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Empower Your Business by Decoding the Experian Intelliscore Business Credit Score

Reviewed by Ty Crandall

July 7, 2024

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Empower Your Business by Decoding the Experian Intelliscore Business Credit Score

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It’s Time for Decoding the Experian Intelliscore Business Credit Score

Experian Intelliscore Plus Credit SuiteTake some time today and learn about decoding the Experian Intelliscore business credit score and take advantage of our research in an Experian credit report just like yours.

Do you know what the Experian Intelliscore business credit score is, and how Experian calculates it. We break it down and take out its mystery.

Individual consumers frequently learn that a lot of their financial lives hinge on their FICO score. But what is true for businesses? Also, as a current or future business owner, which Experian credit score is most essential to you?

You should know about any credit-related score. However, the Intelliscore Plus credit score is certainly important. So it is from Experian, one of the major credit reporting agencies in the United States.

Decoding the Experian Intelliscore Business Credit Score: The Intelliscore Plus Credit Score Defined: It’s the Answer to the Question, “How is Business Credit Reported?”

The Intelliscore Plus credit score is a statistically based credit-risk analysis. The prime function of Intelliscore Plus is to assist businesses, investors and possible future lenders. So it helps them to make smart choices about who they should do business with.

The Intelliscore Plus credit score is a mathematical score that run from 1 to 100. And it can deliver insight on how much of a risk a business or business owner may be.

Discover our Get Business Credit guide, with everything you need to know about building credit for your business.

Decoding the Experian Intelliscore Business Credit Score: The Intelliscore Plus Credit Score. Or, What is a Good Intelliscore?

The Intelliscore scores runs from 1 to 100, the higher your score, the lower your risk class. The reverse is also true, namely, that the lower your score, then your risk class is higher. The chart below summarizes each Intelliscore Plus credit score range and its associated meaning.

Score Range Risk Class Risk Description
76– 100 1 Low
51– 75 2 Low to Medium
26– 50 3 Medium
11– 25 4 High to Medium
1– 10 5 High

Decoding the Experian Intelliscore Business Credit Score: How Is the Intelliscore Plus Credit Score Computed?

Although there are more than 800 commercial and owner variables used to ascertain an Intelliscore Plus credit score, the variables can be split into these pivotal factors:

Monetary

This specific factor focuses upon how you make use of credit. For example, how much of your available credit is currently being used? Do you have a high ratio of delinquent balance when contrasted with your credit limits?

Payment History

The bureaus call it recency. However, it’s just your current payment status. This includes how often any of your accounts become delinquent, the percent of accounts which are currently delinquent, and your overall trade balance. It’s the most in the credit world.

Intelliscore Plus is considered to be one of the more reliable tools in effectively predicting risk. One of the ways Intelliscore Plus maintains this claim to fame is by identifying key factors that show if a business is likely to pay their debt.

Frequency

Somewhat closely related to payment history, frequency takes into account how often your accounts have been sent to collections, the amount of liens and judgments you may have. And it accounts for any bankruptcies connected to your business or personal accounts.

On top of that, frequency can also incorporate details pertaining to your payment patterns. Were you regularly slow or late with payment? Did you start off paying bills late, but overtime, reduced this behavior? These things will all be taken into consideration.

If you haven’t started or don’t have a long history of business based transactions, how will Intelliscore Plus rate you?

Intelliscore Plus addresses these circumstances by using a blended model to identify your score. This means that they take your personal consumer credit score and consumer reporting into consideration when ascertaining your business’s credit score.

This makes sense, as Experian is also a consumer reporting agency.

How to Open a Business Credit File with Experian

Experian maintains business credit profiles on 99.9% of all United States firms. And they are one of the big three credit reporting agencies. Experian boasts the credit industry’s most exhaustive data on small and midsize businesses. The fact is; your business probably already has a listing on Experian.

Note: the other two business credit reporting agencies are Equifax and Dun & Bradstreet’s PAYDEX.

Per Experian, all their information results from third party sourcing. Because of this, you cannot add any facts to your business credit profile. Having said that, you can still inspect your profile and obviously advise Experian with regards to any errors.

Business Owner Profile

Furthermore, for a smaller company, Experian will include a business owner profile. So this is to show the relationships between you, the individual, and your firm.

Experian’s Business Owner Link is in use in order to automatically link credit history. So this is for over 5 million business owners linking to their business credit history. This makes it easier for your creditors to find a Business Owner Profile on small business accounts. It also makes it easier for your creditors to assess your general creditworthiness.

