will result in your employees leaving and seeking work elsewhere.

 

Of course, there are other financial obligations to be met by the temp staffing agency, such as paying employment taxes. Failure to meet tax obligations can become a costly and serious legal issue for agencies, with the result that businesses begin to struggle.

 

All Businesses Need Funds to Grow and Prosper

 

Most clients (both commercial and government) settle their invoices within 30, 60, and sometimes 90 days, and it's this lengthy period of time that creates financial issues for staffing agencies. Once a staffing agency has accepted a new client, it must be capable of covering the employee's wages for a period of up to 2 months - and this is before the agency itself starts being paid. So, in order to meet operating expenses, it becomes imperative that the staffing agency has a substantial cash reserve. And, the bigger the contracts the bigger reserve required. Without this reserve, the agency won't be able to accept new contracts, and without new contracts there can be no growth. What a vicious cycle! And it all comes down to cash flow.

 

Grow Your Temp Staffing Agency with Payroll Financing

 

Today there's an easy way to resolve cash flow problems experienced by so many businesses. It's called Payroll Funding, and it's a solution that's been designed specifically to assist staffing agencies access much-needed working capital.

 

What Is Payroll Financing?

 

Payroll financing is just one type of invoice factoring, and invoice factoring is a financing solution designed to help businesses finance their slow-paying receivables. With payroll financing your agency will receive immediate funds. No waiting 30, 60, or 90 days to receive payment from your government or commercial clients because you'll receive a payment from the factoring company within a day or two of receiving your invoice. Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it! Well, it is true, and it works very well for many businesses in many industries.

 

Factoring works because it provides the much-needed working capital required to cover payroll and other running expenses. Now you don't need to stress about slow paying clients; you can still meet your financial obligations and continue growing your business

 

How Factoring Works

 

Invoice factoring is a very straightforward process. Basically, your invoice will be financed in two payments. The first payment you receive will cover approximately 90% of the total value of your invoice, and your agency will receive this payment once you've submitted the invoice for financing. You'll receive the remaining payment, typically 10% less factoring fees, once your client has paid their account. It's important to note that your clients will still pay on their regular schedule; they're not being asked to pay any sooner.

 

Payroll Funding Is Available to Small Agencies Too!

 

Don't be concerned that your agency may be too small to be accepted for payroll funding. This is one of the great advantages of factoring; that it's available to businesses of all sizes, even start-ups. The reason for this is that factoring companies are more interested in the credit quality of your customers, because the factoring company is financing the invoices, which are the assets. When you apply for factoring, the factoring company will confirm whether (or not) your clients have good commercial credit, because this is what will determine if the factor is prepared to finance your invoices. So, if your temp staffing agency has reliable-paying customers, your business is an ideal candidate for payroll financing. You can see, therefore, that factoring becomes a very attractive financing option for agencies with a strong lineup of clients.

 

Grow Your Agency with Payroll Factoring

 

In case you're still not entirely clear about payroll factoring, let's have a look at a hypothetical example

 

Let's say you can't afford to grow your temp staffing agency because you're experiencing cash flow problems. A new client has just contacted you and requested 5 full-time employees for a 6-month period. This new client is a relatively large company with a good reputation. Unfortunately, though, you can't afford to carry the cost of this contract because they wait 50 days to pay their invoices.

 

The solution: You'll invoice this new client weekly and factor the invoice. By factoring the invoice you'll receive weekly cash advances, which means your agency can both service the new contract and continue paying your employees in a timely manner. Providing you're servicing reputable clients with no credit issues you'll be able to use receivables factoring to continue growing your agency. Besides resolving immediate cash flow problems, payroll factoring could be the catalyst for growing your business well in excess of its current capabilities.

 

 

Bookkeeping Mistakes Commonly Made by Freight Brokers

 

It's true that freight brokers shoulder a lot of responsibility; from matching shippers and carriers, to ensuring that each and every piece of cargo arrives at its proper destination. Freight brokers also have the added responsibility of accurate bookkeeping, because failure to prioritize bookkeeping can result in the loss of money.

