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Behind the apparent simplicity of AI, a global industrial and geopolitical battle is being waged. US leadership, the Chinese offensive, critical dependencies and European decisions: what are the geopolitical trends redefining the uses of data and AI? Insights from Aurélien Duthoit, sector economist at Coface, to help business decision-makers secure their growth in an era of major technological transformation.
More dashboards are no longer enough to support better decisions. With dormant data, scattered information and an overload of indicators, business leaders still struggle to turn information into action. Drawing on the findings of Coface’s 2026 Data & AI Barometer, discover 3 strategies to speed up your analysis, anticipate risks more effectively and make decisions with greater confidence.
Regardless of its size or financial health, any business may face a one-off or structural need for cash, caused by a seasonal peak in activity, a time lag between delivery and receipt of payment, a delay in payment received, or an unforeseen expense. To address this need, the natural instinct is to turn to short-term credit, which refers to all financing solutions with a term not exceeding two years and which aim to cover these cash flow requirements without resorting to long-term debt, which is often unsuitable. There is a wide range of instruments available, each catering to a distinct rationale and set of requirements, which we will now examine.
How can you distinguish between a temporary disruption and a risk expected to impact the entire value chain? In an environment marked by sustained volatility, companies need to detect risks earlier and better anticipate how they will spread. For CFOs, the challenge lies in identifying weak signals, mapping dependencies and transforming information into swift, informed decisions. Coface’s experts decode the levers for moving from reactive trade risk management to a more proactive and strategic approach.
Many companies continue to make credit decisions based on assumptions, particularly when it comes to trade credit insurance. While the solution has evolved into a powerful risk management tool, several misconceptions still prevent businesses from exploring its full value. Let's separate fact from fiction.
Navigate uncertainty with Coface's global risk assessments for 160 countries and 13 sectors.
Geopolitical tensions, slowing growth, supply chain disruptions, and mounting regulatory risks: businesses today operate in a world where uncertainty has become the norm. The question, therefore, is no longer how to eliminate risk — that is neither realistic nor desirable — but how to make the best possible decisions in a constantly changing environment.
The main obstacle to business growth is no longer just the market, but also companies’ ability to make decisions. According to the latest Coface survey of 1,250 business leaders in 13 countries, 68% of them cite slow decision-making as a major obstacle. In a highly uncertain environment, businesses are no longer simply seeking to avoid risk: they must learn to make decisions more quickly. A transformation is underway, gradually turning risk into a driver of decision-making and growth.
In an increasingly uncertain global trading environment, late payments and insolvencies are no longer isolated incidents, they are systemic challenges. For many businesses, the real risk lies not only in insured exposures, but in the growing volume of uninsured receivables sitting on their balance sheets. These uninsured debts, often overlooked or deprioritised, can have a significant impact on cash flow, working capital, and ultimately, business resilience. The question is no longer whether companies will face non‑payment risk, but how effectively they can recover what is owed, especially outside the safety net of insurance.
Every company trading internationally is familiar with - and relies on - Incoterms, which set out the respective obligations of seller and buyer in a commercial transaction. As a contracting party, you can freely negotiate the conditions of purchase or sale with companies from all over the world, but practices and interpretations can vary from one country to another. Thanks to Incoterms, everyone's obligations are clear and trade is made easier. Let's decipher the ins and outs of these trade rules that apply throughout the world.
Mandatory from next September for all businesses, electronic invoicing is radically transforming the administrative and financial operations of French businesses subject to VAT. Beyond mere regulatory compliance, this reform creates a need for new equipment and a reorganisation of processes within organisations. Discover the benefits of electronic invoicing for your business, the solutions available to you and how to implement them.
When faced with persistent non-payment or a client’s deteriorating financial health, initiating legal proceedings is not always the most effective solution. The conciliation procedure offers a structured alternative, governed by company law, which enables a dispute to be resolved amicably whilst preserving the business relationship.