Experian products

Experian sells a variety of products which can be used in order to keep track of your business’s credit.

  • Business Credit Advantage Plan– this one is currently $149 monthly and features mobile-friendly alerts and score improvement suggestions.
  • Profile Plus Report– this report is presently priced at $49.95. So it consists of comprehensive financial payment data and predictive information on payment behavior.
  • Credit Score Report– this is the very least costly of the reports, right now priced at $39.95. This standard report features detailed company and credit information, and summary financial payment information.
  • Valuation Report– this report at present costs $99. It shows the market value of your small business and features Key Performance Indicators. It also reveals your company’s fair market value.

Premium Corporate Profiles

Experian also furnishes (for a fee) premium corporate profiles. These enhanced profiles include more information. So this includes sales figures, size, and contact details. And it also has products and operations, and credit summary. Further, it includes any Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings, fictitious business names, plus payment and collections history. It’s more than the data on offer in their standard low-risk corporate profiles. These premium profiles also have information on credit inquiries made in the last nine months. And they also have UCC specifics, plus Standard & Poor’s financial information.

Credit Alerts

Of course, you can register for business credit alerts. Experian’s Business Credit Advantage program operates as a self-monitoring service. You get unlimited access to your company’s business credit report and score. You can use this resource for proactively managing your company credit. Alerts are sent for:

  • Company address changes
  • Updates in your business credit score
  • Credit inquiries on your business profile
  • Newly-opened credit tradelines
  • Any USS filings
  • Collection filings and
  • Any public record filings, including liens, bankruptcies, and judgments

Stay on top of your Experian business credit profile and keep your credit reports correct.

Discover our Get Business Credit guide, with everything you need to know about building credit for your business.

Decoding the Experian Intelliscore Business Credit Score: How Can You Improve Your Score?

These tips can definitely help you improve your score:

Make Your Payments on Time

As noted above, your payment patterns and history are a driving force in your overall credit score. Over time, paying your bills punctually will help establish your firm as one that pays their debts. This will without doubt help push your score up and show other firms that you are a low risk.

On-time payments are one of the easiest and most efficient ways to improve your Experian scores.

And, in fact, this best practice in business will you in other ways. So you can improve and maintain your business credit scores with the other two big business credit reporting agencies. They are Equifax and Dun & Bradstreet (D&B’s score is known as PAYDEX).

Keep Your Debt to Income Ratio in Check

The more debt you have on your plate, the more invoices you have. So then it follows, the less disposable income you have. If your total debt comes close to or exceeds your income level, then you’re going to be evaluated as high-risk.

Keep your debts in check and consistently pay them down and/or off. So do so to maintain a healthy balance between what you make and what you owe.

Use Your Credit

Keeping your debts low remains solid advice. And opening up and sensibly making use of business credit accounts can help you expand your available credit. It’ll also help to boost your credit score.

Maintain a Healthy Personal Credit Profile

By now, you’re aware that your own personal credit is fair game when it comes to your Intelliscore Plus score. Taking care of a business is tough work, but don’t let your personal finances suffer.

Make sure you stay on top of your personal charges. Stay clear of unnecessary credit inquiries. And refrain from sacrificing your personal credit for business needs.

Review Your Credit Reports

No matter what your credit score is, it is necessary that you continue to be diligent. So review your personal and business credit reports. This can help you find possible mistakes and stay informed about your own credit profile. We make it easy and inexpensive to monitor your business credit with Experian.

Decoding the Experian Intelliscore Business Credit Score: Stay On Top of Your Scores and Keep them Awesome

Knowing is half the battle, they say. Understanding Intelliscore will help you to keep your business running smoothly – for the lifetime of your business.

Discover this new way to monitor your business credit scores. And start decoding your Experian Intelliscore Business Credit Score today. Discover this little-known information and get massive business funding benefits as you watch your credit scores soar.

About the author 

Janet Gershen-Siegel

Janet Gershen-Siegel is the seasoned Finance Writer and a former content manager at Credit Suite. She has been admitted to practice law for over 30 years, with a focus on litigation and product liability, and is a published author, with writing credits at Entrepreneur, FedSmith.com and BusinessingMag.com.

She has a BA in Philosophy from Boston University, a JD from the Delaware Law School of Widener University, and a MS in Interactive Media (Social Media) from Quinnipiac University.

She regularly writes for Credit Suite, which helps businesses improve Fundability™, build credit, and get approved for loans and credit lines.

Her specialties: business credit, business credit cards, business funding, crowdfunding, and law

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