Introduction
For small businesses across the UK, managing cash flow is a constant juggling act. Whether you’re a wholesaler, food importer, or distributor, payment delays and processing fees can eat into your profits. That’s where direct bank payments come in — a faster, cheaper alternative to cards or cheques, now made even more powerful with Open Banking.
The Problem with Traditional Payments
Traditional business payments — think card transactions, cheques, or Bacs — are slow, costly, and prone to error. Card payments come with fees, while Bacs transfers can take three days to settle. For many small businesses, this means waiting to get paid and chasing invoices, impacting everything from stock management to supplier relationships.
Take, for example, a wholesale food distributor supplying dozens of retailers. Each delayed payment strains cash flow, limiting your ability to restock or pay your own suppliers on time. And with paper-based processes or manual reconciliation, things get messy fast.
These inefficiencies are why Open Banking for small businesses is becoming a game-changer.
How Direct Bank Payments Work — and Why They’re Better
Direct bank payments are account-to-account (A2A) transactions that move money straight from the buyer’s bank account to yours. No cards, no intermediaries, and — thanks to Open Banking — no delays.
With Open Banking, customers authorise payments securely through their bank, right from your invoice or checkout page. Funds settle instantly or within minutes, and you’re notified straight away.
With Zendr, you can process these payments instantly and manage your cash flow from one central platform. Whether collecting payments, reconciling invoices, or managing your ERP data, Zendr unites everything in one secure app.
A Quick Example
Imagine you run a wholesale bakery supplying cafés and delis across the UK. With Zendr’s Open Banking payments, each client pays directly from their bank — no waiting for card clearance or Bacs delays. You see the payment instantly in your dashboard, automatically matched to the invoice. That’s hours saved on admin and a big improvement to your cash flow.
The Business Benefits of Direct Bank Payments
Switching to direct bank payments offers clear, measurable advantages for small businesses:
- Faster payments: Instant or same-day settlement means better cash flow.
- Lower fees: No card networks or intermediaries means fewer charges.
- Improved security: Bank-level authentication reduces fraud risk.
- Better customer experience: No need to enter card details or wait for confirmation.
- Simplified reconciliation: Payments are matched to invoices in real time.
- Increased control: Monitor all transactions from one secure dashboard.
For SMEs, especially those in wholesale and distribution, these savings add up fast.
Zendr’s Approach to Direct Bank Payments
At Zendr, we believe payments should be simple, transparent, and immediate. That’s why we’ve built a platform that puts direct bank payments and ERP controls at your fingertips.
With Zendr, your customers pay directly via their bank using a secure Open Banking connection. No more delays, no more manual entry. Just faster payments, automatically tracked and matched inside your ERP dashboard.
Whether you need to collect payments, manage stock, or sync with your accounting system, Zendr makes it seamless.
Conclusion
Direct bank payments are revolutionising how UK small businesses get paid. They’re faster, cheaper, and more secure than traditional methods — and thanks to Open Banking, easier than ever to set up. If you’re looking to improve your cash flow and reduce admin, now’s the time to switch.
Start saving today with Zendr’s free payment app.