Verover die nieuwe markten!
Internationaal zakendoen biedt volop groeikansen, maar brengt ook risico’s met zich mee. En jij verovert natuurlijk het liefst nieuwe markten en klanten zonder onnodige risico’s te lopen. Daarom screen je je potentiële partner uiteraard vooraf. De vraag is hoe diepgaand jouw screening is.
Protect, manage, free up
Your customers pay a certain number of days after you send your invoice. Your business costs continue to mount up. As your turnover grows – which is good news, of course – so does your accounts receivable portfolio. This automatically increases the amount you are effectively pre-financing, with the risk that a customer might pay late or not at all…
Do you provide financing for your customer?
If a customer only pays after ninety days, until then you are not just the supplier, but also the financier. You send an invoice; the turnover has been realised. But the money hasn’t come in yet. The later the customer pays, the longer your working capital is tied up. Now that interest and financing costs are rising again, this naturally makes an even greater difference.
A safety net or a growth accelerator?
Isn’t credit insurance simply a safety net against customers going bankrupt? That’s right. But it’s so much more than that. It’s a strategic tool for growing your business, entering new markets or, for example, offering more generous payment terms. You don’t just take out credit insurance for when your customer fails to pay. You take out credit insurance as a strategic tool to create commercial opportunities.
Higher interest rates, higher risk
Rising interest rates – the ECB raised rates by twenty-five basis points in June – have led to higher financing costs. On top of this come other cost increases, such as those for energy and staff. Customers with low margins or high levels of debt are the first to feel the impact. A customer who appears to be in a healthy financial position today may quickly find themselves with less financial headroom due to falling margins or declining demand.
Give all your customers some extra attention
Loyal customers often form the backbone of a business. They ensure continuity, predictable turnover and long-term business relationships. It is precisely for this reason that a sense of trust often develops, meaning that these customers’ payment behaviour is monitored less closely. This is understandable, but unfortunately it is not without risk.
“We’ll keep on being adventurous”
Jeroen Haans has been working as a Senior Account Manager at Xolv since May. He is responsible for account management and the development of sales activities. A well-considered career move, Jeroen previously worked for a credit insurer, amongst other roles. One of the things he missed was being able to engage with companies at an earlier stage. Thanks to his previous role, Jeroen was already familiar with Xolv. Jeroen: “I knew I’d be in good hands, with really nice people who also have their offices in a beautiful location in Vught. Choosing Xolv was a very deliberate decision.”
No half-baked answers
Triple F is a leading partner for freight transport by land, sea and air, specialising in the transport of large volumes of freight – from paper to metal and many other materials. The company is committed to building strong relationships with its customers, based on trust and transparency. And these are not just empty words. Remco van Anraat, finance manager: “We’ve been in business for twenty-one years now; I’ve been working at Triple F for twenty years myself. We know the international transport market inside out.”
Credit insurance as a preventive measure
Van de Vin Ramen en Kozijnen B.V. is a real Brabant family business. Frans van de Vin founded his carpentry business in 1960 and now the third generation is at the helm. Frans was a craftsman, he tackled all sorts of things. Construction carpentry, but also interior panelling and furniture. When sons Anton and Mathee joined the company in the 1980s, the focus shifted to producing window frames. A good choice! Because it led to growth, which is now managed by the third generation.
Prevent, signal and resolve!
You know it by now: economic realities remain uncertain for the time being. As a result, many entrepreneurs are experiencing more pressure on their business. And remarkably, you rarely see this reflected first in sales. It usually starts somewhere else: in your cash flow. No matter how healthy your company may be on paper, if payments arrive later, or worse: are not forthcoming, continuity is immediately under pressure. How do you keep a grip on your cash flows?