In this final episode of the Instant Payments mini-series, we’ll be covering business-to-business instant payments. B2B payments are the glue that knit the global economy together. Trillions of dollars every year fly around the world to keep supply chains moving, and goods and services exchanging.
These payments are often very high value and sometimes have to travel across borders, subjecting them to complex rules around compliance, sanctions, taxes and other issues such as timezones, currencies and local market practices.
Not to mention that larger corporations often have complex legacy systems, making integrating real-time or instant processes technologically challenging.
So what are the use cases that would drive businesses to move towards instant payments?
Let’s explore some of the key ways instant payments could be used to support B2B use cases.
- Firstly, they enable the efficient settlement of supplier payments. That means businesses can promptly pay their suppliers for goods or services rendered, streamlining supply chains, improving relationships with suppliers, and ensuring smooth operations.
- Second, they allow better cash flow management. With faster access to funds, companies can allocate resources more efficiently, investing in growth opportunities, and responding quickly to market demands. This financial agility is a significant advantage for businesses operating in a competitive landscape.
- Third, instant payments contribute to stronger relationships between businesses. Paying suppliers or partners promptly demonstrates trust and reliability, fostering positive collaborations and potentially leading to better terms, discounts, or future business opportunities.
- Fourth, instant payments can reduce the administrative burden for businesses by automating payment workflows, thereby eliminating the need for manual processes and freeing up valuable time and resources. These resources could be pivoted to focus on core activities, innovation, and strategic decision-making.
- Last but not least, instant payments allow large corporations to carry out activities such as cash pooling. Cash pooling is a technique where businesses consolidate their funds into a central account to optimize cash management. With B2B instant payments, companies can easily transfer funds within their organization, allowing excess funds from one subsidiary or department to support areas with temporary liquidity needs. This consolidation enhances cash utilization, reduces borrowing costs, and provides better control over cash flow.
There’s no doubt that instant payments are the future, and the key to innovation, new means of financial inclusion, and more prosperity in our society.
Here at RedCompass Labs, we live and breathe instant payments every day with our clients, partners and team of payments experts. We’d love to talk to you about how you could start your instant payments journey today.
Check out all the episodes of Instant Payments in 100 Seconds:
Person-to-Person Solutions
Person-to-Business solutions
Business-to-Person Payments