As a business, it's highly important that you have a good
credit score to enable your suppliers to obtain insurance on their exports or
sales to you, and to give you access to trade finance.
But what exactly is a credit score, and why does it matter?
A credit score is a visual indicator that tells others how well (or poorly!) you manage your business's finances. It is calculated from general company information such as size, but more importantly, it can take into account financial details such as your payment history and annual or quarterly revenues.
This is essential information to lenders like banks because
they’ll want to ensure that you’ll pay them back if they lend you money. In
other words, a credit score is a numerical representation of how trustworthy
your business is.
Good business credit is crucial because it is one of your most
important tools for growing your business. Without it, you cannot secure a
lease, an insurance policy, financing, credit or a loan. With a high credit
score, not only can you qualify for all that, but you can also bargain more
favourable terms with future suppliers, get lower insurance premiums, and pay lower
interest rates on your loans.
But what if your business hasn't been operating for long, or
if your current score leaves something to be desired? Well, that’s why we’re
here! Our team has put their heads together to give you all the tips you need to
build a good business credit score. Let’s dive in:
Incorporate Your Business
Credit reporting agencies will
now track you through your business's identity instead of your personal identity.
This way, if you have personal bad credit, it may not affect your business
credit score —and vice versa. Essentially your business becomes a separate
entity from you.
Separate Your Expenses with a Business Bank Account
A business checking account will also allow you to apply for a business credit card—which is vital, as it will permit credit bureaus to track your company's payment history. However, the business bank account and credit card must be only used for business purposes.
That way, you can begin to
build good credit for your business, by making regular purchases with vendors
that report to credit bureaus or credit reference agencies, as trade suppliers,
and then completing payment for those transactions within the agreed timeframe.
Bonus Tip: Using your business credit card
to make payments for day-to-day, small business expenses is a great way to
quickly build up your credit score because they are easier to pay off than more
significant transactions.
Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Equivalent
Otherwise known as the Federal Tax Identification Number, the EIN is a nine-digit number given to US businesses by the Internal Revenue Service, and it is what allows other companies or government bodies to identify you as a business entity.
Without an EIN, or whatever your local equivalent
(the EU uses a Taxpayer Identification Number or Code), it will be challenging
to build your credit history. Why? Because (at least in the US) you’ll be
required to provide this number when opening a business bank account and when incorporating
your business.
Once you have this, you will want to make sure that every time you apply for bank and credit products (like a line of credit) you’re using your EIN. The same is true when you are paying off orders from your suppliers. By paying everything off associated with your EIN in full and on time, you can quickly build a good credit score.
In Middle Eastern countries, the Company
Registration number would be a good identifier to use or you could look into
registering for an LEI (Legal Entity Identifier) which is a new ISO
standardised code aimed at bringing transparency to participants in the global
financial market place.
Work with Vendors that Report Payment History
Most businesses will work with a third-party vendor (i.e. a
supplier) at some point over the life of their business. In these types of
business relationships, it is common for the vendor to provide you with goods
or services upfront without immediately receiving payment. It is a credit-based
relationship where you are billed via an invoice at a later point in time.
If you have good credit with your vendors, meaning you always pay them on time, then you will want to share this with as many credit reporting agencies as possible. Therefore, you will want to work with suppliers that have a policy of reporting payment histories to business credit bureaus and agencies.
Not all vendors do this, so make sure to ask ahead of time;
otherwise, you can't ensure that your timely payments will be reflected in your
credit score. Cedar Rose has made this easy for trade suppliers to do
on their website by searching for your company and clicking Rate this Company
next to the result. So, those who pay late without good reason will be held
accountable, and it can affect their credit score.
Always Pay on Time. Or Even Better: Pay Vendors Early!
We cannot stress this enough: paying your debts on time is
the most critical thing you can do to improve your credit score. By always
paying on time, you show that you are dependable, and you can efficiently
manage your debt.
How to Check Your Business Credit Score
If you wish to check your business credit score or that of another business, then you don't need to look further than Cedar Rose. Register your details with Cedar Rose for your free credit check and join our database of over 247 million companies to help your potential partners build trust in you.
For more information, give us a call today on +357 25 346630 or email info@cedar-rose.com