What B2B Payments Can Learn from Twitter’s Hashtag Moment

I know, I know. X, formerly known as Twitter, is a polarizing platform for obvious reasons. However, there are lessons to be learned from how the platform evolved early on, especially with regards to understanding user-generated innovation.

User-Generated Innovation

User-generated innovation refers to ideas and creations that come directly from users or customers rather than solely from companies or professionals.

Twitter didn’t start with hashtags, handles, or even threads. It was a simple broadcast tool—140 characters, straight to the point. But people did what people do: they shaped the product to fit their needs.

They invented the hashtag to categorize conversations, the @handle to direct messages, and Twitter adapted. Twitter watched, listened, and built around what people naturally did.

For product teams building B2B payment solutions, this means being finely attuned to unexpected usage of your products.

What workarounds do they use?

Where do they experience resistance?

What shortcuts do they take?

In those answers, you’ll find untapped revenue, better user retention, and smarter business decisions.

This is where the real UX work begins. Not in gimmicks, but in deeply understanding what your customers actually do and making their work more pleasant.

Where Are the Hidden Revenue Opportunities in B2B Payments?

B2B payments are notorious for being slow, expensive, and manual. Businesses jump through hoops just to pay vendors, approve invoices, or reconcile accounts. It’s not because they love doing things the hard way—it’s because payment systems haven’t been designed for the realities of their workflows.

1. Payment Approvals and CFO Headaches

CFOs don’t wake up thinking about how they can make a payment approval workflow better. They wake up thinking about cash flow, risk, and making sure their team isn’t stuck in a bureaucratic nightmare just to get a payment out the door.

When payment providers embed UX-driven automation into approval workflows, they’re unlocking real value. Faster approvals mean fewer missed payment deadlines, stronger vendor relationships, and early payment discounts that companies otherwise miss.

2. Real-Time Payment Visibility

Businesses want to know exactly when the funds will hit their account. Not an estimate. Not a vague “2-5 business days.” They want certainty. Yet, many B2B payment solutions still lack real-time tracking, leaving businesses guessing.

This is a missed opportunity. If a payments provider offers real-time visibility into transactions—just like you can track a package on Amazon—they instantly add value. This is a huge competitive advantage.

3. Cross-Border Pain Points

Cross-border payments for SMBs are a mess. They’re expensive, full of hidden fees, and unpredictable in timing. What if instead of adding unecessary features, cross-border payment solutions focused on transparency? What if businesses could see exactly how much will be deducted in fees, what the FX rate is before sending, and when the payment will hit the recipient’s account?

An exceptional payment experience improves trust which lead to higher transaction volumes, and stronger customer loyalty.

What Happens When You Force Change Instead of Enhancing Workflows?

From Twitter to M-Pesa, some of the most groundbreaking product innovations have arisen from enhancing existing habits and routines. When you simplify what people already do, you drive adoption and satisfaction. But disrupt someone’s routine without a clear benefit, and you’ll only create frustration.

Make life simpler, not more complicated.

Many B2B payment systems claim they’re bringing something new, but often their strict systems end up making things more complicated. For example, some payment platforms force users to follow a fixed approval process that doesn't match the way finance teams already work. This means people have to repeat steps to approve and match payments, which can lead to mistakes.

Additionally, many supplier portals don't support live, real-time communication, so nearly 40% of orders end up needing other ways to get in touch. On top of that, it's hard to connect these new systems with older ones, and suppliers can be hesitant to change how they work.

Your customers don’t need extra hurdles; they need tools that fit into the way they already work. The best improvements come from making current processes simpler:

✅ Connect easily with existing accounting software (like QuickBooks, NetSuite, SAP) so that matching payments happens automatically.
✅ Offer familiar payment methods (ACH, wire, virtual cards, etc ) instead of forcing a single, limited option.
✅ Allow simple approval steps on both mobile and desktop so teams can work in the way that suits them best.
✅ Provide clear settings for user permissions and fraud protection so that finance teams can manage payments without extra hassle.

The best payment solutions start by cutting out unnecessary steps, making the process easier from the very beginning and encouraging more people to use them.

How Can We Simplify B2B Payment Workflows?

1. Automate the Pain Points That Waste the Most Time

• Auto-fill payment details for repeat transactions
• AI-driven invoice matching to reduce errors
• Smart reminders for approvals to keep things moving

2. Reduce the Need for Manual Intervention

• Smart fraud detection that alerts only when necessary
• Pre-set approval rules so every invoice doesn’t need review
• Automated reconciliation that matches payments to invoices instantly

3. Make It Rewarding to Use the System

• Cashback or discounts for paying early
• Instant confirmation and receipt generation
• Clear insights on cost savings from optimizing workflows

The Business Case for Great UX in B2B Payments

• Faster approvals = better cash flow. If vendors get paid on time, they offer better terms.
• Less friction = more transactions. When payments are easy, businesses send more of them.
• Better visibility = smarter decision-making. Knowing exactly when money moves helps CFOs plan better.
• Higher retention = lower churn. A payment solution that removes headaches keeps customers locked in.

The Bottom Line

B2B payments don’t need a revolution. They need someone to listen. The same way Twitter adapted to how users actually communicated, payment providers need to adapt to how businesses really move money.

Start asking: "Where do our customers struggle the most, and how can we keep improving their condition?"

At WDIR, we specialize in simplifying B2B payments globally through a holistic user experience strategy. Get in touch today!