For years, the payments industry focused heavily on front-end speed and convenience. But as the ecosystem becomes more data-driven, business clients want something deeper: the ability to see, understand, and act across the entire transaction lifecycle. That shift is pushing payments providers to rethink what “client experience” truly means.
In a new article for The Green Sheet, Kate Knudsen of BHMI explains why the payments back office has become the new foundation of transparency, partnership, and trust.
Why This Shift Matters
The 2025 AFP Digital Payments Survey shows data analytics is now the most widely adopted technology in payments. And with 76% of organizations planning to update their payments strategy in the next three years, the industry is entering a major transformation. Clients want more than reports — they want real-time, self-service intelligence.
As Peter Tapling, Managing Director of PTap Advisory and Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the U.S. Faster Payments Council, notes in the article, aggregating and structuring payments data unlocks transformative benefits, from operational efficiency to monetization opportunities.
Importance of Empowering Clients with Actionable Insights
Traditionally, back-office functions such as reconciliation, fee assessment, dispute management, and settlement were disconnected from client experience. Now, they are the foundation of client intelligence.
As Joyce Mehlman, Founder of iLEX Consulting Group, LLC says, “The most trusted payments providers will be those that give clients self-service visibility into what’s happening behind the scenes. When clients can see issues, understand causes, and take action instantly, it transforms the relationship from reactive support to proactive partnership.”
Industry Forces Accelerating the Change
ISO 20022 adoption, real-time payments, and emerging open finance frameworks are all expanding the amount, speed, and structure of payments data. The providers who can organize and expose this data effectively will shape the next generation of client experience.
Bottom Line
Client experience no longer begins at checkout. It begins in the payments back office.
Payments providers that invest now in back-office modernization – transparency, analytics, and client-driven visibility – will be the ones who differentiate, retain clients, and lead the next era of growth.
