In the healthcare space patients come first, not securing working capital. You provide a service that requires immediate personal care and convenience for your patients. Leaving funding by the wayside. So if equipment is down, or staffing requirements escalate, this hits the medical practitioner directly in the pocket. As with any retail establishment, healthcare providers require working capital too. This is where using a merchant cash advance can be so useful due to the quick turn-around times and minimal paperwork requirements.
So how can a merchant cash advance benefit your healthcare business?
1. Instant capital
In an appointment-based business, shifting cashflow is inevitable. Especially where renumeration is often reliant on re-payment from insurance or medical aid companies. Even if your establishment has a healthy cashflow, there are always times where additional capital is useful. For example, upgrading equipment or renovating.
2. Simplified application
Traditional bank loans can take months to acquire. Not to mention the lengthy paperwork required to secure the funds. At Merchant Capital a merchant cash advance can be acquired in less than 48 hours. The process can either happen telephonically or be completed online and requires only 3 things to get the ball rolling: Bank statements, merchant statements and your lease. Which means no more CIPC or Directors ID copies. It is so quick and simple, leaving you to do what you do best; take care of your patients.
3. No risk to your credit or assets
A really attractive aspect of a merchant cash advance is that there is never a risk to your credit or assets. This is because your repayments are pre-agreed based on the financial performance of your existing healthcare business. Where this differs to a traditional loan is that we don’t use your assets as collateral. A merchant cash advance is also not dependent on a high credit score and rather functions as an advance against future sales.
4. Repayments are very flexible
In contrast to a traditional fixed loan, a merchant cash advance repayment is mutually beneficial and won’t put unnecessary strain on your business. This is because repayments work directly in line with your company’s turnover. Either as a percentage of credit or debit card transactions or as a fixed daily or weekly rate. Meaning that when business is up, you repay quicker and when business is slow you are not locked into high repayments.
5. A lump sum payment
Merchant cash advances are always paid out upfront and in one lump sum. This means you get the entire amount you applied for in one payment and immediately. This will empower you to make quick changes to your business without having to worry about whether the full payment will in fact be made.
What can you use a merchant cash advance for?
There are so many options when it comes to effectively using your merchant cash advance. We always suggest that it is used towards growth enhancing activities rather than to plug holes in your business. Here are just some frequently used options:
Tests and technologies
Advances in technology not only keep you abreast of industry developments but also help you make accurate diagnoses. Not only is it essential that you frequently service your equipment and keep supply levels up, but this also helps you stay on top of technological trends. This will ensure that your practice is both cutting edge and reliable. All this, however, comes at a cost. Luckily a merchant cash advance can provide you with the working capital you need to consistently equip your healthcare business with best-in-class medical necessities.
Marketing
Even though your business relies on word-of-mouth and repeat business, it is always good to promote what you do to a wider audience. This may mean calling on marketing or social media professionals to outsource this function. It could also mean printing in-office material to promote additional services like Flu vaccines or additional product lines.
Liability costs
In today’s legal environment it is essential that you make allowances for a possible legal dispute with a patient. Mistakes happen even when armed with the very best intentions. So it makes a lot of sense to find the working capital to fund this essential requirement.
The bottom line
Even though you work in a healthcare business, you actually have a lot of the same working capital demands as a retail business. Luckily you have the option of a merchant cash advance to make sure that not only are your patients looked after, but your business remains healthy too. To find out how you can get quick access to working capital for your healthcare business, contact Merchant Capital today.
