Entrepreneurs operating start-up businesses need instant access to bank credit to conduct their commercial operations smoothly. However, the commercial banks they approach to obtain the loan funds will want to assess their creditworthiness. These start-up entrepreneurs should have a good credit score to convince these bank officials. Only then will the banks consider sanctioning their loan applications and providing them with the necessary funds. However, many of them might not have a long and stable credit history. This is because they will be running their businesses for the first time and have no previous experience.
What is an alternative credit score?
Alternative credit scoring is an innovative process that certain institutional lenders are adopting to assess the creditworthiness of borrowers. These financiers depend not only on the data banks use to analyze the credit risk of lending money to borrowers. This is the information that is available to them from traditional credit bureaus like repayment history, number of active bank accounts, or current debts. The institutional investors can analyze their consumer behavior data available on various digital platforms and software applications. These include:
- Spending pattern on their smartphone wallet applications,
- Online records showing how they pay all of their utility bills and taxes on time,
- The borrowers’ personal online shopping patterns on various popular social media platforms,
- Airtime usage,
Online public records and tax receipts of the real-estate properties the borrowers own, and
Institutional lenders then scrutinize this consumer behavior information to determine whether the borrowers are likely to default on their repayments. If this is not the case, their officials will not have an objection to lending them a loan at competitive interest rates. This implies start-up entrepreneurs with a good alternative credit score can get access to low-interest bank loans. This makes it easier for them to run their start-up businesses successfully.
Advantages of having a good alternative credit score
The advantages of having a good alternative credit score for start-up entrepreneurs when applying for loans are as follows:
- They are unlikely to undergo a stringent credit risk evaluation procedure for obtaining banks loans,
- Other funding options like commercial business lines of credit is available to them at lower interest rates,
- Certain commercial banks are likely to offer them loans funds at competitive interest rates and easy repayment options, and
- They can expect instant approvals from certain commercial bank officials to their loan applications.
Having a good alternative credit score is a boon for all entrepreneurs operating start-up businesses in the market. It eases the pressure on their business cashflow. They can get instant loan funds to buy essential materials, pay off their creditors and make important expenses. Many of them even use the money to take advantage of lucrative business opportunities. However, the credit bureau analyzing their raw data on various digital platforms should have a good market reputation. It should have the necessary experience using this information to create a suitable action plan for these entrepreneurs. Only then will it be easier for them to obtain the loan funds they need for their businesses without hassles.