Cash flow Management

Five steps to better cash flow Open in new window

Accounting software Open in new window

Cash flow forecast Open in new window

01
Manage payments
Late payments are a tough problem for small firms to deal with. Yet some companies won’t chase bad debts because they fear it will have a negative impact on customer relationships.

Take practical steps to stay in control of payments;

Make sure your payment terms are clear, if they’re not, it could lead to delays

Emphasise legal requirements to meet terms

Think about placing incentives on swift payments – even a small discount of 0.5% on some orders might encourage prompt payment.
02

Check for creditworthiness

It’s also important to check your customers are creditworthy. If you accept larger orders from individual clients, take steps to reassure yourself that they’ll be able to pay. And refuse so-called ‘back-to-back’ payments - where you get paid when the customer gets paid, which can cause your business problems later.

It’s also a good idea to think about your supply chain as part of any creditworthiness checks you do. Our guide to supply chains could help you to map yours out and identify any areas to be aware of.

Top tip

It’s worth considering placing incentives on swift payments. Even a small discount of 0.5% on large orders might encourage prompt payment.
03
Be as efficient with your money as possible
It’s wise to manage your stock and inventory effectively. Overstocking eats up cash, but equally try not to run out of stock either. If you’ve large capital payments to make, or your day-to-day costs are high, try to finance the company without putting pressure on your cash flow.

Could leasing work for you?

Ask whether you can lease equipment rather than buy it, because high capital costs are often tricky for businesses to deal with.

Leasing protects your cash flow, which makes it a good investment but it may cost more in the long term.
04
Free-up cash reserves
As well as standard loans, there are other options that might help your business to keep some cash in reserve.

Asset finance spreads the cost of capital investments

Invoice finance helps release cash from unpaid invoices. If you’re suffering because of late payments, invoice finance could speed the process of getting cash to your account.

Trade finance can be used when you need to make capital purchases, but the seller won’t offer terms.

Once you’ve built up a cash reserve, keep a proportion of it in an emergency fund.

Security, guarantees or indemnities may be required. Product fees may apply. Over 18s only. Subject to status, business use only. Any property or asset used as security may be repossessed or forfeited if you do not keep up repayments on any debt secured on it.
05
Have a contingency plan
However you finance your business, it’s important to have back-up plans in place. Small businesses rely on access to funds and the availability of cash, so an unexpected payment can quickly drain your business.

Don't invest everything you have in the business

Consider spreading your payments

You may wish to consider putting an overdraft in place for emergencies – you don’t have to use it, but having one could give you a little peace of mind