Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE: FI), a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology solutions, is partnering with Melio, a leading B2B payments platform, to enable financial institutions to better meet the payments needs of small businesses.
CashFlow Central from Fiserv, launched through an exclusive relationship with Melio, will combine the easy-to-use accounts payable and receivable workflows for which Melio is known with the market-leading biller and merchant network and payment capabilities of Fiserv.
CashFlow Central will enable financial institutions to compete in the small business segment and regain market share from direct-to-business competition by meeting the full range of small business payment and invoicing needs. The solution will be available through Fiserv financial institution clients, including the more than 3,500 that currently utilize CheckFree® from Fiserv for bill payment. CashFlow Central will leverage consumer and merchant payment platforms already used by these financial institutions, speeding time to market, simplifying back-office operations and enabling small business customers to seamlessly transition to the new experience.
Small business payment needs have historically been underserved, and manual and paper-based processes are still commonly used. In addition, existing capabilities are often fragmented, with most small businesses using two to four tools to manage incoming and outgoing payments.
Fiserv is enabling financial institutions to address these pain points with CashFlow Central, an integrated digital payment and cash flow management experience that allows small businesses to send electronic invoices, accept payments via ACH transfer or credit card, electronify all supplier invoices, and pay both billers and suppliers via a bank account or credit card. The solution can be extended further with capabilities for expense management and card issuing, as well as in-store and online merchant payments through the Clover® point-of-sale and business management platform from Fiserv, delivering a comprehensive end-to-end suite of small business payment capabilities via financial institutions.
“Financial institutions are battling to regain market share from direct-to-business competitors, and small businesses are looking for solutions that combine commercial-level capabilities with the ease of use of a consumer payment solution,” said John Gibbons, head of the Financial Institutions Group at Fiserv. “Now financial institutions have an answer, a comprehensive, integrated experience that is just right for small businesses, enabling them to pay and get paid electronically and instantly. We believe this will be the first solution in the market to meet their needs.”
“Cash Flow Central will help small businesses, who are the backbone of the U.S. economy, to minimize busywork and maximize their cash flow,” said Matan Bar, CEO and co-founder of Melio. “The combination of innovative Fiserv payment capabilities and Melio’s accounts payable and receivable automation software will create significant value for banks and their small business customers.”