How Unforeseen Circumstances Can Affect Your Business

Business circumstances can change at the drop of a hat. Preparing for foreseeable expenses such as quarterly VAT bills, planned expansion or corporation tax can be accounted for in the business plan. However, it’s the unforeseen expenses which can leave companies with serious cash-flow issues.

Situations such as an employee tribunal, a legal claim or a political change are just a few examples of how businesses can be left in the lurch.

We look at some of the unforeseen events which could leave a dent in finances:

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Late payment

Having one or two invoices unpaid on time is simple to manage but if several customers fail to pay on time it can have serious implications on cash flow, reduce revenue and affect the ability to pay suppliers. Ways around late payment could be an early repayment scheme or incentive for submitting invoice payments on time. Ensure relationships with customers are solid and produce your own invoices on time.

Employee tribunal

Employment tribunals can be expensive and could also affect your business reputation. Claims may not always end in a tribunal but being as prepared as possible will help reduce the impact on the business. Awards for unfair dismissal are capped but discrimination claims or dismissals for health and safety are unlimited so it’s important to follow the ACAS code of practice when dealing with any claim. Failure to do so could result in up to 25% being added to the final award.

Political changes

For many UK SMEs the uncertainty of Brexit and the prospect of leaving the European Union is likely to affect supply chains and market access but the associated political risks remain unknown. Government changes to corporation and income tax are a little easier to predict but can still affect the bottom line and minimising risk can still be challenging. Having a robust business plan in place and adequate cash flow can ease the pain.

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Personal injury claim

Personal injuries in the workplace can and do happen and depending on the severity of the case, can lead to a claim being made on the company. Ensure there is adequate insurance in place to deal with such an eventuality as some cases could cost thousands, even millions. Is the health and safety policy up-to-date? If the answer’s no, make this a priority, the lower the risk the less likelihood of a case.

Fraud

A recent study showed that in the UK there are now more fraud cases than burglary. Fraud can come in many guises whether it’s an unscrupulous employee, a sour partnership or a cyber-attack they could all leave a nasty dent in business finances. Ensure preventative measures are in place to try and prevent such an event. Identify potential crisis’ which could affect your business and develop a continuity plan.

Recovery loan scheme

Unforeseen circumstances often put businesses under the most pressure and if cash flow is limited they can create unnecessary stress. V4B Professions can arrange unsecured finance for any business reason. If your business finds itself dealing with an unforeseen circumstance call V4B Professions to see how we can help.

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If you want to learn more about the schemes and services we can offer you and your business get in contact with us today.