不止2个.4 million small- to medium-sized businesses, or SMEs, in Australia today. Despite massive disruption during the COVID pandemic, these businesses still account for more than 98% of all enterprises in the country, ranging from restaurants and hair salons to florists and mechanics, 触及每一个行业和市场.
Many of these SMEs seek financing for a variety of 原因s, especially when looking to grow. 例如, if your company needs to purchase large (and expensive) capital equipment, but your business doesn’t have enough cash on hand, you might seek funds to cover the cost.
Other 原因s your company might seek financing include the need to renovate an existing building or move to a new one, to upgrade existing equipment or technology, 雇佣更多的员工, 帮助现金流, 或者购买库存.
Most of the time, that funding comes in the form of a bank loan. 根据… 2021 report released by the Government’s Productivity Commission, most Australian SMEs still access funding from banks and other financial institutions – at the time of their report, 银行发行了91%的中小企业债务.
然而, if your business creditworthiness is found to be poor by lenders, your search for funding could come to a screeching halt.
Why is creditworthiness so important for SMEs?
为中小企业, applying for and receiving a business loan isn’t much different from taking out a personal loan. Banks generally evaluate your company based on factors including your prior financial performance, 你对未来的预测, and your company credit history – and just as you can be denied a personal loan because of a poor debt payment history, 同样的事情也会发生在你的生意上.
This is a primary 原因 why having a good credit rating is so important – however, it’s not the 只有 原因. Having a strong business credit rating can also mean getting more favourable terms from your bank, 比如降低利率, 更长的还款期限, 更多的资金, 以及更高的信贷额度.
The same is true with vendors and property owners. 与供应商, a better credit score might help you get discounts or better credit terms, and it can also give you more leverage when negotiating insurance premiums or lease terms with a landlord.
How to improve your business credit score
在一般情况下, according to major credit reporting agencies in Australia, a good business credit score is somewhere between 75-100, 信用评分在50-75分之间.
To improve your business creditworthiness and score, the most important thing you can do is to keep and maintain strong financial records, 包括资产负债表, 澳门官方赌场报表, tax forms and all necessary legal forms. Having these materials up-to-date and readily accessible for review allows you to apply for financing when the need arises.
同样重要的是:
- 制定并坚持预算, which makes it possible to better manage your cash flow and maintain liquidity
- 确保你的账单按时支付
- Maintain a healthy level of debt (generally, no more than half your liquid assets)
- Check your credit rating regularly, especially before you apply for funding. If you find an error, follow up and raise a dispute.
Plan ahead and build strong relationships
In addition to having strong financial records, creditworthy businesses plan for success by building the right relationships with service providers, including 澳门赌场官网 and tax professionals. Developing long-term relationships helps these experts understand your business at a deeper level, providing you with the support and knowledge to help you secure funding when needed.
