older man with grey hair in a blue suit looking into the camera smiling
Cash FlowCash management

Late Payments Guide: taking action to keep the cash flowing

Late payments can be crippling businesses, particularly those operating on tight margins, such as SMEs. This pressure intensifies during the summer holiday season, a period that traditionally sees an increase in late payments and payment defaults as many businesses shut down for the period with unpaid invoices.

Cash FlowCash management

10 ways to keep cash coming in over the holiday period

Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

Borrowers breath a sigh of relief, as the RBA holds cash rate at 4.35%

Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

Monthly Economic Update: Consumers keep wallets closed but RBA making inroads on inflation

Chief EconomistCPI

Dip in inflation points to rate hold in December

Our Solutions

check
Business Insights
check
Business Risk Index
check
Chief Economist
check
Credit Management
check
Credit Risk
check
Data
check
Debt Collection
check
Meet the Crew
CreditorWatch logo
older man looking at laptop concerned with his hand on his forehead
ASICBusiness Insights

Managing a Strike Off Action in Progress: What to do next

A successful strike-off action indicates that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has taken the necessary steps to deregister a company formally. This implies that the business name has been struck from the Australian Business Registry (ABR) and all associated parties, be they employees or creditors, have been notified of the winding up of the company.

Media Release: Business Risk Index
Business conditionsBusiness Insights

Business activity dries up – invoice values at record lows; But Melbourne the most improved capital city

The October 2023 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) has revealed that Australian business activity is now at disturbingly low levels with the average value of invoices at their lowest point since CreditorWatch began recording this metric in January 2015.

Business InsightsCreditorWatch

A fair go all round: Major update to unfair contracts laws

Significant changes to the unfair contracts regime come into law today, with new multi-million penalties for companies and individuals forcing trading partners to sign contracts that are deemed unfair. Are your contracts fair and equitable?

Media Release: Business Risk Index
Business conditionsBusiness Insights

Business activity picks up, but invoice values below pre-COVID levels; Western Sydney dominates list of high-risk regions

The September 2023 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) has revealed that the contraction of Australian business activity may have eased but it remains at a low ebb, with the average value of B2B invoices down 42% year-on-year and well below pre-COVID levels.

Media Release: Business Risk Index
Business conditionsBusiness Insights

Business activity sinks: value of invoices at 7-year low as external administrations and payment defaults surge

The August 2023 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) has revealed Australian businesses activity is at near-record lows with the average value of B2B invoices now down 36% year-on-year - its lowest point since January 2017.

Media Release: Business Risk Index
Business conditionsBusiness Insights

Average value of invoices down 28% YoY as demand and cost pressures squeeze businesses

The July 2023 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) has revealed the average value of business invoices has fallen by almost a third over the past 12 months, with a drop of 28% year-on-year.

Business conditionsBusiness Insights

Business Risk Index: Business payment defaults surge 52%; On the upside, Western Brisbane the most-improved region in Australia

The June 2023 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) show business payment defaults surge 52%; On the upside, Western Brisbane the most-improved region in Australia.

Business Insights
Business InsightsBusiness Risk Index

Podcast: Business Risk Index, May 2023 - Key business indicators show conditions worsening; NSW Central Coast suffers biggest YoY jump in business risk

CreditorWatch Chief Economist Anneke Thompson and Head of Content Michael Pollack unpack the CreditorWatch May 2023 Business Risk Index results.

Business conditionsBusiness Insights

Business Risk Index: Key business indicators show conditions worsening; NSW Central Coast area suffers biggest YoY jump in business risk

The May 2023 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) show Australian businesses are coming under increasing pressure.

person in boat
Business InsightsSmall Business

Australia’s unfair contract terms regime changes significantly

The ‘unfair contract terms’ laws (as set out in the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) establish out a regime whereby a term in a consumer or small business contract will be void if the term is unfair and the contract is a standard form contract.Australia’s Unfair Contract Terms regime (UCT) has now been significantly expanded in respect of ‘small businesses’. The changes were passed by Parliament on 28 October 2022 and will come into effect on 9 November 2023.

