Extending trade credit to a new customer without checking their creditworthiness is a habit most businesses can't afford. A ten-minute pre-credit check does not guarantee payment — no check can — but it dramatically narrows the odds of extending credit to a business that is already in financial trouble or has a history of non-payment.
ASIC company search
For any customer that is a company, an ASIC search via the ASIC Connect service confirms the company's current registration status, its registered office address, its ACN, the names of its current and former directors, and any outstanding external administration (administration, liquidation, receivership). An ASIC search costs a few dollars and takes minutes.
Key things to look for: a company that has recently changed directors; a company that has been recently deregistered and re-registered under a similar name; a company that is currently under external administration. Each is a significant risk signal.
PPSR search
A search of the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) reveals whether the debtor entity has security interests registered against it — which means another creditor holds a claim over some or all of the business's assets. A business with a large number of PPSR registrations against it, or with a general security agreement (GSA) in favour of a bank covering all present and after-acquired property, is a business where an unsecured trade creditor would rank well behind the secured creditor in any insolvency. Knowing this before you extend credit is valuable information.
Court judgment search
Commercial credit bureaus (Equifax, Illion, Experian) maintain databases of judgments from Australian courts and tribunals. A customer with multiple court judgments against it for unpaid debts is a higher credit risk than one with a clean record. Bureau reports also aggregate payment history information from other creditors, providing a broader picture of how a business actually pays its suppliers.
Trade references
Asking a new credit customer for trade references — the names and contact details of other suppliers they trade with — and actually calling them is a low-tech but effective check. Other suppliers will generally tell you honestly whether the customer pays on time. The limitation is that applicants naturally nominate referees who will say good things; supplement trade references with bureau and ASIC searches rather than relying on them alone.
The credit application itself
A well-designed credit application does more than gather information — it establishes the contractual basis for your payment terms and, if you include a personal guarantee provision, gives you recourse against a director if the company fails. Require the applicant to sign the application in their individual capacity and as a director, and include the guarantee clause prominently.
The information gathered in the application — the company's ABN or ACN, the legal trading name, the directors' names and personal details — also enables you to conduct the searches described above.
This guide is general information only. It does not constitute legal or financial advice. Privacy Act compliance for credit checking varies by context — obtain qualified advice for your specific situation.