How to trade with confidence in a struggling economy

With the New Zealand economy struggling and business liquidations up 35% over the past year, there are some significant areas of risk that business owners should be wary of. These risks are particularly evident within the construction, transportation and manufacturing industries who are reporting a 29%, 38% and 26% increase in credit defaults year on year respectively. If you currently trade with these industries, what will happen to your cashflow if one of your customers was suddenly unable (or unwilling) to pay you?

With over 30 years of experience in managing credit risks, we know a thing or two about what businesses need to do to minimise their risk and trade with confidence, even in a struggling economy.

Here are four things you can do to trade with confidence

1. Establish a clear legal relationship

With clearly written terms of trade, you put yourself in a powerful position should your client fail to make payment. EC Credit Control can tailor terms of trade to your business that are fair and enforceable. Book a meeting with your local Business Support Specialists here.

2. Know who you are doing business with

You should be clear on who you are trading with including their credit worthiness. A credit report is like x-ray vision into how likely your client is to default if you offer them credit. Empower yourself and run a credit report on each new client and regularly review your existing clients too. Find out more about our credit reporting options here.

3. Become a secured creditor

If you supply goods on credit, you should register your interest and become a secured creditor on the PPSR. As a secured creditor you will have priority for repayment over other non-secured creditors should your customer become insolvent. Find out more about our PPS services here.

4. Most importantly, don’t let your debtor age!

The more overdue your debtor becomes, the less likely they are to ever settle the debt. It’s as simple as that. With a resolution focus, EC Credit Control gets great results – Let us take the problem off your hands. It’s free to sign up and takes just two minutes.

Get more information

Our friendly Customer Service team are available to talk through our debt resolution services and how we can help your business.

Call us today at 0800 324 768 or fill in the form below and we will be in touch as soon as possible.

About EC Credit Control

We are a New Zealand owned credit management agency that has been supporting Kiwi businesses for over 30 years. As a specialist in debt resolution and developing business terms and conditions of trade, we have the tools and expertise to help minimise the risk to any business that offers credit. For a free no-obligation consultation, get in touch with your local Business Support Specialist.

What our customers say

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 227 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Nicky Hughes 
 1 November 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. EC Credit are excellent at assisting in debt collection.  They are organised and efficient.  The team understand the best way to work with individuals and businesses to obtain results.  T=EC have access to the best legal support needed to navigate the tricky work of statements of claims, statutory demands and other legal tools.  I have worked with other providers and can confirm the results from EC are better.  In one recent case we secured a 100% recovery of monies owed.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jess Browne 
 1 November 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very efficient, quick response. proactive. Excellent communication and support.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jamie Pohl 
 16 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. EC Credit Control have been fantastic to work with. They made updating our Terms of Trade a smooth and straightforward process, and their team has been responsive and helpful every step of the way. Highly recommend their services.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Voiptel Business 
 7 October 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Implementing any new system can be challenging. Changing our terms and conditions was pretty much painless with Tony. He came in to assist with the Xero and Workflowmax integration and didn't leave until we had it working. The only thing I would like to suggest is you sort out Tony's outgoing calling ID so that it doesn't look like he is in Hawkes Bay. This is something we do and can assist you with.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Sam Bennett 
 5 September 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. They have helped us from when we started our plumbing business.
Very helpful along the way.
Ascend Plumbing
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Keith Tarsau 
 28 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great team, great communication and great results. Thank you so much for your help!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Alicia Mander 
 26 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I've used EC Credit Control for a number of years across several different companies and have consistently had a positive experience. They provided a comprehensive set of Terms of Trade that were practical, well-structured, and easy to implement within our business.

A particular mention goes to Shaun Irvin, who was excellent to deal with throughout the process. His communication was prompt, professional, and clear, making the entire engagement straightforward and efficient.

Based on my experience, EC Credit Control delivers a reliable service backed by knowledgeable staff who genuinely understand the needs of New Zealand businesses. I would happily recommend them to any organisation looking for credit management support, documentation, or advice.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Doug Vause 
 24 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I am very happy to endorse the work and accomplishments of our experience with EC Credit Control. The initial sales connections were collegial and constructive as they guided us through the process, never rushing and letting us set the pace. Ordinarily, we don't incur bad debts, but a client had problems processing our payments due to an internal systems problem, and we needed help. Once engaged, EC Credit Control were very effective, with a very quick payment from our client. Evidently, they treated our client with courtesy and respect, and we maintain positive relations with our client. Well done, thank you.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   NZFADE 
 19 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Brilliant company, had a debt sorted within a week, that had taken a month on my end to sort. Thank you.
  
 
  
  
 
    Verified by Trustindex  Trustindex verified that these reviews were published on EC Credit Control (NZ) Ltd's Google Business Profile. Learn more

EC Credit Control offers you total debt management. Operating since 1989 we have the experience, skills and expertise to deliver these services to your business promptly and efficiently.

We’ve put together some brief stories that highlight what and how we’ve been able to help our clients.

EC Credit Control is today a recognised leader in the Debt Collection and Credit Management industries.

0800 324 768

How to trade with confidence in a struggling economy

Here are four things you can do to trade with confidence

1. Establish a clear legal relationship

2. Know who you are doing business with

3. Become a secured creditor

4. Most importantly, don’t let your debtor age!

Get more information

About EC Credit Control

What our customers say

Contact us

Freephone 0800 324 768

Phone 06 835 1800

Click to Email

What we offer