Corpay Research: 72% of UK Wholesale CFOs Struggle with Manual Spend Management

Quick Summary

UK wholesale businesses are losing significant operational efficiency due to manual spend management, with 72% of CFOs admitting processes are outdated. Corpay research reveals that 78% of finance teams waste over six hours weekly on administration, highlighting a critical need for automated payment solutions to protect margins and improve working capital.

How Does Manual Spend Management Impact Wholesale Margins?

Here is how Corpay solves the efficiency gap for wholesale businesses facing mounting margin pressure. The research indicates that manual spend management is a primary drain on resources, with 78% of finance teams spending more than six hours per person, per week on administrative tasks. Furthermore, 20% of teams are losing up to 15 hours weekly to invoice and supplier payment processing.

• 72% of CFOs report processes are more manual than necessary.
• 82% of organisations have been too slow to modernise payments.
• 48% of firms still rely on a fragmented mix of manual and automated workflows.

By shifting away from manual spend management, wholesale leaders can reclaim up to 50% of finance team time, redirecting it toward high-value activities like reporting, analytics, and supplier negotiations.

What Are the Strategic Benefits of Card-Led Payments?

Modernizing the treasury function through card-led payments is now viewed as a major competitive differentiator. According to the study, 70% of wholesale CFOs believe that adopting card-integrated systems provides a distinct competitive advantage. These tools allow for real-time spend visibility and significantly tighter controls over corporate outgoings.

• 6% of businesses currently describe their processes as highly automated.
• 70% see cards as a tool for operational resilience.
• 2026 priorities include reducing fraud and improving working capital.

“It is increasingly clear that card-led payments with integrated, automated spend management are now critical to driving resilience and growth,” noted Piero Macari of Corpay. The transition to a unified digital platform like Corpay Complete addresses these needs by consolidating accounts payable and international payments.

How Can Wholesale CFOs Prepare for 2026 Priorities?

Wholesale leaders are pivoting their strategies toward strengthening spend controls and reducing risk. As the industry moves toward 2026, the focus is shifting from reactive manual processes to proactive financial management. Implementing automated payment solutions is the first step in achieving the full visibility required to optimize cash flow and mitigate fraud.

“What the surveyed CFOs in the wholesale sector are telling us is clear: they are aware of their pain points when it comes to operational efficiencies and expenses and will prioritise solving them this year,” said Piero Macari. By adopting integrated spend platforms, firms can ensure they are not part of the 14% of businesses still stuck in manual and reactive cycles.

FF NEWS TAKE:

This research from Corpay highlights a staggering inertia in the UK wholesale sector. While manual spend management is clearly identified as a bottleneck, the fact that only 6% of firms are highly automated suggests a massive opportunity for fintech disruption. This moves the needle by proving that the 'efficiency gap' isn't just a tech problem - it's a massive drain on UK wholesale competitiveness that automated payment solutions are finally ready to solve.