Late payments drain working capital and distract your team from growth. Pay by Link offers a direct, secure way to collect funds the moment your customer is ready—helping many businesses settle within 1–3 business days instead of waiting on bank transfers or manual reconciliations. When you reduce friction at the final mile of checkout, cash flow improves—and so does customer experience.
Table of Contents
What Is Pay by Link—and Why It Matters for Cash Flow
At its simplest, Pay by Link lets your team generate a secure, branded payment URL and send it by email, SMS, chat, or invoice—so your customer can pay instantly with a familiar method (cards, online banking, or supported wallets). No website checkout, code, or payment gateway build is required. For many SMEs, this is the fastest path to cash on ad-hoc invoices, bespoke orders, and phone-closed deals. (Philipay)
For businesses operating between the UK and the Philippines, Pay by Link in the Philipay stack sits alongside International Payments and a Multi-Currency Account, so you can collect in GBP/EUR/USD/CAD and convert to PHP when it suits your treasury.
The Late-Payment Problem You’re Solving
Late payments are not a minor inconvenience—they’re a systemic headwind to SME growth. UK policy is now moving to shorten supplier payment terms and force disclosure, reflecting the scale of the issue. The government has proposed cutting maximum terms to 45 days and empowering regulators to scrutinise board-level payment practices. (Financial Times)
Recent UK research indicates late payments cost the economy billions and lead to thousands of closures each year—an avoidable drag on investment and jobs. Streamlining collections with Pay by Link is one practical lever SMEs can pull now while regulation catches up. (Small Business Commissioner)
Digital payment adoption is also rising globally, making customer readiness less of a barrier than it was even a few years ago. As consumers and business buyers grow used to streamlined, link-based experiences, offering Pay by Link increasingly aligns with buyer expectations. (McKinsey & Company)
How Pay by Link Speeds Up Settlement to 1–3 Days
Traditional invoice collections rely on email, manual reminders, and bank transfers that can take days to land and reconcile. With Pay by Link, customers authorise payment instantly, you receive confirmation, and settlement commonly completes in 1–3 business days—compressing Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and easing working-capital strain.
Three reasons this is faster:
- Immediate authorisation reduces drop-off from “I’ll pay later.”
- Familiar methods (major cards, online banking, supported wallets) lower friction for both domestic and cross-border clients.
- Integrated payout rails move funds from authorisation to settlement without your team chasing references or screenshots. If you’re paying out locally in the UK, Faster Payments also helps keep money moving.
For companies billing abroad and paying talent or suppliers in the Philippines, pairing Pay by Link with a Multi-Currency Account and Currency Capabilities lets you hold funds in major currencies, convert to PHP at competitive rates, and time conversions to manage FX exposure.
7 Proven Ways to Use Pay by Link to Boost Cash Flow
1) Close the deal on the call
When sales and finance align, a rep or account manager can generate a Pay by Link during a call and drop it into chat or email while momentum is high. This eliminates “I’ll pay later,” pulling cash forward.
2) Capture deposits and milestone payments
Use Pay by Link for deposits, pre-service retainers, and milestone invoices. Customers recognise deposits as standard practice—link-based payments make them effortless and traceable.
3) Speed up overdue invoices with smart reminders
For invoices past due, follow up with a short note and a Pay by Link that pre-fills amount and reference. Many debtors aren’t avoiding you; they’re overwhelmed. One click beats logging into online banking.
4) Add QR-to-link for field and remote scenarios
Technicians, consultants, and delivery teams can present a QR code that opens a Pay by Link on the customer’s device—no hardware terminals, no paper receipts.
5) Offer Pay by Link for bespoke or offline orders
If your e-commerce stack doesn’t fit custom quotes, issue a link with exact line-item totals and notes. Your buyer gets a professional, secure way to pay without needing a checkout page.
6) Collect internationally in GBP/EUR/USD/CAD
Combine Pay by Link with Philipay’s International Payments to receive funds quickly and convert to PHP when rates are favourable—use rate alerts, limit orders, or fixed rates to optimise FX timing.
7) Reduce payroll float with faster receivables
When receivables land sooner via Pay by Link, you can run Mass Payments to your contractors or BPO workforce on time, without dipping into expensive credit. That reliability builds vendor trust and reduces churn.
Implementation Playbook: Deploy Pay by Link in Your Finance Ops
Step 1 — Policy: define when teams must use Pay by Link (deposits, orders >£X, international clients, overdue reminders). Embed the rule into quoting and collections SOPs.
Step 2 — Access & controls: create role-based access in your Business Account so finance, sales ops, and customer service can generate links with auditable logs.
Step 3 — Templates: standardise link templates (branding, terms, references) to reduce errors. Ensure every Pay by Link carries your logo and clear description. (Philipay)
Step 4 — Channels: decide primary delivery (email/SMS/WhatsApp/chat). For field use, print QR stickers that open a Pay by Link.
Step 5 — Training & scripts: arm staff with “collection moments” language—short, confident prompts that convert intent to payment.