 

Below we've listed some common bookkeeping mistakes made by freight brokers, and how to avoid them-

 

Handling the Accounting In-House

 

Many business owners try to save money by handling the books themselves, or perhaps delegating this very important task to a family member or an inexperienced employee. Sure, you may save time and money initially, but errors can be costly: when you attempt DIY accounting you could well end up with more expensive financing terms, higher bond premiums, or a number of other unforeseen expenses. It's very important that you hire a competent bookkeeper because, not only will you save money, but you'll know that the job will be done accurately, quicker, and more efficiently.

 

We understand only too well that running any business is time-consuming and hard work, and many freight brokers are simply too busy doing their day-to-day tasks to focus on bookkeeping tasks, such as the monthly reconciliation of credit card accounts and bank accounts. It's through reconciling statements that you get a clear idea of how much credit or cash you actually have, and you can also pick up on any errors that may have occurred.

 

It can be so tempting to postpone this rather tedious task, but the truth is that your credit card statements and bank statements must be reconciled every month, preferably the moment each statement becomes available. In this way you'll be able to identify any potential problems in a timely manner; problems such as lost checks, missing deposits, fraudulent charges, and so on.

 

Failing to Track Invoices and Receivables

 

You're not going to get paid if you're using poor accounting practices with your accounts receivable. Let's face it, getting paid equals cash, and cash is the lifeblood of every business. An experienced freight broker understands that your cash flow can be strained by the delay between when you pay your carriers and when you receive payment from your customers. If you're finding that tracking and collecting invoices is taking too long, why not consider invoice factoring? An invoice factoring company will purchase your invoices for a small fee, with the bonus being that you get paid immediately, plus you're spared the time and expense of having to deal with collections.

 

Don't Forget Liabilities

 

One of the major considerations a surety has when looking at your business financials in order to underwrite a bond is whether you have sufficient assets to cover your liabilities. Many times we see an inexperienced bookkeeper recording a liability, but when the payment is made they forget to reverse the liability. This is a serious error because it results in liabilities being overstated and net income being understated, which makes your business appear to be less financially secure than it really is. These serious errors can be avoided by employing the services of an experienced bookkeeper. We also recommend that you have another set of eyes (which may be an owner or a CPA) regularly review the balance sheet to check for unusual account balances

 

Too Many Expense Categories

 

Another common error we often see with inexperienced bookkeepers is creating too many expense categories, or miscategorizing expenses. Generally, most industries and businesses have a standard set of expense categories, and when a loan underwriter or surety sees too many categories, or the miscategorizing of expenses, it stands out like a big red flag. It tells them that your books are not well prepared. Use an accountant or experienced bookkeeper to correctly set up your accounting software right from the beginning, and don't automatically add new expense categories unless careful consideration has been made. Remember to ask your accountant or CPA for advice, because they'll be able to guide you on how to classify expenses.

 

Incomplete Information on Invoices

 

It's very important that, when you invoice your customers, you provide sufficient detail on each line item. Do you invoice by weight, per piece, or per mile? Or is the charge a flat fee? If there are additional charges to invoice, such as reimbursements for fuel or fees, these should be listed as separate line items. In addition, these charges must be clearly and accurately detailed in order to avoid any confusion. When you send invoices to your customers that include clear and concise details, it prevents pushback from your clients. If there's missing information on your invoices and your customers are confused by unrecognizable charges, it could well cause a delay in payment, which is the very last thing business owners need.

 

Not Understanding the Functionality of Accounting Software

 

Many freight brokers purchase an accounting software package because they're anxious to get their business up and running, but they fail to learn how to use it correctly. This is probably not an issue if you're already outsourcing your accounting and bookkeeping tasks; but if you're using this software in any way at all, perhaps to enter checks and run reports, it's important that you spend some time learning how to use all the available functions. When used correctly, the right accounting software can save you a lot of time, in addition to providing real-time information on the state of your business. It's this information that helps you make important business decisions!