With growing insolvencies and payment delays under pressure, accounts receivable management can no longer be driven by looking in the rear-view mirror. By combining robust risk data with agile operational governance, you can turn early warning signs into operational decisions to speed up your cash flow.
As any company finance manager knows, the terms of payment of customer invoices are not a mere administrative formality, but rather a genuine financial and commercial management lever. Between payment in arrears and payment in advance, companies navigate between flexibility and security, seeking a balance between cash management and risk control. All that remains is to optimize the strategy, in order to reinforce financial solidity. Here's our advice on how to achieve this.
Securing cash flow is a matter of survival for any business. It means having the visibility you need to make the right decisions about when to actually pay supplier invoices, renegotiate contracts or seek external financing. One of the key indicators used by those in charge of receivables management and debt collection is the Aging balance or Aged Trial Balance, which details the amounts due and when they fall due. It provides a clear picture of future cash flow. We explain everything you need to know about its definition, method of calculation and implications!
Working Capital Requirement (WCR) is a key management concept, used to determine the amount of financial resources a company needs to manage the gap between its cash outflows and its cash inflows. In other words, it determines how much cash you need to avoid short-term difficulties. Detailed deciphering of the accounting information used to calculate WCR, and the issues involved.
Sanctions, financial losses, reputational damage to your company: compliance is no longer just a regulatory formality, it’s a concrete business risk that needs to be closely monitored. Strategies, early warning signals, common mistakes: our experts share their solutions to strengthen your day-to-day monitoring of your clients and suppliers, make your decisions more reliable and secure your business.
Being able to rely on an effective debt collection procedure and, by extension, sound management of unpaid debts is a major objective for any business. This is a significant challenge at a time when payment terms are getting longer, defaults are on the rise and unpaid debts are multiplying. Here is our advice on how to master this lever and turn it into a powerful weapon against unpaid debts.
For any company, recovering unpaid invoices is an essential part of ensuring the long-term future of its business. When an invoice goes unpaid, there are various solutions available to the creditor, ranging from amicable approaches to legal action. But when the customer turns out to be insolvent, the debt is lost, and the consequences can be very damaging if the amount is significant. That's why the most important thing is to protect yourself against the potential insolvency of your customers (and yourself!). Fortunately, there are solutions.
You've just finished the final sprint of the annual closing without having managed to secure your accounts receivable? The end-of-year cash rush often reveals the same weakness: sales are registered, but unpaid bills pile up and cash flow is fragile. Because successful debt collection no longer relies solely on finance teams, discover how to mobilise your entire company and rely on tailored solutions to speed up your cash inflows and preserve your business relationships.
Before signing with a new supplier or customer, you check their financial health. But do you know if this partner is linked to sanctioned individuals or high-risk entities? A single problematic business relationship can be costly, in terms of cash flow, fines and reputation.
The final sprint to the end of the financial year is coming up fast, and every day counts when it comes to speeding up your cash inflows. With Coface's expert advice and insights from our clients, learn how to target bad debts, master your aging balance, mobilise your teams and leverage digital debt collection solutions to boost your performance and secure your cash flow before December 31.
With the rise of next-generation dashboards and connectivity solutions, commercial risk management is experiencing a paradigm shift: more intuitive, more responsive and more collaborative. From reporting to governance, discover how to harness the power of dashboards to steer your business with agility, performance and anticipation.
Too often perceived as a conflictual approach or a simple cash flow operation, amicable Debt Collection actually plays an essential role in your client relationships. As long as you adopt an amicable, human and differentiated approach according to your partners' situation. Expert advice, testimonials and useful cases to help you collect your unpaid debts without jeopardising your business relationships.
Slowing global growth, shifts in international trade, digitisation and automation of trade receivables, (geo)political instability: trade credit management is becoming increasingly complex, with the risk of affecting your company's cash flow and disrupting the development of your business. Here's how to make trade credit insurance your best weapon for avoiding bad debts and conquering new markets in this new commercial ecosystem.
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Navigate uncertainty with Coface's global risk assessments for 160 countries and 13 sectors.
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