Business Insights
Business InsightsBusiness Risk Index

Business Insights podcast: Inflation moves past peak but areas of concern remain

CreditorWatch Chief Economist, Anneke Thompson, and Director of Open Analytics, James O'Donnell, discuss the latest CreditorWatch data insights on Australian businesses and the outlook for the remainder of 2023. Hosted by Michael Pollack, Head of Content at CreditorWatch.

Traffic sign next to a road
Business Insightsfinance career

Empower your Career: The Vital Role of Mentoring, Networking and Being Visible

In today’s job market, building a strong network and finding a great mentor are critical to achieving your goals. This is especially true now that the job market is more competitive than ever before, with hundreds of qualified candidates vying for the same positions.

Business conditionsBusiness Insights

Business Risk Index: Trade activity surging despite rising external administrations; SE Queensland hit hard by defaults

The April 2023 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) has revealed that the average value of invoices (trade receivables) remained elevated in April despite other leading indicators showing that businesses are coming under increased pressure.

Industry insights
Business InsightsBusiness Risk Index

Hospitality tops list of industries at risk as cost-of-living pressures begin to bite

This month’s data revealed the strongest bounce back in trade receivables data on record. This is an 86% increase on the previous month’s trade receivables data, but still 5.6% below trade receivables recorded in March 2021 and March 2020.

Business conditionsBusiness Insights

Business Risk Index: Business activity back to pre-COVID levels but for how long?; High risk regions - six of the 10 worst are in Western Sydney

The March 2023 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) has revealed, on multiple indicators, that business activity has returned to pre-COVID levels despite continued high inflation and interest rates.

Business conditionsBusiness Insights

Business Risk Index: conditions tighten further; default rates higher in regions with more younger people

The February 2023 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) shows that business conditions, particularly around payment times have tightened due to high inflation and interest rates, in combination with falling demand.

Business InsightsBusiness Risk Index

Business Risk Index results - January 2023

The January 2023 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) reveals that business conditions are turning for Australian businesses, with a number of key metrics continuing to decline after a subdued end to 2022 as the RBA continued to tighten the screws on interest rates.

Bad credit
Business InsightsCreditorWatch

Business loans for bad credit - three ways to get approved in Australia

Whether you’re seeking a long-term business loan or a small loan to start a business, having a less-than-stellar company credit history can feel like a life sentence. However, there are options available to business owners that could be worth considering, to improve the likelihood of approval for a loan or line of credit and improve your business credit score.

Business InsightsBusiness Risk Index

Business Risk Index November 2022, Industry Insights

News Hub Home Podcasts Webinars Business Risk Index 176 mins read

Business InsightsBusiness Risk Index

Sign of the times - trade receivables point to subdued December trading period

The November 2022 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) reveals that the usual trade momentum going into December has failed to materialise and businesses should brace for a more subdued Christmas trading period.

Business InsightsMonitoring and Alerts

How automated Financial Alerts can reduce risk for hire and rental sector businesses

Enterprises within the hiring and rental business historically operate on a critical foundation of trust. Understandably so, as the value and volume of goods loaned are often significant. The lease holder’s integrity is fundamental to the safe return of goods and the payment for any services rendered.

Business InsightsFinancial Risk Assessment

Five benefits of Financial Risk Assessments

CreditorWatch’s Financial Risk Assessments provide a comprehensive look into the financial viability of your trading partners, helping you make the right decisions to protect and grow your business.

Business InsightsCredit Management

How arts and recreation businesses can protect their interests with company credit checks

Spanning a broad cross section of Australian businesses, from art galleries to theatres, gyms to sport and recreation clubs - the arts and recreation services industry is a fickle beast.

Business InsightsCredit Management

Why is a business credit history so important?

Looking at the past can help you determine trends of the future – but sometimes the past can come back to bite you. A company’s credit history can make or break its ability to secure credit and conduct business.

