Business Credit
What Is Business Credit and How Can It Impact Growth?
A company’s business credit is its perceived ability to make good on financial obligations
according to the terms of its contracts. This is often expressed as a collection of scores and
ratings found in a business’s credit file, which is part of a company’s Live Business Identity in
the Dun & Bradstreet Data Cloud. A strong business credit file can help put your potential
customers, lenders, and suppliers at ease, while poor scores and ratings may impact your
ability to win contracts, result in higher interest rates on loans, and otherwise limit growth.
Here’s why it’s important to keep information in your business credit profile up to date and accurate.
How to Build Business Credit
Inquiries on Your Business Credit File
Business Credit for Every Stage
Is Your Dun & Bradstreet Business Credit Profile Incomplete?
Why Did I Get a Business Credit Notification?
Top 5 Mistakes When Building Business Credit
Learn about specific business credit scores and ratings and what you can do to help positively impact them.
Changes to Dun & Bradstreet Business
Credit Scores and Ratings
Changes to a Business’s PAYDEX®Score
Changes to a Business’s Delinquency
Predictor Score
What is the D&B®Rating?
Dun & Bradstreet’s Financial Stress Score, Percentile, and Class
Whether you’re applying for a loan or requesting trade credit, business credit scores and ratings have a part to play.
How to Set Business Credit Limits and Mitigate Business Credit Risk
Judging a Company’s Credibility
There are two aspects to business credit: building your own and checking the credibility of other companies. Building a strong business credit file can help demonstrate your company’s financial responsibility and determination to fulfill the terms of your contracts. Such reassurances can be important when conducting business with a company that has never worked with you before or with an existing partner where the relationship is relatively new.
How Business Credit Affects Contracting
Many companies will perform a background check on your business before signing on the dotted line, so managing your Dun & Bradstreet business credit profile can be especially important if you’re competing for contracts. Your business credit report is a powerful ally in helping you frame your business as successful and trustworthy. Also, your business credit scores and ratings may influence what you pay for required insurance and how favorable the terms and conditions of contracts are for your company. Such concerns are especially relevant for manufacturers, construction companies, and suppliers.
Who Can See My Business Credit Report?
Anyone can purchase your company’s business credit report, including your competitors. That’s one of the reasons it’s so important for businesses to take the time to build and monitor their business credit files. The first step in becoming proactive about business credit is to get a Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S® Number ,a numerical code that helps Dun & Bradstreet collect and organize information about your company. Not knowing your company’s business credit scores and ratings can mean that you’ll be in the dark about what potential and current partners may see when they look at your report.