Friction and Flexibility in B2B Payments as the New Frontier for Enterprise Loyalty

B2B payment and invoicing experiences are no longer back-office afterthoughts; they are now decisive factors in supplier selection and long-term enterprise retention. As finance, sales and operations leaders across the UK and US navigate intensifying economic pressures, the ability to provide a seamless, digital-first transaction process has become a fundamental operational requirement. Suppliers who fail to modernise their payment infrastructure risk significant churn as buyers increasingly prioritise flexibility, transparency and integration over legacy processes.

The Expectation Gap and Purchasing Friction

Despite widespread digitisation, friction remains an inherent part of many B2B procurement cycles. In TreviPay‘s research report, How to Win and Keep B2B Buyers, 57% of respondents cited inadequate payment options as a primary pain point. This encompasses challenges ranging from the absence of preferred payment methods to a complete lack of automated invoicing options.

Buyers encounter several persistent hurdles that can undermine long-term supplier relationships. These critical pain points include invoices containing incorrect data, sub-optimal user experiences on eCommerce platforms and insufficient customer support. Furthermore, friction within system integration remains a significant barrier to efficiency.

The tangible costs of these inefficiencies are substantial. The TreviPay study indicates they result in delayed purchases, reduced order frequency and a higher propensity for buyers to switch suppliers. Specifically, 34% of buyers report significant delays in approval workflows and ongoing difficulties in matching invoices to purchase orders.

The Strategic Shift Toward Embedded Finance

As a specialist in the global B2B payments landscape, TreviPay is at the forefront of redefining the order-to-cash cycle for global brands. By managing the complex nuances of trade credit, fraud risk and multi-currency settlement, the platform serves as a critical layer for enterprises looking to modernise their financial workflows.

This infrastructure allows suppliers to offer sophisticated, consumer-centric purchasing experiences while maintaining the rigorous risk and credit controls required for high-volume commercial transactions. By scaling these complex financial workflows for some of the world’s largest retailers and manufacturers, TreviPay ensures that B2B payments serve as a driver of loyalty rather than a source of operational friction.

“Our goal is to provide practical insight into what finance, sales and operations leaders value today and how suppliers can build stronger, more durable relationships to improve revenue,” says Inez Berkhof-Hollander, Vice President, EMEA at TreviPay. “If buyers experience the smooth and flexible process they are looking for, it drives loyalty. At TreviPay, we believe that experience leads to loyalty.”

Compliance as a Catalyst for Change

A significant driver for modernising B2B systems is the looming shift in regulatory compliance. Berkhof-Hollander notes that while the UK’s eInvoicing mandates may be further on the horizon (expected around 2028), the impact is already being felt by any company trading with European partners.

In markets like France, eInvoicing becomes mandatory as of September 2024. For UK-based suppliers, this means a “simple Excel or PDF” will no longer suffice for European buyers. Berkhof-Hollander stresses that even if a local mandate isn’t in place, buyers want their suppliers to adopt these structured formats now to harmonise their own internal processes. This regulatory shift, while a burden to implement, offers a long-term commercial opportunity to remove manual friction and foster deeper trust.

Real-Time Payments and Cross-Border Scale

The How to Win and Keep B2B Buyers report identifies a clear strategic shift among senior decision-makers toward prioritising real-time cross-border payments and the expansion of embedded finance beyond traditional banking frameworks.

For global enterprises, the objective has moved beyond the simple execution of a transaction toward the comprehensive management of a commercial relationship. The data suggests that buyers are increasingly seeking suppliers capable of managing international complexities, such as compliant eInvoicing and multi-currency support, without requiring the buyer to navigate the intricacies of foreign banking infrastructure.

Walmart Business and the Power of Net Terms

The shift toward flexible B2B payments is evidenced by Walmart, which utilises a managed B2B payments platform to enhance its commercial offering. By providing specialised solutions such as “Pay by Invoice,” the retailer can effectively serve professional segments including non-profits, small businesses and educational institutions.

These initiatives address the specific requirements of B2B buyers who necessitate consolidated billing—a particular need in the education and government sectors—and granular purchase controls for authorised personnel. This partnership underscores a broader market trend where winning B2B loyalty requires moving beyond the standard point-of-sale transaction to a fully managed credit and invoicing ecosystem.

AI and the Future of Decision Intelligence

Technology continues to recalibrate the B2B landscape, with TreviPay’s research finding that nearly 80% of respondents regularly utilise AI technologies within their purchasing and payment processes.

However, Berkhof-Hollander suggests the focus must move from the “buzz” of AI to real-world use cases. The most effective applications focus on improving decision intelligence, strengthening fraud prevention and mitigating manual tasks. Larger enterprises with more than 500 employees are particularly focused on leveraging these technologies to eliminate manual errors and improve accuracy across the entire financial lifecycle, ensuring that invoices contain the specific data points—such as correct Purchase Order (PO) numbers—required for automated approval.

Strategies for Success in 2026

To maintain a competitive position, suppliers should consider prioritising five key areas to align with evolving buyer expectations:

• Offer Payment Choice: Diversify beyond credit cards to include trade credit and even instalment options.

• Streamline Onboarding: Ensure the “front end” digital journey is as smooth and fast as the payment process itself.

• Omnichannel Consistency: Ensure the buying experience is identical across online, in-store and offline sales channels.

• Customised Invoicing: Support flexible billing cycles and specific data requirements (like PO numbers) to speed up buyer approvals.

• System Integration: Prioritise “punchout” purchasing and system-to-system integrations to embed your service into the buyer’s existing ERP.