The next opportunity in SMB banking isn’t just faster payments. It’s greater productivity.

Small and midsize businesses are embracing faster payments, digital wallets, new payment networks, and more sophisticated financial tools. But moving money faster doesn’t necessarily make running a business easier. SMB owners and finance teams still spend valuable time tracking invoices, reconciling accounts, approving payments, monitoring for fraud, managing cash flow, and moving information between disconnected systems.

The 2027 SMB Payments Productivity Index examines how banks can turn payments from a transactional service into a powerful driver of productivity and stronger SMB relationships. Drawing on research from the Federal Reserve, Javelin Strategy & Research, Datos Insights and other industry sources, the report provides a practical framework for evaluating how effectively a bank’s payment experience reduces friction and helps SMB customers operate more efficiently.

The Index explores five areas that can shape the SMB banking experience:

  • Time to Get Paid: How effectively can SMBs turn business activity into accessible cash?
  • Time Spent Managing Payments: Are automation, reconciliation, approvals and accounting integrations removing administrative work?
  • Cash Flow Visibility: Can businesses easily understand what cash is available, what’s coming in and what may affect their position next?
  • Fraud and Risk Efficiency: Are payment controls protecting businesses without creating unnecessary work or friction?
  • Embedded Financial Productivity: Does banking fit naturally into the accounting systems, applications and workflows SMBs already use?

The opportunity is significant. Datos Insights research cited in the Index found that 85% of SMBs using fintech solutions would prefer to obtain those same capabilities from their primary financial institution if the bank offered them. The research also found that better payment automation tools are the leading reason businesses would consider switching financial institutions, followed closely by more payment options, real-time payment capabilities, integrated cash management tools and enhanced digital banking experiences.

For banks, that changes the competitive question. It is no longer simply, Which payment capabilities do we offer? It is, How much work do those capabilities remove for our customers

Download the 2027 SMB Payments Productivity Index to assess your institution across five critical dimensions and identify opportunities to make payments, cash flow management and everyday financial operations easier for the businesses you serve.