Business InsightsCreditorWatch

CreditorWatch awarded ISO certification for gold-standard information security management

CreditorWatch has been awarded the ISO 27001 and 27017 certifications, for information security management and cloud security controls respectively. These globally recognised accreditations prove that CreditorWatch has achieved the highest standards of information security management.

Business InsightsCreditorWatch

How manufacturing businesses can prevent bad debt

For the vast majority of business owners, debt collection is not something you want to spend too much time dealing with. Whether you’re in it, chasing it, or just trying to stay one step ahead of it, you probably feel that the hours grappling with outstanding payments could be better spent working on your business.

Business InsightsDebt Collection

Simplifying the Debt Collection Process

Running a business takes copious amounts of time and the last thing you want to be doing is chasing up debtors. Even with a proper credit check and credit score,…

Chief Economist
Business InsightsCredit Reports

Unemployment steady at 3.9% but no signs of wages growth

The unemployment rate for April 2022 remained steady with the revised March 2022 rate of 3.9 per cent. There appears to be very little slack remaining in the employment market,…

Business InsightsBusiness Risk Index

Podcast: Business Risk Index - April 2022 Insights

Economy at turning point as positive trends continue; Grim outlook for flood-affected regions In our latest episode, we present the January Business Risk Index results and analysis. CreditorWatch CEO Patrick Coghlan…

Business InsightsCredit Management

What is a credit file and how can it affect your business?

What is a credit file? Having access to credit is important for any business owner, but many entrepreneurs only have a vague understanding of what their credit file looks like…

Business InsightsBusiness Risk Index

Podcast: Business Risk Index - March 2022 Insights

In our latest episode, we present the January Business Risk Index results and analysis. CreditorWatch CEO Patrick Coghlan and index creator James O'Donnell from Open Analytics discuss the key insights.…

Search News Hub

Search

All Our Posts

CreditorWatch logo
No results found

No Results Found

Sorry we couldn’t find what you were looking for.

older man with grey hair in a blue suit looking into the camera smiling
Cash FlowCash management

Late Payments Guide: taking action to keep the cash flowing

Late payments can be crippling businesses, particularly those operating on tight margins, such as SMEs. This pressure intensifies during the summer holiday season, a period that traditionally sees an increase in late payments and payment defaults as many businesses shut down for the period with unpaid invoices.

older man with grey hair in a blue suit looking into the camera smiling
Cash FlowCash management

10 ways to keep cash coming in over the holiday period

The holiday season can be a double-edged sword for SMEs: you need to take time to celebrate the year that was, while having to juggle unpaid invoices and stagnating cash flow.

Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

Borrowers breath a sigh of relief, as the RBA holds cash rate at 4.35%

Borrowers today breathed a sigh of relief as the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) today chose to keep the cash rate steady at 4.35 per cent in its final meeting until February. Stagnating retail sales, slowing inflation and a rising number of unemployed job hunters all combined to convince the RBA that current monetary policy settings are sufficient to slow the economy.

Head shot of, Anneke Thompson, Chief Economist, CreditorWatch
Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

Monthly Economic Update: Consumers keep wallets closed but RBA making inroads on inflation

Consumer confidence plummeted again in October, following the announcement of a further increase to the cash rate following the Melbourne Cup Reserve Bank board meeting. Just two months ago, consumers, and most economists were reasonably confident we’d reached the end of the monetary policy tightening cycle.

Inflation
Chief EconomistCPI

Dip in inflation points to rate hold in December

Today’s monthly CPI data showed positive signs that monetary policy is taming the inflation beast. Excluding volatile items (fruit and vegetables and fuel), monthly CPI reduced to 5.1 per cent, down from 5.5 per cent the previous two months.

Business insights - retail sales commentary
Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

Retail sales down in October as consumers wait for Black Friday

Retail sales fell an overall 0.2 per cent over the month of October, after recording rises in spending in both preceding months. For discretionary goods categories, this is to be expected, as many consumers will have chosen to hold off on spending for Black Friday sales, which are currently in progress.