Step 6 — Reconciliation: map incoming settlements to your ledger. Create rules in your accounting system to match references from Pay by Link notifications to invoice IDs.
Step 7 — Review: assess DSO and collections rate weekly for the first 90 days; adjust policies and templates as needed.
Security, Compliance & Risk Management
Pay by Link with Philipay is built for security: transactions are encrypted, PCI DSS compliant, and monitored by AI-driven fraud controls. As a UK-regulated provider, Philipay operates under strict standards for data protection, screening, and transaction monitoring—so your team doesn’t have to build that stack in-house.
Practical tips to reduce risk:
- Use brand-consistent links so customers recognise them as legitimate.
- Enforce least-privilege access for link creation and refunds.
- Enable 2FA for your team’s portal logins and restrict IPs where appropriate.
- Educate customers that you never ask for credentials; you send secure links that open to a hosted page.
Pricing, FX & Multi-Currency Considerations
Many SMEs pay more in lost time than in fees. A Pay by Link model with simple, flat-rate pricing can be easier to forecast than gateway + scheme + acquirer fees. If you collect in GBP/EUR/USD/CAD and settle in PHP, pair Pay by Link with a Multi-Currency Account to hold, convert at competitive rates, and time FX with tools like limit orders and rate alerts from International Payments. (Philipay)
For UK domestic payouts, Philipay gives you access to Faster Payments for immediate or forward-dated disbursements—handy when receivables arrive quickly and you need to pay suppliers or contractors the same week. (Philipay)
Workflows, Reconciliation & Reporting
Strong finance ops don’t stop at collection. Build a reconciliation layer that:
- Captures Pay by Link confirmation emails/webhooks and posts them to your ERP.
- Auto-matches settlement amounts to invoices using invoice numbers in link metadata.
- Flags any partial or duplicate payments for human review.
- Exports weekly reports on authorisations, settlements, refunds, and chargebacks for management oversight.
If you’re paying many recipients, route funds seamlessly to Mass Payments or local disbursements via Domestic Transfer.
Who Benefits Most from Pay by Link?
- BPOs & outsourcing providers—quote, confirm scope, and send a Pay by Link before allocating seats or agents.
- Professional services & agencies—secure retainers and milestones without chasing bank remittances.
- Exporters & distributors—collect from overseas buyers in major currencies, then convert to PHP when the rate makes sense.
- SaaS & tech—use links for one-off implementation fees and bespoke add-ons that don’t sit in your normal checkout.
- Field service & logistics—QR-to-link lets crews collect on delivery or completion.
For businesses managing payroll for a remote Filipino workforce, leveraging a dedicated Mass Payments solution alongside Pay by Link is critical for efficiency and accuracy.
KPIs to Track and the ROI Case
To quantify the impact of Pay by Link, track:
- DSO (Days Sales Outstanding): benchmark current vs. post-deployment. Even a 2–3 day improvement compounds through the year.
- % invoices paid via link: aim for 40–60% adoption in targeted use cases within 90 days.
- Time-to-cash (authorisation → settlement): target 1–3 business days. (Philipay)
- Collector time saved: measure time previously spent sending reminders and reconciling bank transfers.
- Chargeback/Dispute rate: keep tight controls and clear descriptors to minimise noise.
Global trends continue to favour digital payments, which supports higher conversion on link-based invoices over time. That shift underpins a durable ROI as customers become more comfortable with paying from a secure link on any device. (McKinsey & Company)
Get Started: From Pilot to Scale
- Pilot in one team or use case—for example, deposits and overdue invoices—then expand.
- Enable a Philipay Business Account to configure roles, templates, and reconciliation rules. Open your account and review our About Us to understand our service model.
- Implement the full stack—Pay by Link plus International Payments, Multi-Currency Account, and Currency Capabilities for global receivables and PHP payouts.
- Scale to finance ops with Mass Payments for contractors and suppliers.
To start streamlining your international transactions, register for a Philipay account today and experience the difference. For partnership or integration questions, contact our team and we’ll recommend the most efficient setup for your volumes and markets.
FAQs
How quickly will I get paid using Pay by Link?
Most Pay by Link transactions settle in 1–3 business days, depending on method and acquirer processing. You’ll receive payment confirmation immediately after authorisation. (Philipay)
Is Pay by Link secure?
Yes. Philipay encrypts every transaction, adheres to PCI DSS, and applies AI-driven fraud monitoring. You also benefit from UK regulatory standards for financial services. (Philipay)
Do I need a website checkout?
No. Pay by Link is designed for quick, secure payments without building a checkout. Send links by email, SMS, or chat and track status in your portal. (Philipay)
Can I accept multiple currencies and convert to PHP later?
Yes. With a Multi-Currency Account you can hold GBP/EUR/USD/CAD, then convert to PHP at competitive rates when you choose. (Philipay)
What if I need to pay many recipients after collecting?
Use Mass Payments for bulk payouts, and Domestic Transfer for UK same-day disbursements via Faster Payments. (Philipay)
If you’re ready to cut DSO and boost cash flow with Pay by Link, register now—or contact us to discuss your volumes, currencies, and compliance requirements.
