Checks accounted for just 25% of incoming B2B payments at companies surveyed as part of the 2025 AFP Digital Payments Survey, signaling the shift to digital payments processes in favor of security, convenience, and cost. Yet – while finance leaders are well aware of the opportunities presented by digital and emerging payment methods – inefficiencies persist. A full 91% of businesses still use checks.
The more convenience consumers experience in their personal lives, the more pressure there is for the B2B payment experience to evolve to a digital-first, self-service future. There is real ROI in automating more of the invoicing process and embedding payments capabilities for ease, speed, and security – both in terms of driving customer loyalty and ensuring more reliable and predictable cash flow to the business.
Are you doing enough to meet clients expectations and encourage holdouts to think digital-first?
B2B payers demand payment modernization
Your client’s A/P staff are already accustomed to managing their personal finances digitally, from one-click payments to having instant access to statements and other information online.
This shift is further driven by the rise of younger generations in the workforce. Millennials and Gen Z professionals have spent their entire lives leveraging technology for efficiency. As these tech-centric employees move into leadership roles, outdated, manual payments processes will be less tolerated – and if your process is a bottleneck, you’re not just risking client satisfaction. You’re risking revenue. The more payment friction there is, like having to mail paper checks, the greater the likelihood you won’t get paid on time.
To meet these new expectations, B2B organizations must strive for the professional equivalent of B2B convenience like the one-click checkout. For example, establish an autopay workflow for subscription and recurring payments, which would enable clients to store their preferred payment method and automatically charge it on the invoice due date. This removes the administrative worry for both sides, freeing up your client’s A/P teams from chasing deadlines and freeing up your A/R teams from chasing payments.
The benefits of B2B payment digitalization
Modernizing your payment infrastructure offers concrete financial improvements while enhancing essential B2B payment needs.
- Accelerated cashflow: Embedding payment capabilities directly within the invoice are proven to help businesses get paid 20-30% faster in the first six months. Even gaining one or two days on a large invoice can be a significant advantage.
- Reduced costs: Processing checks adds costs – $2.01-$4 per check transaction – and risk. In 2025, 65% of organizations experienced check fraud.
- Better transparency: Provide instant access to crucial information like receipts of prior payments, PDF copies of invoices, account statements, and other supplemental documents.
- Enhanced security: Reduce risk of a data breach and associated fines with fully PCI and SOC-compliant payment gateway – which reduces the PCI scope.
- Retention: A seamless payment experience is now a critical factor in customer retention and repeat purchases. If you make it difficult for customers to pay, you may inadvertently drive them toward a competitor.
If you know your B2B payment process is broken but are hesitant to invest, remember: the longer you wait, the bigger the gaps grow that you’ll need to address. The goal isn’t implementing a quick fix but a process that can scale with your business and customer base, allowing staff to move from payment chasing to strategic focus and allowing clients to enjoy a better payment experience they’ve come to expect.
Invoice-to-cash, built for B2B payments
With Flywire, enterprises can enjoy a reliable, scalable, and simple A/R process that embeds payments, accelerates cash flow, and makes customers happier.
FAQ: Opportunities to improve B2B payments
Why is the reliance on checks a liability for B2B payments?
Checks are slow, expensive to process, and prone to fraud. Processing a single check costs between $2.01 and $4.00, and 65% of organizations reported check fraud in 2025. Beyond the direct cost, checks create friction that delays cash flow and frustrates modern A/R and A/P teams, who are used to digital efficiency.
What does "B2C convenience" look like in a B2B context?
Think automation and self-service. Just as consumers subscribe to streaming services without mailing a check every month, B2B clients want to store payment methods in a secure way, and have payment automatically pulled on the due date. It removes the administrative burden of "chasing" for both the payer and the payee.
What is the ROI of embedding payments capabilities in the invoice?
Embedding payment capabilities into invoices helps businesses get paid 20-30% faster in the first six months alone. Additionally, it frees your A/R staff from manual data entry and chasing, allowing them to focus on higher-value strategic work.
How does modernization impact client retention?
Clients prioritize smooth payments in vendor relationships. If your competitor offers a seamless, secure online portal and you require a mailed check, you are giving the client a reason to leave. A smooth payment experience is now a baseline expectation for maintaining client loyalty.