 

 

How Factoring Saved A Staffing Agency

 

The Bellosa Temporary & Permanent Hiring Agency has been experiencing a major uptick in business since the unemployment crisis began. The unemployed and underemployed workers have been keeping the phones ringing. The staffing agency is also fielding a lot of calls from employers too, looking for just the right hire. Company President and Vice President, Laurie Bell and Ted Stevens, have not experienced a boom in business since they first opened the doors in 2009, during the recession. They had an idea then that this would be a profitable venture.

 

The mantra that Laurie and Ted live by is that there's always going to be people searching for work and of course employers will always be on the lookout for good workers. This is especially true in healthcare staffing, the industry they specialize in. This seemed to be a safe bet for them as they embarked on this venture, but with any small business, the only way to keep the doors open is to keep pressing forward and out perform the competition.

 

In a relatively short period of time Laurie and Ted had built a nice sized business, they were able to hit the ground running with some brilliant marketing programs and a number of contracts from insiders. They grew rapidly, the timing couldn't have been better and they were very lucky in this aspect. By the fall of 2011 Laurie and Ted had weathered some ups and downs but they did have some solid clients like a few big insurance companies and a university hospital close by. These clients always paid their invoices on time. But they did start to notice a decrease in accounts receivables from some smaller clients such as rehab centers and private practices.

 

As winter approached they recalled previous winters and holiday seasons and realized that accounts receivables usually did slow down during this time. Laurie and Ted made the decision to delay their late payments until after the New Year. This plan didn't really appeal to them as it's no way to start a New Year, but they seemed to have no other options.

 

When New Year's had come and gone they realized that their Accounts Receivables had gone from 30 days past due to 60 days past due. Before meeting with their accountant Scott, they'd decided something had to be done, but they didn't know what.

 

Sitting in the conference room with Scott they listened as pulled all the figures up on his iPad saying,"Okay you two, I've been looking over the files you sent over and I can certainly see why you're worried about your late A/Rs but there may be a way to fix this. Do either of you know what factoring is?" Scott inquired.

 

Laurie and Ted looked at each other quizzically, and then Laurie said "I think it rings a bell, but I'm not really sure. Can you explain it?"

 

Scott began laying out the details, "You are sitting on a pile of invoices that are past due. The more time that goes by without them being paid, the bigger the bind this puts your business in. It makes it very difficult for you to grow, much less hire anyone new. If you don't have enough cash coming in . "

 

Ted interrupted with, "Then it could make it difficult to take on any new business because we wouldn't be able to hire the additional personnel we need and meet our weekly payroll. We need an inflow of cash and we really can't wait. If we have to wait any longer on these invoices we'll be in trouble."

 

Scott jumped in saying, "And this is precisely why I wanted to discuss factoring with you. The factoring company will purchase the invoices you are sitting on that are up to 3 months late, which gives you the cash you need now." He then showed him a chart on a piece of paper he placed in front of them.

 

Laurie began to carefully scrutinize it asking, "Is this the fee schedule?"

 

Scott answered, "Yes it's all right there. The factoring company makes 1% to 3% of the total amount of each invoice they purchase."

 

"That's sounds like a good deal to me", Ted said.

 

The three of them sat there and talked this over for a while and then Laurie and Ted made the decision to go forward realizing this was the best way to keep them afloat. They knew if they couldn't accommodate all the new clients they were acquiring the competition would get them and they would go down, they could just not afford to turn any business away.

 

They now needed to fill out an application and submit it to the factoring company and they also needed to show them a few back invoices, undergo a credit check for their company. Credit checks would also need to be done on the companies owing the debts that the factoring company would be purchasing.

 

It didn't take long for Bellosa's credit to be approved and the creditors' as well. Before long the factoring company purchased the overdue invoices and Laurie and Ted got the influx of cash they needed to cover things and allow them to continue growing their business.