Celebration
CreditCredit Management

Improving your chances of securing business credit

A strong credit profile is one of the cornerstones of a successful business. As with an individual credit score, having an excellent business credit profile will mean the business is more likely to gain approval for financing, such as a line of credit or business loan, or more favourable terms with suppliers.

Jason Sutherlin smiling at the camera with a white and red background
CrewWatchMeet the Crew

Meet Jason Sutherlin – Your PPSR Solutions Specialist

Meet Jason Sutherlin, your PPSR Solutions Specialist.

older man looking at laptop concerned with his hand on his forehead
ASICBusiness Insights

Managing a Strike Off Action in Progress: What to do next

A successful strike-off action indicates that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has taken the necessary steps to deregister a company formally. This implies that the business name has been struck from the Australian Business Registry (ABR) and all associated parties, be they employees or creditors, have been notified of the winding up of the company.

Unemployment copy
Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

Uptick in unemployment gives RBA cause for December rate hold

Despite a solid increase in the number of employed people over the month of October, the unemployment rate still ticked up from 3.6 per cent to 3.7 per cent given the increase in unemployed people.

Media Release: Business Risk Index
Business conditionsBusiness Insights

Business activity dries up – invoice values at record lows; But Melbourne the most improved capital city

The October 2023 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) has revealed that Australian business activity is now at disturbingly low levels with the average value of invoices at their lowest point since CreditorWatch began recording this metric in January 2015.

Chief Economist
Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

Consumers and businesses restrain spending after further rate rise

Both Business Sentiment and Consumer Confidence measures taken by NAB and Westpac respectively showed increasing pessimism among both groups. Business confidence declined, while conditions improved slightly, which suggests that even though businesses might be doing okay for now, there is an expectation that these reasonable conditions won’t last.

Business InsightsCreditorWatch

A fair go all round: Major update to unfair contracts laws

Significant changes to the unfair contracts regime come into law today, with new multi-million penalties for companies and individuals forcing trading partners to sign contracts that are deemed unfair. Are your contracts fair and equitable?

Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

RBA wrestles inflation with another rate rise, but is it enough?

The Reserve Bank of Australia has taken the controversial step of raising interest rates once again, but some pockets of the economy are still seeing rampant price rises.

Annette Gilbert - head shot
CrewWatchMeet the Crew

Meet Annette Gilbert – Your Onboarding Solutions Specialist

Meet Annette Gilbert – Your Onboarding Solution Specialist

ApplyEasyCreditorWatch

CreditorWatch ApplyEasy November 2023 product updates

Our latest round of product updates focus on ApplyEasy to continue helping you deliver a great customer onboarding experience, whilst minimising upfront risk.

accounts receivableCredit control

Automated accounts receivable: Why accounting software alone doesn’t offer best practice

Off-the-shelf accounting software has revolutionised the ease with which small businesses can manage their finances. From tracking your finances and making reconciliation smoother to accounts payable and staff payroll, ERPs (enterprise resource planning) and accounting software like Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks makes doing business easier than before.

Retail sales
Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

Bump in retail spending could prompt rate rise

Today’s retail trade data revealed a slight increase in the rate of spending in September 2023, partly driven by the release of the new iPhone and a warm start to spring, which boosted spending on hardware, gardening supplies and clothing.

Chief EconomistCPI

Main driver of inflation finally comes off the boil

In good news for the economy, September quarter inflation data released today by the ABS shows that services inflation has moderated since June 2023. While still high, at 5.8%, it is down from the June 2023 peak of 6.3% and is also the first decrease in the rate of services inflation since December 2021.

man and women looking at computer smiling
CreditorWatchDue Diligence

The benefits of digital onboarding for business 

Sales have done their part. The customer is hooked, they’ve reeled them in and now it’s over to you, accounts, to double check their credentials and, if they are a desirable customer, get them set up ASAP.

Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

Unemployment rate down but not enough for rate rise

The Australian labour force remains relatively resilient, with an additional 6,700 people gaining employment over the month of September.

arrow
Credit ManagementCredit Risk

Why getting all the right info in an application form is super important

Of course it’s important to gather the right information when onboarding a new customer. Without it, you might not be able to set them up properly in your customer relationship management (CRM) system.

Media Release: Business Risk Index
Business conditionsBusiness Insights

Business activity picks up, but invoice values below pre-COVID levels; Western Sydney dominates list of high-risk regions

The September 2023 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) has revealed that the contraction of Australian business activity may have eased but it remains at a low ebb, with the average value of B2B invoices down 42% year-on-year and well below pre-COVID levels.

CreditorWatchDebt Collection

Navigating tax debt: A comprehensive insight into the Australian Taxation Office's approach

In the complex landscape of tax obligations, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) aims to employ a strategic approach to debt management, carefully crafted to cater to the diverse needs of businesses while maintaining fairness and equity.

Credit ManagementCreditorWatch

What to do when customers won’t pay 

If you've ever encountered non-paying customers, you're not alone. It's an unfortunate reality of dealing with clients on credit terms – some of them, when the work is done or the product is delivered, refuse to pay.

Chief Economist
Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

RBA holds cash rate at 4.10% for the fourth-straight month

The RBA has maintained the cash rate at 4.10% at the October 2023 meeting. Continuing weak retail trade and consumer confidence data is giving the board the clear sign that their efforts to reduce demand in the economy have worked very well.

Chief Economist
Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

RBA’s monetary policy efforts bearing fruit

September saw the continuance of fuel inflation, with petrol and diesel prices rising substantially due to reduced production by key oil states like Saudi Arabia. The increase in fuel prices, alongside continued price gains in insurance and residential rents, resulted in a small increase in monthly inflation.

Chief Economist
Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

Retail trade still soft but gets a kick from the women’s World Cup

Retail Trade continues to grow very modestly, with a 0.2% seasonally adjusted monthly increase recorded over August. This equates to an increase in spending of 1.5% over the year, and is well below inflation rates.

ocean with an iceberg. The iceberg can be seen above the water and underneath
Credit ReportsDue Diligence

Deep due diligence for savvy businesses

What you see on the surface is not always what you get, especially when it comes to other businesses. Here's why the due diligence process is an important step in a business relationship.

Chief Economist
Chief EconomistCPI

Fuel prices drive up inflation in August

All groups monthly CPI rose 5.2% over the year to August, up from 4.9% the month prior. While a higher figure is not welcome news for borrowers, the figure is heavily impacted by the higher cost of fuel this month.

CreditorWatchPPSR and PPSA

PPSR: Protecting your interests during customer onboarding  

The PPSR, the government Personal Properties Securities Register, is akin to home and contents insurance. It should be quick to set up and, once done, will protect you in case of an adverse event (for example insolvency).

kaitlyn's head shot with white and red background
CrewWatchMeet the Crew

Meet Kaitlyn Knight – Your Onboarding Solutions Specialist

Meet Kaitlyn Knight – Your Onboarding Solutions Specialist

Chief Economist
Chief EconomistCreditorWatch

Stable unemployment rate means rate rise in October unlikely

While the August 2023 unemployment rate remained steady at 3.7% on a seasonally adjusted basis, there was a strong gain in employed people overall, at 64,900, or a 0.5 percentage point increase. The very minor increase in the participation rate from 66.9% to 67.0% was the reason this jobs growth wasn’t enough to lower the unemployment rate again.

Media Release: Business Risk Index
Business conditionsBusiness Insights

Business activity sinks: value of invoices at 7-year low as external administrations and payment defaults surge

The August 2023 CreditorWatch Business Risk Index (BRI) has revealed Australian businesses activity is at near-record lows with the average value of B2B invoices now down 36% year-on-year - its lowest point since January 2017.