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What to Do When Your Supplier Evaluation Risk (SER) Rating Changes
What Is a SER?
The Supplier Evaluation Risk (SER) Rating is Dun & Bradstreet’s proprietary scoring system used to assess the probability that a business will seek relief from creditors or cease operations within the next 12 months. SER ratings range from 1 to 9, with 9 indicating the highest risk of failure. We’ve prepared an infographic to help business owners better understand what influences their SER Rating.
How Can I Check My Business’s SER Rating?
Business owners can see their SER Rating, along with other Dun & Bradstreet credit scores and ratings, by purchasing a business credit report.
Who Else Can See My Business’s SER Rating and Other Scores?
Anyone can purchase your business’s credit report. Potential customers, vendors, landlords, and lenders may review your SER and other scores and ratings in order to better understand the financial stability of your business. Accessing a company’s SER Rating is often easier, and more cost-effective, than conducting independent research.
How Is the SER Rating Determined?
Dun & Bradstreet uses statistical models and predictive data attributes to assign an SER Rating to an individual business. We leverage data we have on your business, along with the historical performance of other companies, in order to arrive at an SER Rating.
What Data Can Influence Dun & Bradstreet’s Calculations?
We can consider many factors when calculating a business’s SER Rating, including, but not limited to:
Ownership of facilities
Company finances
Number of employees
Industry
Region of operation
Both the number and dollar amount of suits, liens, judgments, and prior bankruptcies
Total assets and liabilities
Net profit after taxes
Payment experiences, or Trade References*
Several of these factors, such as industry and regional trends, cannot be directly impacted by the performance of your company. However, small business owners can adopt certain practices that may influence their SER Rating.
How Can I Help Impact My SER Rating?
Your SER Rating is based on data available to Dun & Bradstreet. Ensuring that we have your most recent financial data and Trade References may impact your company’s SER Rating. Keep in mind that many variables go into calculating a SER Rating.
You can submit updates to the business information in your Dun & Bradstreet credit file for free through the D‑U‑N‑S® Manager. Submit Trade References for review, verification, and possible acceptance* using D&B Credit Insights.
* Trade References will be added subject to Dun & Bradstreet review, verification, and acceptance. Dun & Bradstreet cannot guarantee that trade references will be accepted or that accepted trade references will impact your business credit file. Please see What is a Trade Reference for eligibility, process and other information regarding Trade References.
† CreditSignal only shows four of your Dun & Bradstreet scores for 14 days, then provides directional changes to such scores. It also indicates the number of individual request(s) for information, which may include but are not limited to credit information, by a unique external customer(s) on a D‑U‑N‑S® Number. To view additional scores and ratings, view scores and ratings following the 14-day period, or learn about what industries are making such requests, we recommend that you upgrade to one of our paid credit monitoring or credit building solutions.
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