All new businesses must eventually take on debt. So, it’s not if, but when will yours need a good business credit plan of attack. The following are some ways to make sure you do this successfully and correctly:
#1: Small business credit reports are sometimes mixed with individual scores
What, you may ask? Is that true? The answer is yes, but not every time or with every lender. Some of the business credit bureaus, like D&B and Credit.net don’t collect data on personal credit histories, so don’t mix it with business scores. But agencies like Experian and Equifax do, because they also collect and use individual credit data. They give you a combined score.
What about the rumors that having a good business credit profile can help make your personal score higher? This isn’t exactly true, and it is therefore important to make sure both are in good shape. In today’s busy world, you really need good reports to be able to compete in the heavily competitive business world. Even established businesses may have to use their own good credit standing to help t hem get a loan or credit card and build business credit for their business. So, it’s a good idea to keep both your business and personal scores as high as you can.
#2: The Paydex Score is not the only game in town
The Paydex Score offered by D&B is a very important business credit recorder, but not the only one there is. Some lenders don’t use it, but instead rely on places like Experian, Equifax, the Small Business Exchange, and other business credit bureaus. And they don’t all use the same ones at all. So, know where you stand when making your decisions about your credit accounts.
#3: Paying bills on time may not guarantee sturdy business credit.
Even if you pay your bills on time, if you don’t develop a good strong credit profile, you might not be able to get the loans or credit accounts you need or want. An example is a large company that had been around for 20 years, had lots of employees, etc, but when it came time to ask for a loan, they had not bothered to build up their credit profile, so they couldn’t get the credit the wanted.
How can I do this? Borrow or buy stuff from places that then give the info on your payments to the major credit bureaus. If it’s in there, you are good to go, if not, then you have no credit history to speak of and might not be able to get the loans or credit you need or desire. It’s also good to have a solid business plan.
t #4: Get Your Facts Straight from Day
Credit reporting on business doesn’t share the protection given to individual credit reports. You can’t dispute accuracy like you can on individual reports, so you need to ensure it’s correct when it happens. If not, it could cause major problems.
You should get all your data and other things in order to make you eligible for a credit account even if you don’t think your company will make money in its first few years. Just take the steps to keep it in order, like having a plan, having your licenses, having a listed phone number, etc. Once this is done, it’s smooth sailing when you ask for your first loan because you are prepared for action!
