You do not need to have a finance degree to understand that the current economy is tough. Today, the unemployment rate is still high. Many companies have gone bankrupt while others are just hanging on by a thread. Today, because of the changing economic climate, business loans become the only option for the owners to obtain cash for their companies. Indeed, with efficient use of business loans, any enterprise can see growth. This is true as long as they use the capital wisely.
There are many reasons why businesses take loans. Here are some of it:
Buy New Equipment for the Business
It is a no brainer for financing to purchase equipment to improve what your business can offer. You will need IT equipment, machinery, or other tools to make your services or product better. You will need to apply for an SME Loan to finance that equipment. If you apply for equipment financing, the equipment itself can be the collateral for the loan and this is similar to a car loan.
Before taking out an equipment loan at Capitall Singapore, see to it that you are separating the actual needs from your wants. Yes, your employees would love to have a margarita machine. But unless you are running a Mexican Cantina, that equipment might not be your business’ best investment.
Invest in Expansion
One of the most obvious reasons why business owners consider taking out an SME Loan is to invest in expansion. Whenever your business is booming, owners will continue to grow their business. This will help them ensure that the profits do not shrink.
Some business owners wanted to purchase real estate properties so they can expand their operations. This happens when a business is turning a steady profit and has positive forecasting of the numbers in the next years to come.
However, you must consider that growth has its related costs. Examples are new property, advertising, increasing staff sizes, and building renovations. It will be unlikely to have some cash on hand to cover it. Unless you take the expenses from the funds that make your business operational.
Indeed, business loans from Capitall Singapore will help you cover the expenses on your expansion. This is possible without spending the operational funds. As such, you can continue to serve your customers while your business is growing.
Bank loans for real estate properties are in the form of a mortgage. Long-term bank loans will make use of the company assets as collateral. Then, they will require monthly or quarterly payments from cash flow or profits. The loan term can be from three to five years. It will also include interest rates on its repayment.
Building Credit for Future Purposes
If you wish to apply for larger-scale funding soon for your business, then you can begin with a short-term loan first. This smaller loan can help you build your business credit in the end.
New businesses can find it hard to qualify for larger loans. This is true if both the business owners and the businesses do not qualify for strong credit history that they can report. However, if you take out smaller loans and make on-time payments, then it can build your business’ credit card in the future.
This tip can also help you establish a relationship with some lending companies. It will give you a connection to go back when you are ready for that bigger loan. You must be very careful and avoid taking out a loan that you cannot afford. Even if you have one late payment on the loan, it can affect your chances of qualifying for future funding.
Increase Inventory
One of the biggest expenses of any business is the inventory no matter what type of business it is. Oftentimes, you will have to buy inventory in advance before you see a return on the investment. This is true for seasonal businesses or during slower seasons. In these times, having a business loan can be the best option that you can have. With this, you can have some money to purchase the inventory that you need and keep your business running.
Cash Flow
For small businesses, cash flow is always a big challenge. It will continue to become a problem especially when you are dealing with customers who do not pay for services. It will continue when you have unsold inventory that will need to be moved to bring in new products. Indeed, these areas will be more problematic especially if you factor in the regular costs of your staff, inventory, utilities, mortgage, or rent.
With a short-term loan, it can provide money to be used for the regular operational costs. This can also help your business stay afloat whenever the profits are low. If you keep your money flowing through your business, it can continue to bring in new customers. As such, it will drive revenue while making up for the losses.