AI & invoicing friction shape B2B buying in Europe

TreviPay has published research showing friction in the B2B buying process across Europe. The study found that payment and invoicing issues are affecting supplier loyalty beyond price.

The survey covered 550 business buyers in the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Australia. It found that slow onboarding, inconsistent invoicing and gaps in digital processes remain common complaints, even as buyers make wider use of artificial intelligence in purchasing and payments.

Nearly eight in 10 respondents said they always or often use AI in B2B purchasing and payment processes. Buyers most often associated it with better decision-making through data insights, stronger fraud prevention and risk management, and less manual work.

Adoption was not uniform across markets. In France and Germany, respondents linked AI more closely to practical finance tasks such as invoice-status visibility and automatic matching of invoices to purchase orders, reflecting concerns about accuracy and process control.

Germany stood out as a more cautious market, with compliance requirements contributing to slower uptake. The findings suggest businesses want AI tools that address administrative bottlenecks rather than broad automation.

Invoice Demand

The research also highlighted the continued importance of invoicing in supplier choice. Almost half of businesses surveyed, 47%, said the option to pay by invoice helps determine where they place repeat business.

That preference remains central to B2B trade in Europe, although it varies by country and company size. Trade credit was especially common in the UK and Germany, where 46% of buyers reported using it. Spanish buyers relied on it less and showed the strongest demand for invoice customisation.

In Spain, 93% of respondents wanted invoice customisation, compared with 82% overall. The data points to a market where format and administrative flexibility matter as much as payment timing.

Company size also shaped priorities. Enterprises with more than 500 employees placed greater emphasis on ERP integration and purchasing controls, while mid-sized businesses prioritised speed and flexibility in the buying process.

In the UK, fast onboarding emerged as one of the strongest competitive factors for suppliers. This suggests that administrative delays at the start of a customer relationship can directly affect conversion and repeat business.

Persistent Friction

Despite wider digitalisation, everyday process failures remain entrenched. Buyers cited incorrect invoices, limited ERP integration, inconsistent invoice formats and delays in approval workflows as recurring sources of frustration.

The scale of these problems varied sharply between markets. In Germany, 76% of buyers reported issues with payment options overall, compared with 37% in Spain.

These differences indicate that B2B payments in Europe are still far from standardised. For suppliers operating across borders, a single approach to payment terms, invoice presentation and approval flows may not meet local expectations.

TreviPay said the issues are becoming more important as finance teams manage tighter operating conditions and more complex compliance requirements. Payment experience is emerging as a differentiator in supplier selection, particularly where products and pricing are otherwise similar.

Inez Berkhof-Hollander, vice president of EMEA at TreviPay, said that across Europe and the United Kingdom, finance teams are navigating economic pressure, regulatory complexity and rising buyer expectations.

"Our research shows payment and invoicing experiences now play a decisive role in supplier selection.

"Pay by invoice remains the dominant B2B payment method across Europe. It's woven into how businesses operate here. But preferences vary significantly."

The findings suggest suppliers face a dual challenge: responding to growing interest in AI-assisted processes while fixing longstanding operational problems that buyers still encounter in routine transactions.

Improvements in onboarding, invoice accuracy, ERP connectivity and approval speed may carry as much weight as newer tools. In markets where caution around automation remains high, especially Germany, buyers appear to favour systems that solve specific administrative problems rather than sweeping changes to procurement workflows.

"While there will always be regional differences, it all comes down to reducing friction at every stage of the buying journey," Berkhof-Hollander said.

"Flexibility is key to helping suppliers cement repeat business and deliver sustainable growth."