Trust As A Superpower: Why Financial Relationships Define B2B Success

Forbes

08-07-2025

Brandon Spear | CEO of TreviPay, a global B2B payments and invoicing network that believes loyalty begins at the payment.
Trust often gets overshadowed by metrics like growth, efficiency and innovation, especially in today's competitive business environment. It's rarely listed on balance sheets or discussed in quarterly earnings calls. But behind every long-term client relationship, every successful partnership and every market expansion, trust is quietly doing the heavy lifting.
Too often, trust is viewed as intangible. While important, it's not easily measured or managed, but trust is one of the most powerful performance drivers in the business-to-business (B2B) world. According to Deloitte, companies with high trust scores can outperform their peers by up to 400%. That's not a coincidence. It's a reflection of how trust enables faster decisions, deeper collaboration and more resilient partnerships.
The Vulnerability Behind Every Financial Transaction
Nowhere is trust more critical, or more tested, than in financial relationships. When a business chooses a vendor to handle payments, process sensitive data or support global expansion, it's handing over control of vital operations that directly impact revenue, customer experience and compliance. These are not casual decisions. They are calculated risks.
And in B2B, those risks are magnified. Unlike business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions, which are largely standardized and individual, B2B payments involve complex processes, multiple decision-makers and often larger transaction sizes. A single transaction might involve a procurement team, finance leaders, a legal department and the end user—each with unique priorities and preferences. In this environment, trust isn't just about feeling confident. It's about enabling action. It's the glue that holds together complex decision-making and high-stakes execution.
Trust Fuels Speed, Innovation And Loyalty
Through my experience working with global B2B enterprises, I've seen how trust transforms business dynamics. High-trust relationships with a vendor are typically distinguished through shortened decision cycles, clearer and more open communication, as well as better collaboration. This can create significant advantages in fast-moving markets and often better service.
A PwC study also found that 93% of business executives agree that the ability to build and maintain trust improves the bottom line. When clients trust their vendors, they're more likely to embrace new programs, experiment with innovative solutions and expand into new markets. Consider a merchant looking to enter a new country. The financial implications are daunting: different regulations, tax rules, foreign exchange volatility and cultural nuances. Without trust, this move may feel too risky. But with a trusted partner who has a proven track record, the same challenge becomes an opportunity. The merchant can focus on growth, knowing the financial complexity is in capable hands.
Buyer Behavior And Business Trust
Even the most data-driven B2B buyer is influenced by emotion, especially when making financial decisions. Forrester's Business Trust Survey found 43% of business buyers admit they make defensive purchase decisions more than 70% of the time. That means they choose what feels safest, not necessarily what's most innovative or cost-effective.
This defensive posture is a direct result of low trust. When buyers don't feel confident that a vendor has their best interests in mind, they fall back on risk avoidance. But the upside of trust is equally powerful. The same Forrester research revealed that buyers who trust their suppliers are nearly twice as likely to recommend them, or even pay a premium to work with them, compared to those who don't. That's the power of trust. It's not just a way to maintain business. It's a path to becoming a preferred partner.
How To Build And Measure Your 'Trust Quotient'
So, how can companies assess and improve their trustworthiness?
Start by looking at how your teams respond when things go wrong. This could include payment delays, reconciliation errors, security incidents or other pressure points where trust is either reinforced or eroded. High-trust organizations don't deflect blame or delay communication. They show up early, speak transparently and take ownership of solutions.
Next, examine how you handle client data. Are you doing the minimum to stay compliant, or are you actively using that data to help your clients succeed? For example, if your platform sees a pattern in a buyer's behavior, are you proactively offering insights that could help them plan? That's the difference between being a service provider and a strategic advisor. Data stewardship marks the boundary between service providers and trusted advisors, helping to create a better customer experience. From my experience, this goes a long way to cementing a merchant or supplier as a long-time partner.
Trust As An Operational Discipline
Every part of the financial ecosystem is in the business of trust. It's an operational discipline that, when cultivated, delivers long-term client loyalty. By treating financial relationships as opportunities to demonstrate trustworthiness rather than just process transactions, vendors create sustainable competitive advantages that technology alone cannot replicate.
In an economy where products and services can feel similar, trust remains the ultimate differentiator. It's a strategic asset. And when treated as such, it becomes the superpower that propels your business forward. The companies that recognize this—and build systematic approaches to earning and maintaining trust—will foster long-term relationships that place your business in rare company.
The information provided here is not investment, tax or financial advice. You should consult with a licensed professional for advice concerning your specific situation.
Forbes Finance Council is an invitation-only organization for executives in successful accounting, financial planning and wealth management firms. Do I qualify?