Top Service News
Thorough Due Diligence: The Construction Sector’sSafety Net Against Risky Customers
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In construction, margins are often tight, projects are complex, and payment delays can put serious strain on your cash flow. That’s why knowing exactly who you’re trading with, before problems arise, is essential.
Relying on instinct or experience isn’t enough. The most resilient construction businesses carry out proactive checks on customers to identify risks before they lead to
bad debt.
Why Proactive Checks Matter
Many credit issues can be avoided if you have the right information at the right time. Common risks include:
● Customers with a history of slow or missed payments
● Directors linked to multiple failed companies
● Companies with sudden changes in financial behaviour
● Complex or opaque ownership structures
Spotting these warning signs early allows you to adjust terms, seek assurances, or decline the work before you’re exposed.
Beyond the Basics: How Top Service Protects You
Standard credit checks can leave blind spots — especially if the information is based only on historic filed accounts. At Top Service, we specialise in the construction sector, which means our intelligence reflects what’s happening right now, not just last year.
Our members benefit from:
● Real-time trading experiences shared by thousands of construction suppliers
● Director monitoring to flag linked high-risk companies
● Fraud detection alerts to catch suspicious behaviour early
● Debt recovery services that act fast on slow payers
This combination provides you with the tools to protect your cash flow and minimise unnecessary exposure.
Building Your Safety Net
To safeguard your business from risky customers, consider these steps:
- Check before you commit – Always carry out thorough due diligence on new customers.
- Monitor continuously – Keep a close watch for changes in payment behaviour or financial health.
- Act quickly – Address slow payment or other warning signs before they escalate.
- Use multiple safeguards – Combine proactive checks with robust terms, guarantees, or insurance.
Don’t Leave It to Chance
In construction, prevention is far more effective than cure. By working with Top Service, you gain the advantage of timely, sector-specific intelligence and the support of a debt recovery team that understands your industry.
Protect your business today. Contact us to find out how our tools and services can give you the confidence to trade with the right customers — and avoid the wrong ones
