In order to remain viable in the marketplace, it’s essential for your business to be the holder of a DUNS number. A DUNS number provides key information about your business, how your business is run, its trading partners, and its credit profile. Many businesses will refuse to work with a business without a DUNS number, so it’s in your best interest to apply for a DUNS number as soon as possible. While applying for a DUNS number is a relatively simple process, business owners often find themselves asking myriad questions about DUNS numbers. Below you’ll find the answers to some of the more frequently asked DUNS-related questions.

How long does it take to obtain a DUNS number, and can I fast track the process?

Applying online for a DUNS number can result in a thirty day wait, while applying via the telephone will result in your DUNS number being issued almost instantaneously. However, it is possible to fast track a postal application by paying for what is known as the “Credit Builder” service.

Who uses DUNS numbers?

DUNS numbers were introduced in 1962, and have since become the international standard across a variety of countries in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the USA. This means that a DUNS number is essential for doing both small-scale and large-scale both within your country’s borders, and across borders. Millions of businesses worldwide currently use DUNS numbers.

What are the benefits of a DUNS number?

The benefits of a DUNS number are myriad. DUNS numbers help to identify the relationships between the various entities comprising an umbrella corporation, and are invaluable in helping to identify the relationship between different trading partners. A DUNS number can also help to identify and evaluate internal processes within a company, and can be essential when it comes to assessing and evaluating the risk profile of your own company or an external company. DUNS numbers can also help mitigate potential errors and in streamlining communications and transactions between and within businesses.

How can I check my D&B credit rating?

Your DUNS number is linked to your company’s credit profile, and as such it’s vital to ensure that your DUNS profile is regularly updated in order to ensure that your company is portrayed in its best light. To check your D&B credit rating, simply fill in the relevant online form, or download and post the completed form, in addition with any relevant financial documentation, to the nearest D&B Information Resources Centre.

How can I use a DUNS number to help protect my company against risk?

D&B uses companies’ DUNS numbers to assess their past and present credit profile, and to predict a company’s future profile. This information can be used to gauge the potential future risk associated with partnering or working with another company, and can be a valuable asset.