A trucking business makes money by hauling cargo from one place to another. While the business model may seem straightforward, it has several moving parts that must function properly for the system to work. One of the parts is the cash flow, which is often disrupted by late payments. It is a common practice in the trucking industry to give debtors around 30-120 days to pay, but that can severely impact cash flow. Here is how trucking factoring can help improve cash flow and profitability.
Why Is Cash Flow Difficult to Manage?
Cash flow is the amount of money being transferred in and out of a trucking business. There are two primary challenges regarding cash flow in the trucking business: operational costs and late payments.
Secondary factors can also impact a trucking business’s cash flow, including a productive driver pool, competition in the marketplace, and slower volumes than expected.
If cash flow is not maintained, it can lead to bankruptcy. Due to this, a trucking business must have a financial solution to cash flow problems. A possible solution is trucking factoring, also known as freight factoring.
Unlike other companies, trucking businesses may be unable to approach banks for financing due to fluctuating freight rates and volumes. Cash flow limitations can prevent the trucking business from demonstrating a minimum amount of monthly revenue required by the lender, which is why factoring can be a more beneficial option for trucking businesses.
How Does Trucking Factoring Impact Cash Flow?
Trucking factoring is a financial strategy that allows trucking businesses to manage cash flow by selling invoices at discounted prices. With factoring, trucking companies do not have to wait several weeks to get paid. Instead, they get paid within a few hours or days of submitting their invoices. This eliminates the business’s concerns regarding collecting and processing invoices.
It also helps trucking businesses with due diligence. Many factoring service providers offer free credit checks for trucking companies, helping them identify customers with good credit scores and avoid dealing with non-paying customers.
Factoring provides trucking companies with much-needed cash flow so they can focus on their operational needs, such as payroll, fuel costs, equipment repairs, maintenance, and investments. Improved cash flow also helps trucking companies prepare for emergencies such as a sudden spike in fuel costs or equipment repairs.
Efficiency Is the Key to Profitability
The key to enhancing the trucking business’s profits is maximizing equipment utilization. High outgoing expenses and low incoming revenues are common problems for trucking companies.
Profitability is enhanced when you invest more resources and manpower into delivering your cargo, operating your business at peak capacity, and having access to immediate revenue. Without factoring, although you can invest more resources upfront, you can wait months to get paid on an invoice. This can affect your business’s profitability.
A good factoring company can offer you many specialized services, such as equipment financing and cash advance for any cargo in transit. They can also provide currency exchange and fuel discounts for cross-border carriers to ensure a positive cash flow for your trucking company. These specialized services can have many cost-saving benefits, including enhanced profitability.
