Large corporations don’t always want full automation or the most technologically-advanced system when it comes to accounts payable systems.
“Most corporates aren’t looking to make a drastic change to their payment processes, they just need to handle the link between their accounting software and a bank’s treasury system,” said Kofi Conduah, CEO of Regal Software, an accounts payable automation services provider. “We do add automation and security to the process, but it’s mostly about catering our service to card issuers and banks.”
Regal Software specializes in connecting enterprise resource planning tools with banking payment systems. Without a bridge between accounting software and a company’s bank, employees need to log into the company bank account, input vendor data, and then send out a check. With a solution that links the two together, workers can pay bills from a company's account software and use virtual cards, as well as traditional bank transfers, as a payment option.
For Conduah, bridging the gap between accounting software and a bank’s payment system, which he calls “the last mile of payments", may be a simple solution, but solves an important issue.
“There’s a lot of technology behind automating the last mile, but simplicity is usually the best solution. The end result is a solution that solves an important, yet simple question: How do I get my data to and from the bank without jumping through a bunch of hoops?” he said.
Focusing on the last mile has paid off for Regal Software. The company got media attention in early November when US Bank launched the Regal Software developed APConnector. The announcement was the result of several months of vetting, plus completing software that fit U.S. Banks needs. The banking feature allows customers to easily link ERP software with US Bank treasury accounts.
“With APConnector, organizations can realize the increased efficiency and cost savings offered by U.S. Bank Virtual Pay without modifying their ERP systems or undergoing a major IT project,” said Bob Kaufman, U.S. Bank virtual payments general manager in a press release.
The case of Regal Software can provide insight to aspiring entrepreneurs and fintech upstarts. With all sorts of impressive technology in the world, in may become difficult to stick to the mantra of keep it simple stupid. Although companies that solve problems via a simple solution may not be called disruptive, they may find themselves winning contracts with incumbent banks and financial institutions for the foreseeable future.