A real puzzle or cash management irst cause o ailure companies

"This is clearly in the right direction", welcomes Jerome rantz, about the reduction o deadlines or payment within 45 days end o month or 60 days calendar passed yesterday by members o Parliament the project o modernization o economy (LME) law. E en i the rench Con ederation o B2B commerce draws the alarm on the risk o a Bank o SME debt increases when this re orm will enter into orce in January 2009, patterns are likely to share the opinion o the Director General o rantz electrolysis (sur ace treatment o metals, 200 employees).

And or good reason: in rance, payment times exceed sometimes 120 days and remain on a erage three to our times longer than in most other European countries. A real puzzle or cash management, irst cause o ailure companies. Especially or those whose acti ity beyond the borders o the hexagon. "We're paid to 60 and 120 days by our donors to order, but we must address our German or American suppliers in 30 days, which undermines not only the company but hinders its expansion," said Y es Daunas, President and CEO o Delta equipment (automation, 31 employees). A iew shared by Jerome rantz: "earned daily is a wind all o cash or a business like mine, tributary to the time o its automoti e customers and suppliers o metals and energy."

Little recourse

On the ground, the impact o the interpro essional agreement signed in the car in 2007, to reduce the delays in payment o branch 60 net days to September 1, is still limited. "Number o donors o order will continue to pay their sub-contractors to more than 100 days", was the Obser atory o delay o payment, in March. The new rules o the game are complicated by internal process still more binding and globalized, says Guy Jourdan, ounder and cogérant o the SARL the Communicants (communication, 28 employees Council). "One o our customers igure a car oreign group established in rance, whose billing is managed rom the India, and accounting and the payment rom Eastern Europe." "Re iew: the regulation o our last in oice paid in desperation by the accounts o the subsidiary rench has claimed more than six months", regrets. Exceptional It hope. "When money doesn't it, how to pay wages at the end o month" How to sur i e ", he wondered.

A greater concern, artisans and in ery small enterprises, by the rising prices o raw materials. "When customers ha e been slow to pay, it can kill, especially in a context also tense," said Patrick Liébus, leader o co er Zinguerie o Ain (9 employees). As ar as acing the deadbeat, small businesses only ha e little recourse. Not question indeed to engage in costly proceedings when it barely ensure its need or working capital. "Di icult to use when actoring the essence o our acti ity is to ha e good relations with our customers," point Guy Jourdan, who pre ers to ask its bank inancing or the title o the Act Dailly rom 1981 on trans ers o recei ables, planned just or late payment o customers and likely less o ending the latter.