 

The next time Laurie and Ted met with their accountant Scott, there were smiles all around.Scott said, "I've taken a look at your books so I know that factoring was the right solution for you."

 

"It worked perfectly", Laurie stated and went on to say, "The tiny amount we paid out for this influx of cash was certainly worth it."

 

Ted chimed in with, "Without a doubt! Whatever the fees were we made back and more since we were now able to hire more personnel so we could take on more business. It worked out for us and for them I would say!"

 

"That's what's great about factoring!" Scott exclaimed with a look of satisfaction on his face.

 

Discovering Trucking Factoring

 

Lambert Truck and Haul has been in business since the mid1980s. They've delivered goods for nearly every major industry in the nation and for 20 plus years, business was booming as they've traversed the country in all weather for all clients. During the heady times from 2002 to 2007, Lambert was a top rated accounts receivable mastermind of the trucking industry. Few customers were ever late on bills and those clients who were, were sure to turn in their late payments within a reasonable amount of time. Cash was flowing and times were good for all.

 

But a short year later, in the fall of 2008, when the United States economy took a nosedive and businesses both small and large began to feel the pinch on their pocketbooks, those that used to make their demands had suddenly and largely gone silent. Business slowed down. And worse yet, Lambert had noticed during the early part of 2008 that though the bulk of their clients were always on time with payments, the few late-bloomers there were, had seemingly started to spread this illness. And as spring turmed to summer and summer into the early days of fall, John Rondstadt, CEO of Lambert felt a chill go down his spine whenever he would look at the weekly A/R reports. The numbers of clients who owed him back debt were growing.

 

He had gone to his administrators and asked them what the problem had been. Were they doing something wrong or different when it came to reaching out to delinquent accouts? By his bookkeepers records, this wasn't the case. He thought perhaps that he was losing clients to a competitor who offered rock-bottom prices with little to no guarantee of quality performance and the folks who owed Lambert money had jumped ship and decided to leave him holding the bag. They couldn't afford to pay him their debt, but they could afford a lesser service, maybe. But after doing the cursory research for this and talking to friends in the field, he found that alas, no, customers of Lambert hadn't gone elsewhere. They had just gone home.

 

The situation looked dire to John Rondstadt. He had employees to pay, goods to ship, trucks to maintain and overhead that was almost unbearable when compared against the lack of funds that were coming in. At night he would speak to his wife Linda and shake his head in frustration. "I have a bad feeling, Lin," he would say with deep woe."Well, what do you think it is?" she would ask.

 

John would stare off for a moment and then close eyes. He could see the fleet of trucks he had purchased over the years. He could see them traveling, bringing goods to all of his clients. But somewhere, a haze would form over his fleet and the vast number of vehicles would disappear to but a few. What could cause this ultimate death spiral of business?

 

"I know what it is," John said. "I've relied too long on the profits I receive from invoices alone. I've let too many of our customers go too long without paying on their bills."Rhonda could only grab her husband's hand and look at him lovingly, "It's a hard economy. It might be awhile until things get settled up."John knew his wife meant well, but he knew that he was responsible for too many people to sit idly by, waiting for the sun to peak over the clouds.

 

The next day John strolled into his office and was determined to sit down and make every phone call to every client who had owed Lambert money. Now, it wasn't the most efficient way to spend a day as a chief executive, what he really needed to be doing was to be overseeing all of the other intricacies of shipment and delivery and reaching out to prospective clients or retraining his sales team to do the same. Even though he was doing something to help his company, he knew he had folks on salary to do just this thing. Wasting money, wasting time - even with the best of intentions, John knew that he was in trouble.

 

After a half day of contacting debtors in vain - they dodged his calls or promised to call back at worst or made minimal interest-only payments at best - he was about to throw in the towel when his secretary Beverley knocked at his door."John, can I have a word?" she asked standing in the doorway.

