You’ve determined you’re going to use accounts receivable finance to unlock cash available in a business invoice or pool of invoices. So now, how do you ensure you choose the right factoring program for your company? Here are three simple steps to remove much of the hassle associated with making the wrong choice and going with the wrong firm.

In today’s economic environment, it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain small business financing from traditional banks.

It’s that time of the year again -- the season of giving. No doubt you’ve made your list and are dreading fighting the crowds to find the perfect gifts for friends and family, but have you considered the gift for your company this year?

Despite being around for centuries and being used across practically all industries, there are a lot of misconceptions about the factoring loan. Much of this misunderstanding comes from not being familiar with this type of financing. In fact, factoring isn’t all that different from many other types of short-term business loans.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned during my tenure in the commercial finance industry, it is that there are all sorts of business management styles. What I mean is, there are small business owners who have a handle on their business’ financial side and there are others that don’t. Improving cash flow is on the radar for both types.

As 2012 comes to a close, we are fast approaching the holiday season. Everyone’s getting ready to do their holiday shopping, gearing up to devour all that great holiday food and watch football while regretting all that great holiday food they devoured.

What is factoring? Factoring is the process of selling commercial accounts receivable to a factor at a discount. The factor pays the seller of the accounts receivable cash in exchange for the rights to collect payment from the seller’s customer. The seller benefits by receiving the majority of the amount due from the customer immediately, instead of having to wait 30, 60 or 90 days to be paid, and the factor benefits by charging a fee for the service.  

If you’re a small business that has struggled with cash flow because of slow collections on your invoices, you need to consider a factoring program. Factoring is a form of commercial cash flow funding or financing where you sell your company’s accounts receivables to a third party known as a factor.

Factoring companies have been a part of the staffing industry for a long time. Factoring and staffing companies work well together because of the nature of the staffing industry. Staffing companies provide a service that is easy for factoring companies to measure and analyze.

One of the questions I am asked on a regular basis is how accounts receivable loans match up to other financing products available to small businesses. I created the matrix below as a simple way to compare the most important aspects of different forms of available financing.