Company Credit Report Tips

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Can I get company credit reports from internaional businesses?

Checking International Businesses

You can get credit information from Manta.com for international businesses as well. Although the reports are more expensive -- more than $400 per report -- and often less detailed than those available on US companies, Dun & Bradstreet offers an International Business Information Report, complete with a financial analysis and credit score. As a D&B reseller, Manta.com has access to reports on millions of international companies, as well as its extensive database of US-based businesses.

   
How can I investigate potential suppliers for my business?

Don't Forget to Check Upstream Partners

While most businesses conducting business background checks are looking at downstream partners or customers, checking out upstream partners is cirtically important as well. Manta.com understands this, which is why it offers a "Supplier Evaluation Report" that helps evaluate risks when considering new suppliers of critical components for your business. If you own a restaurant, for example, you need to know that your food suppliers are going to be there when you need them, extend credit as you need it, and understand that your needs are not going be serviced only from 9 to 5. A Manta.com supplier report will tell you whether a potential supplier is having credit or legal problems, how it compares to others in its industry, even the compartive experience of the management team. At $114 per company report, it's not going to break the bank for you to request reports on all your suppliers, either.

   
What about credit reports from the credit agencies?

More Than Just a Company Credit Report

Credit reports are not conifdential. The big credit reporting agencies will sell company credit reports on any business to anyone who can prove a financial interest in the business itself. So if you're conducting business background checks, should you go directly to these agencies for a business credit report? You certainly can. But remember that each of these agencies is an independent business and to get accurate information, you'll need to purchase from all three. Or you can use a provider like Manta.com. Manta.com subscribes to leading publishers of business information like Dun & Bradstreet and Icon. These information providers have access to data from all the credit reporting agencies, which are included in their reports. And since Manta.com allows customers to pay by the download, instead of a monthly membership, it can be less expensive, too.

   
Is there such thing as free access to credit reports?

No Such Thing as a Free Credit Report

By law, you can have access to your own credit report once a year. But if you're looking for company credit reports to help you conduct business backgrond checks, you're going to have to pay. You cannot get access to a business credit report for another business besides your own without paying for it from a business information provider or credit agency. At least Mana.com makes it as inexpensive as possible. With a pay-by-the-download plan and financial reports available for $59 per company, at least it's a minimal blow to your pocketbook.

   
How do I read a credit report?

More Than Names and Numbers

Order a company credit report from one of the big credit reporting agencies and you'll get one: A business credit report with lots of names and numbers. Order a company credit report from Manta.com, which subscribes to leading providers of business information, and you get names and numbers wrapped up in an overall analysis that helps you make sense of what the names and numbers actually mean. Manta.com subscribes to leading publishers of business information like Dun & Bradstreet and Icon, which have editorial staffs that find, organize and analyze information, making it easier to understand the risk of doing business with a potential partner or client.

   
What if I need more than a credit score?

More Than a Credit Score

Checking out potential business partners, partners or customers? A credit score is going to help you decide the risk factor in terms of extending credit. But sometimes you'll want more-detailed analysis than a credit score. You need a full company credit report. As part of its offerings from leading publishers of business information, Manta.com offers a detailed business credit report, called a "strategic payment analysis report." This report, which sells for $76.50 per download, can reveal hidden details about the subject, including the following:

* Paydex score
* Collection activity
* Bank balances
* Outstanding loans and debts
* Any legal proceedings

   
Aren't credit reports expensive?

Low-Cost Report for Low-Risk Businesses

When you're conducting business background checks, you want access to a company credit report. But full credit reports are expensive, which is why Manta.com offers an abbreviated credit scoring report for under $60 per company. Perfect for research on companies that are lower-risk, or for businesses that don't have a lot of spare cash, the credit scoring report gives the company's credit score, which predicts the probability of any delinquent payments in the next year. The higher the score, the better the risk. And if you want more credit details, you can always upgrade to a more-detailed Manta.com report, which can be had for as low as about $76.50 and no higher than $129.

   
Can I get business credit reports without paying a monthly fee?

Avoid Expensive Membership Fees

If you conduct business background checks on a daily or weekly basis, it's probably worth it to pay a monthly charge for unlimited access to company credit reports. But if you're only looking for a specific business credit report, or have an irregular need for competitive business intelligence, it's smarter and much less expensive to go with a provider like Manta.com, which allows users to pay by the download, instead of a monthly fee.

   
What if I am looking for credit analysis of a small business?

Small Business Credit Reports, Too

Conducting business background checks for competitive intelligence isn't exclusively for big public companies. Small businesses want access to company credit reports from other small businesses, too. Manta.com has small businesses in mind with its selection of company information and by-the-download pricing plan. As resellers for four of the leading publishers of business information -- including Dun & Bradstreet and Icon -- Manta.com has access to business credit reports from thousands of businesses, large and small. And with financial reports available for well under $50 per company, the price is right, too.

   
Are these credit reports easy to read?

Are They Going to Pay?

When it comes down to it, the question you're looking to answer when conducting business background checks is relatively simple: Is this company going to pay its bills? With access to thousands of Dun & Bradstreet comapny credit reports, Manta.com can give you this answer in easy-to-understand format. Dun & Bradstreet, a leading publisher of business information, has proprietary formulas that measure both the specific credit risk involved in doing business with the company, as well as the company's overall financial health. These predictive scores, along with detailed financial and payment information, can help you evaluate a potential partner or customer long before it's time to sign on the dotted line.

   
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