 

"Sure thing Bev, come on in." John leaned back in his chair and looked expectantly at Beverely. "Well, I did a little searching this afternoon and tried to figure out a way out of this mess John." She pulled a small stack of papers from a folder and set them on the desk before him. "Have you ever heard of factoring?" Beverley asked."It sounds vaguely familiar. What is it?" he said. "Well," she began, "Its actually quite simple really. So basically, factoring invoices would enable us to get paid on the nose for loads that we haul.""Immediately?" John interrupted.

 

"Yes, immediately," she continued, "In a nutshell, it's pretty easy. We can have an expert account manager review our numbers and help us complete a company profile. That profile will also include investigating our accounts receivable aging reports, our existing customer credit limits and so on. Additionally, the factoring will help to determine the creditworthiness of our customers independent of their credit history with our business. It's a broad view."

 

"I see," John said. "And then what?""Well, after their review, and we're approved for a factoring contract, we can negotiate terms and conditions. There's a lot of flexibility depending on the business volume and credit histories. This company tells us what the cost will be to purchase factoring for our accounts receivable. We come to an agreement and the funding starts pouring out."John leaned forward and reviewed the paperwork closely.

 

"It sounds too good to be true, Bev," he said. "Now, now, I know, I thought the same thing. But really, they have guaranteed us experts that do all the legwork, which would free us up here to focus on our clients in good standing and marketing, all that good stuff. And they're flexible John," she underlined a paragraph on the paper before him. "How flexible?" he asked. "They personalize the factoring rates so that the amount they are willing to take on is commensurate with our needs and our client's debt. It only takes 2 to 4 days for this to be figured out.

 

"That sounds pretty good, seeing as we tapped ourselves out with bank loans last year to repair the fleet and money sure is tight. We need to keep business rolling as normal and every day we're going unpaid, we're closer to facing some serious problems in both the short and long term," John said.

 

He took a deep breath and looked at his secretary with something she recognized as hope."Exactly". I think this might just be a way out of the trouble we're in with these folks who owe us money."John thought about this and agreed with Beverley. The clients who owed them money were long standing friends and professional resources of Lambert. They didn't want to throw away these relationships because they were having trouble paying their bills now. John knew that the economy had taken a hit and he knew that it would probably be a long time before things started to look up again. That unknown amount of time, if he handled these debtors incorrectly, could spell disaster for both of them. He didn't want to lose business but he also didn't want to lose any more money.

 

"Well, let me think about this tonight Bev, thank you." Bev nodded, stood up and left the office feeling that she had helped her employer keep on his shirt and hers too.John sat behind his desk and looked over the details Bev had not mentioned in their meeting. What other issues could freight factoring help Lambert with? With his pencil gliding down the sheet he noticed that the factoring company could help fray the cost of fuel with fuel discount cards and fuel advances. In fact, Lambert could receive up to fifty-percent cash advances upon load pick-ups. As a man who hated binding contracts with no room to breathe, he was pleased to see that this factoring company would not make him sign a long term contract, would not make him pay any sign up fees and there was no minimum volume required.

 

"Well, I'll have to tell Billy about this," John muttered to himself.His son-in-law Billy had liked the idea of Lambert so much and revered his father in law for having such business acumen that only two years before, he had gathered the venture capital to begin his own transportation service company. John knew then what struggles Billy would face but he encouraged him nonetheless. With the faltering economy, if a big fish like Lambert was hurting, a little guy like Billy was about to catch his death. But, an antidote may have been found in freight factoring and John was soon to find out. A few months later after going through the entire application process and having the experts review his accounts receivable, credit history and statements, John found himself beginning to dig his way out of the hole his delinquent account holders had created for him.

 

They took on reasonable factoring purchase contracts and stopped spending their precious man hours scrambling to collect debt. They took that time and refocused effort to offering competitive prices in new territories. John looked back on the dismal months of life before freight factoring and almost shuddered at the thought. Had he missed the boat on this one, he probably wouldn't be in business today.