Solve the drama of SMEs not paid by customers

Getting paid by your customers on time? A sort of chimera for one out of two small businesses. Almost a dream for the “little ones” of the South who receive the due payments on time only in one case out of five. This is what emerges from a survey conducted by the CNA Studies and Research Area on “Small businesses facing the problem of late payments”. Survey that highlights a widespread and consolidated practice capable of creating serious difficulties in terms of liquidity reduction, non-performing loans and risks for companies that are unable to manage their cash flows serenely, substantial decrease in the real value of receivables collected late due to the return of inflation. A situation that in times of rising interest rates (and soaring cost of money), such as the current ones, can even lead to the closure of companies struggling with financial difficulties, mainly or exclusively due to non-payments. Yet, the terms of commercial payments have been regulated by law in Italy since 2012 and are set at thirty days, beyond which default interest would be triggered, unless otherwise agreed.