A £2,500 kitchen deposit should not depend on a customer remembering bank details, typing the right reference and sending a screenshot two days later. Payment request by Open Banking gives you a clearer route: set the amount, add the job reference, send a request and know when the customer has approved it.
For businesses collecting deposits, stage payments and final invoices, that change is more than a tidier way to take money. It can protect cash flow, reduce admin and avoid making percentage-based card fees the default for larger jobs.
What payment request by Open Banking does
Payment request by Open Banking turns a bank payment into a structured, trackable process. Rather than emailing account details and hoping the payer uses the correct reference, you create a payment request for a specific amount and purpose. The customer receives it by a channel they already use, such as WhatsApp, SMS, email or a QR code.
When they open the request, they are taken to a secure payment page and then authorise the payment in their own banking app or online banking environment. The money moves directly from their bank account to yours. You receive a payment status and confirmation, while the customer receives a clear record of what they have paid.
That matters when a payment is tied to a booking, a materials order, a repair release or the next stage of work. The request states what is due, rather than leaving your office team to match a vague transfer against a busy bank feed.
Why informal bank transfers create avoidable delays
A manual bank transfer can look free and straightforward until the chasing begins. Your team sends bank details, the customer asks whether they are correct, then promises to pay after work. They may enter the wrong reference, underpay, or send the payment from an account in a different name. Someone then has to find it, confirm it and update the job.
Cards solve part of that problem because the payment journey is familiar and immediate. But for larger transaction values, a percentage fee can become a noticeable cost of winning and completing the work. A card payment is not automatically the right answer simply because it is convenient.
Payment request by Open Banking sits between these two approaches. It retains the direct bank-to-bank nature of a transfer but adds the control that ordinary bank details lack: a defined amount, identifiable reference, a professional payment page and a visible status.
How the payment journey works
The value of the process is its simplicity. Your team creates a request, chooses the amount and adds a reference that makes sense for the job or invoice. They share it through the channel most likely to get a quick response.
The customer follows the request and selects their bank. They approve the payment through their own bank app or online banking, using the usual security checks required by their bank. You are notified of the outcome and can issue or retain a receipt as part of your records.
This is particularly useful for businesses where the moment of collection matters. A driveway installer can request a deposit before ordering materials. A garage can take payment before releasing a vehicle. A clinic can collect a treatment balance without asking reception to take card details over the phone. A consultancy can attach a clear reference to a milestone invoice.
The customer does not need to share bank login details with your business. Regulated open-banking payment initiation provides the underlying connection, while authorisation remains with the customer and their bank.
Where payment request by Open Banking makes the biggest difference
The strongest fit is usually for payments of £250 or more, especially where a business takes a series of one-off or milestone payments. At this level, the cost difference between a fixed payment charge and a percentage-based card fee can be commercially meaningful. The exact comparison depends on your current provider, transaction values and the way you price work, so it is worth reviewing your real payment mix rather than relying on a headline figure.
It also helps where a customer is not standing in front of you. A roofer collecting a pre-start deposit, a window company requesting a survey fee, or an aesthetics practice following up after a consultation all need a payment option that works remotely without sounding informal.
For lower-value, rapid counter payments, card acceptance may still be the most practical choice. Payment request software is not intended to replace every method. It is most useful when payment value, payment certainty and the cost of chasing justify a more controlled bank-payment journey.
Features that reduce the workload behind getting paid
A request link alone is useful, but the supporting workflow is what helps teams stay on top of collections. Look for software that lets you create clear payment requests with a fixed amount and recognisable reference, then distribute them by SMS, email, WhatsApp or QR code.
Real-time status tracking is equally valuable. It gives your office a way to see whether a request has been sent, opened, approved or remains unpaid, rather than relying on memory or a spreadsheet note. Reminders can prompt customers without your team rewriting the same message, while confirmations and receipts give both sides a record.
For a growing business, reporting and CSV exports matter too. They make it easier to reconcile collections, hand information to your accountant and understand where payments are stalling. Configurable branding is not just cosmetic: a professionally presented request gives customers reassurance that the message is genuine, particularly when they receive it by text or WhatsApp.
Choosing the right payment request software
Start with the problem you actually want to fix. If payments are being delayed because customers cannot find your bank details, easy sharing and a simple customer journey should lead the decision. If the issue is reconciliation, prioritise references, exports and reporting. If card costs are affecting margin on larger jobs, understand the full pricing model before comparing options.
Ask how customers approve payments, whether you receive timely status updates, and what happens if a request expires or is not completed. Check which communication channels are supported, because a system that sits outside the way your sales and office teams work will soon be ignored.
Security should be explained plainly. Open banking does not mean handing over customer credentials to a payment platform. The customer authorises a payment through their own bank, using the security steps their bank requires. In Kube Pay's model, regulated payment initiation is provided by Yapily Connect Ltd, while Kube Finance Limited operates the merchant-facing platform.
Finally, consider the experience after the payment is made. A good system should leave you with a usable record, not another loose end to manage. Receipts, confirmations and a clear audit trail are small details until a customer calls to query a payment or a member of staff needs to check whether work can be scheduled.
Build payment collection into the job process
The best results come when requests are sent at a defined point in your workflow, not only when someone remembers. For example, send a deposit request immediately after a quotation is accepted; send a stage-payment request when materials are ready; and send the final balance request while the job handover is still active.
Be clear with customers about what the request is for and when payment is needed. A concise message such as, “Your £1,200 deposit request for the bathroom installation is ready. Please approve it using your bank app so we can confirm your fitting date,” sets the expectation without unnecessary pressure.
Getting paid should feel like a normal part of delivering the job, not a separate admin exercise at the end. The right payment request software gives your customers a secure, familiar way to approve a bank payment and gives your team the certainty to move work forward.