Here’s an interesting puzzler. How is it possible for a profitable business to be growing and failing at the same time? The all important answer to this conundrum lies in the company’s cash flow.
Hot product companies that experience rapid sales growth have to purchase and assemble inventory months in advance of shipment to retailers and distribution partners. This eats up a company’s cash. And, just when customers get around to paying for last month’s product shipments the company has to invest its available cash in the next inventory production run. This is how too much success can quickly lead to an empty bank account.
If a commercial bank doesn’t step in to help a company catch up, the company may have to lay off workers, cut back production or face bankruptcy. This scenario is the living nightmare of American business today.
Here are five easy ways to protect your company’s precious cash life line.
No. 1: Limit exposure to high risk customers. Are your largest customers also your company’s slowest paying customers? If so, take immediate steps to diversify the customer mix to favor faster paying customers. Sales commission payments should be tied to the timing of customer collections too.
No. 2: Bill frequently. Most service-oriented businesses bill on a monthly basis or at the end of a project. Why not bill customers every week or every two weeks in the form of progress payments? The faster companies invoice customers, the faster they get paid.
No. 3: Reduce dependence on a single funding source. As too many entrepreneurs have learned, it’s relatively easy for banks to pull credit lines when companies can least afford it. To minimize the risks of sudden cash shortfalls, smart entrepreneurs set aside one or two credit cards for emergencies.
The first time a bank lending officer learns about your company should not be the day you are desperate for cash. If you don’t know the names of at least four bank credit officers, ask your business colleagues for referrals now! Smart business owners are always eager to meet credit officers from big and small community lenders.
No. 4: Streamline product lines. Entrepreneurs who don’t have a lot of loose cash should avoid producing too many products in too many styles to sell to too many different types of customers. The more complex a company’s product line, the more cash that is required to produce, store, advertise and deliver goods to customers.
No. 5: Set high profitability standards. The companies that are most vulnerable to financial heartaches during a recession or credit crisis are low profit margin businesses. Simply stated, low margin businesses have no margin for error. Don’t be shy about axing products or services that don’t match or exceed your industry’s average gross profit margins.
There is another reward for entrepreneurs who emphasize cautious cash management in their day-to-day business operations. Lenders and investors compete to fund them.
source:
foxbusiness.com
Here’s
an interesting puzzler. How is it possible for a profitable business to
be growing and failing at the same time? The all important answer to
this conundrum lies in the company’s cash flow.
Hot product companies that experience rapid sales growth have to
purchase and assemble inventory months in advance of shipment to
retailers and distribution partners. This eats up a company’s cash. And,
just when customers get around to paying for last month’s product
shipments the company has to invest its available cash in the next
inventory production run. This is how too much success can quickly lead
to an empty bank account.
If a commercial bank doesn’t step in to help a company catch up, the
company may have to lay off workers, cut back production or face
bankruptcy. This scenario is the living nightmare of American business
today.
Here are five easy ways to protect your company’s precious cash life line.
No. 1: Limit exposure to high risk customers. Are your
largest customers also your company’s slowest paying customers? If so,
take immediate steps to diversify the customer mix to favor faster
paying customers. Sales commission payments should be tied to the
timing of customer collections too.
No. 2: Bill frequently. Most service-oriented businesses bill
on a monthly basis or at the end of a project. Why not bill customers
every week or every two weeks in the form of progress payments? The
faster companies invoice customers, the faster they get paid.
No. 3: Reduce dependence on a single funding source. As too
many entrepreneurs have learned, it’s relatively easy for banks to pull
credit lines when companies can least afford it. To minimize the risks
of sudden cash shortfalls, smart entrepreneurs set aside one or two
credit cards for emergencies.
The first time a bank lending officer learns about your company
should not be the day you are desperate for cash. If you don’t know the
names of at least four bank credit officers, ask your business
colleagues for referrals now! Smart business owners are always eager to
meet credit officers from big and small community lenders.
No. 4: Streamline product lines. Entrepreneurs who don’t have
a lot of loose cash should avoid producing too many products in too
many styles to sell to too many different types of customers. The more
complex a company’s product line, the more cash that is required to
produce, store, advertise and deliver goods to customers.
No. 5: Set high profitability standards. The companies that are most
vulnerable to financial heartaches during a recession or credit crisis
are low profit margin businesses. Simply stated, low margin businesses
have no margin for error. Don’t be shy about axing products or services
that don’t match or exceed your industry’s average gross profit
margins.
There is another reward for entrepreneurs who emphasize cautious cash
management in their day-to-day business operations. Lenders and
investors compete to fund them.
Read more:
http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/finance-accounting/2012/11/15/5-smart-ways-to-avoid-cash-crisis/#ixzz2COXjczLv
Here’s
an interesting puzzler. How is it possible for a profitable business to
be growing and failing at the same time? The all important answer to
this conundrum lies in the company’s cash flow.
Hot product companies that experience rapid sales growth have to
purchase and assemble inventory months in advance of shipment to
retailers and distribution partners. This eats up a company’s cash. And,
just when customers get around to paying for last month’s product
shipments the company has to invest its available cash in the next
inventory production run. This is how too much success can quickly lead
to an empty bank account.
If a commercial bank doesn’t step in to help a company catch up, the
company may have to lay off workers, cut back production or face
bankruptcy. This scenario is the living nightmare of American business
today.
Here are five easy ways to protect your company’s precious cash life line.
No. 1: Limit exposure to high risk customers. Are your
largest customers also your company’s slowest paying customers? If so,
take immediate steps to diversify the customer mix to favor faster
paying customers. Sales commission payments should be tied to the
timing of customer collections too.
No. 2: Bill frequently. Most service-oriented businesses bill
on a monthly basis or at the end of a project. Why not bill customers
every week or every two weeks in the form of progress payments? The
faster companies invoice customers, the faster they get paid.
No. 3: Reduce dependence on a single funding source. As too
many entrepreneurs have learned, it’s relatively easy for banks to pull
credit lines when companies can least afford it. To minimize the risks
of sudden cash shortfalls, smart entrepreneurs set aside one or two
credit cards for emergencies.
The first time a bank lending officer learns about your company
should not be the day you are desperate for cash. If you don’t know the
names of at least four bank credit officers, ask your business
colleagues for referrals now! Smart business owners are always eager to
meet credit officers from big and small community lenders.
No. 4: Streamline product lines. Entrepreneurs who don’t have
a lot of loose cash should avoid producing too many products in too
many styles to sell to too many different types of customers. The more
complex a company’s product line, the more cash that is required to
produce, store, advertise and deliver goods to customers.
No. 5: Set high profitability standards. The companies that are most
vulnerable to financial heartaches during a recession or credit crisis
are low profit margin businesses. Simply stated, low margin businesses
have no margin for error. Don’t be shy about axing products or services
that don’t match or exceed your industry’s average gross profit
margins.
There is another reward for entrepreneurs who emphasize cautious cash
management in their day-to-day business operations. Lenders and
investors compete to fund them.
Read more:
http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/finance-accounting/2012/11/15/5-smart-ways-to-avoid-cash-crisis/#ixzz2COXjczLv
