Irish SMEs are under pressure, and effective credit management is now more critical than ever. According to recent survey by first SME Business Sentiment Survey from Chartered Accountants Ireland and GRID Finance, about two in five SME say staff costs are now their biggest financial challenge. This is followed by operational costs (24%) and regulatory compliance costs (14%). These numbers reflect the high cost of running businesses and a picture of what is happening on the ground for thousands of business owners.
Biggest financial challenges facing SMEs
Source: first SME Business Sentiment Survey from Chartered Accountants Ireland and GRID Finance (2025)
At CMOS.ie, we work with businesses across industries, and we hear this sentiment echoed every day: “It’s not that we don’t have clients or work — it’s that we’re working harder for less and waiting longer to get paid.”
This highlights a critical issue: credit management for Irish SMEs has become more important than ever before.
Rethinking Credit, Collections and Cashflow Strategy
The report states that only one in five businesses have seen borrowing demand increase, despite the rising cost of operations. Even though there is a requirement for funds, many are not actively seeking large amounts of debt and out of all the businesses surveyed, only 9% had sought to raise debt that was for debt refinancing.
While some SMEs shy away from borrowing, the importance of maintaining a steady and sustainable cashflow is a top priority for all. The numbers suggest that the SMEs turning inward by looking for better ways to manage what they already have – especially outstanding receivables. Most of the late payments slip through the cracks and some remain unnoticed until they become write-offs. Many SMEs lack a robust collections strategy and rely on informal follow-ups rather than structured credit policies.
Why Credit Management is a Strategic Priority
In the current environment, credit management for Irish SMEs is no longer a back-office task, but it is a strategic priority. Delayed payments often lead to reduced working capital, reliance on short term overdrafts and distract business owners from focusing on growth.
Our experience at CMOS tells us that even profitable companies with great customer relationships often let receivables slide simply because the collections process is not a priority — until it becomes a problem.
How CMOS Can Help
In today’s economic climate, engaging credit management specialists allows the SMEs to take control of their cashflows. Outsourcing or insourcing credit management to a specialist provider has been shown to reduce costs, improve collections resulting in a lower overall cost of ownership.
CMOS works on setting up structured credit control processes, proactively engages debtors before issues escalate and frees up internal teams to focus on their core roles.
While SMEs face tight cashflow , effective credit management for Irish SMEs is a crucial lever for stability and growth. CMOS allows you to keep your receivables and cashflow in check. The result? Faster payments, fewer write-offs, and more breathing room to run your business the way you want to.
If your business is feeling the pressure, it may be time to ask a simple but powerful question: Are we getting paid on time — and if not, what is the cost?
