Why Technology is the Key to Small Business Resilience and Growth

By Danny Martucci, President and GM, Corpay Commercial Cards

Small and medium-sized businesses are fighting hard to remain agile and resilient. With inflation pressures, labor shortages, and rapidly shifting customer expectations, it’s no surprise that roughly half a million U.S. small businesses shut their doors each year. Yet, despite the headwinds, 85% of SMBs remain optimistic about their growth prospects, according to Corpay’s recent survey. That level of confidence is inspiring. And from my vantage point, it’s also justified.

So, what’s fueling this optimism? Increasingly, it’s technology. More specifically, it’s how SMBs are using modern tools to control expenses, manage cash flow, and drive operational efficiency. At Corpay, we see this transformation happening every day, and it’s changing the trajectory of our clients' businesses.

From Manual to Modern: The Finance Tech Shift

When I started my career in consulting, many companies were still struggling with fragmented systems and paper-based processes. And for small businesses, the finance function was particularly outdated, relying on paper invoices, mailed checks, and stacks of receipts that needed to be manually reconciled.

Fast forward to today, and the game has changed. Small businesses now have access to affordable, cloud-based tools that were once only available to large enterprises. At Corpay, we help SMBs modernize their expense management with commercial cards, integrated AP automation, and streamlined vendor payments. The result? Businesses gain better visibility, increased cash flow, and time back to focus on growth.

For example, our AP automation solutions use AI to extract data from invoices, schedule payments, manage approval workflows, and sync with accounting software. What used to take hours of manual work now happens automatically. That’s real, measurable impact.

The Business Case: ROI That Speaks for Itself

Technology adoption needs to make business sense, and for our clients, it does. The return on investment comes from three main places:

1. Improved cash flow: Rebates and credit line access through commercial card programs allow businesses to invest more in growth initiatives.

2. Operational efficiency: By reducing time spent on manual processes, staff can focus on higher-value activities.

3. Lower overhead: Automation often reduces the need for additional hires or outsourcing, which saves money and increases agility.

These benefits create a ripple effect across the business. When cash is optimized and finance processes are streamlined, it opens the door to faster decision-making, better vendor relationships, and greater scalability.

Security and Scalability: Critical Enablers

Understandably, some small businesses are hesitant to adopt new technology because of perceived security risks. But modern cloud solutions are often more secure than legacy systems. With audit logs, access controls, and real-time monitoring, today’s platforms offer far more protection than a paper ledger in a filing cabinet ever could.

What’s more, cloud solutions are easier to implement and scale than ever before. SMBs no longer need an IT team or a massive budget to take advantage of sophisticated tools. In many cases, businesses can get up and running in hours—not weeks.

The Role of AI: A Quiet Revolution

AI is quickly becoming embedded into the very foundation of business tools. At Corpay, we’re already leveraging generative AI in our invoice processing, allowing us to not only extract data, but interpret context, flag discrepancies, and provide actionable insights. It’s not just automation—it’s intelligent automation.

Our survey showed that 89% of SMBs plan to pilot AI in their operations in 2025, up from just 34% a year ago. That kind of rapid adoption signals a major shift in how these businesses are preparing for the future—and gaining a competitive edge.

Getting Started: Start Small, Scale Smart

For SMBs looking to embrace digital transformation, my advice is simple: start with one clear use case. Whether it's automating invoice payments, managing expenses with a commercial card program, or digitizing vendor management, pick an area where the benefits are obvious and tangible. Prove out the value. Build confidence. Then scale.

At Corpay, we’re proud to support the small businesses that power the global economy. And we’re committed to delivering technology that helps them not just survive, but thrive, in any market condition.

The future is bright for SMBs who embrace change and invest in technology that becomes a growth engine.