A brand new examine from American Specific reveals that almost all of companies want to enhance their funds processes in 2025, with automation rising as a key focus. The Amex Trendex: B2B Funds Version survey, which polled 1,000 U.S. enterprise decision-makers, highlights the position of streamlined funds in enterprise progress, provider relationships, and operational effectivity.
Key Findings
In response to the examine, 91% of enterprise decision-makers acknowledge that “straightforward, streamlined and safe funds drive enterprise progress.” Nonetheless, regardless of this acknowledgment, solely 17% of companies surveyed have totally automated their funds processes, whereas 15% haven’t automated any funds in any respect.
Late or gradual funds have additionally had a tangible influence on enterprise relationships, with 26% of respondents citing cost delays as a motive they’ve stopped working with a purchaser or provider. Moreover, 4 in 5 enterprise leaders (82%) indicated {that a} single fraud incident might considerably influence belief of their enterprise relationships.
The Advantages of Funds Automation
Automation in funds processing provides companies a number of benefits, together with enhanced money move visibility, safer transactions, and elevated operational effectivity.
“Funds optimization shouldn’t be all the time appreciated for its constructive influence on relationships between patrons and suppliers and total enterprise success,” mentioned Widad Chaoui, Senior Vice President, Company and B2B Options Product Administration, World Industrial Providers, at American Specific. “Automated cost strategies like digital playing cards or digital push funds drive additional cash move visibility, safer transactions, and higher relationships. In addition they give companies larger working capital flexibility, enabling them to spend money on shifting their enterprise ahead.”
Enterprise leaders acknowledge these benefits, with 29% of survey respondents stating they’d “sleep higher at evening” if they didn’t have to fret about cost accuracy and timeliness. Nonetheless, perceived boundaries proceed to forestall many firms from totally embracing automation.
Challenges to Automation Adoption
Regardless of its advantages, the survey discovered that issues round value (45%), lack of perceived profit (28%), and safety dangers (26%) are among the many important causes companies have but to implement full funds automation.
“Typically, it may well really feel like a frightening activity for enterprise leaders to vary their cost processes from handbook to automated, even when the present handbook method presents challenges, is inadequate, and poses dangers,” mentioned R.J. Ancona, Vice President and Common Supervisor, B2B Product, Partnerships and Shopper Administration, Service provider Providers at American Specific. “However the actuality is that the time and value related to automation might be simpler to implement than anticipated, and might profit companies in each the brief and long term.”
Automation as a Development Technique
The examine discovered that 95% of enterprise decision-makers consider “straightforward, streamlined, and safe funds create completely happy clients.” In 2025, 43% of these planning to vary their funds processes cite enterprise progress as their main motivation.
American Specific identifies a number of key automated options that companies can undertake to enhance their funds processes:
- Automated AP (Accounts Payable) and AR (Accounts Receivable) software program options – Scale back errors, save money and time, and improve money move effectivity.
- Straight-through processing for static and digital playing cards – Absolutely digital processing with out handbook steps.
- EIPP (Digital Bill Presentment and Fee) – Streamlined digital invoicing and cost acceptance.
- Digital Push Funds – Transactions initiated by the payer for larger management over cost timing and vacation spot.
As companies look to enhance effectivity and strengthen relationships with suppliers and patrons, automation is predicted to play an important position in shaping funds methods. The survey means that whereas challenges stay, the shift towards automated funds might drive important advantages for companies within the coming yr.
The Amex Trendex B2B Funds Version survey was carried out on-line by Opinium Analysis on behalf of American Specific between December 9, 2024, and January 2, 2025. The survey included 1,000 enterprise decision-makers throughout numerous industries, chosen primarily based on their accountability for monetary companies, accounting, banking, or enterprise credit score services inside their organizations.
Picture: American Specific
