A new study has found over 80 per cent of small to medium enterprise owners in the state are suffering from stress as a result of cash flow issues.
The National Australia Bank's SME Cash Flow Study revealed 82 per cent of WA SME owners and managers are frequently stressed about cash flow, with nine out of 10, or 88 per cent, saying the stress is affecting their home life.
More worrying though is that 59 per cent of small business owners have taken a pay cut as a result.
The survey also found that of the SME's that do have access to support, only 37 per cent would turn to their bank manager for support.
In a sector by sector analysis, industries most likely to be stressed by unexpected bills are agriculture, mining and utilities.
The least likely to be stressed is the manufacturing industry, although the survey found 77 per cent are still likely to experience stress as a result of unexpected expenses.
Those who work in the construction, transport and storage industries are most likely (78%) to become stressed chasing non-paying customers at 78 per cent whereas those in the manufacturing industry are the least likely, at 59 per cent.
Meanwhile, only 15% of SMEs regularly check the credentials of a new customer before extending credit. The manufacturing (29%), accommodation cafes and restaurants (21%) and services (20%) industries are the most likely to always check credentials.
