When it comes to combatting commercial check and ACH fraud, financial institutions are still balancing two related challenges: offering effective protection with positive pay but also getting business account holders to actually use the solution.
The latter is the focus of our on-demand webinar Closing the Positive Pay Adoption Gap. It’s a conversation between Q2’s Tim Kindschuh and Jessica Salerno and Christine Held of Bank of Ann Arbor about how banks and credit unions can move beyond simply offering Positive Pay and start driving stronger, more consistent adoption.
Below are four key takeaways from their discussion. Interested in going deeper? Click this link to watch the webinar.
1: It’s not about whether positive pay works
That’s because banks and credit union already know it does. The market doesn’t need more proof.
What is needed is for more business account holders to take advantage of this proven form of protection from check and ACH fraud. Unfortunately, the most vulnerable group-small and medium size businesses are the ones most likely to view positive pay as too complex and time-consuming.
2: Education can move adoption forward
Jessica Salerno put it succinctly:
“I don’t think of positive pay as selling. It’s educating.”
Throughout the discussion, Salerno and Christine Held shared examples of how they used to overcome challenges such as: low awareness, perceived complexity, and a belief that fraud is unlikely to happen. Salerno said Bank of Ann Arbor's positive pay messaging is similar to how a customer might think of an insurance policy: some some setup, some cost, and protection when it is needed.
3: Internal alignment makes external adoption easier
Adoption starts inside the institution.
Bank of Ann Arbor has built broad internal buy-in around positive pay, with teams across the bank aligned on its value for both the customer and the institution. That shared commitment helps employees speak more confidently and consistently about fraud prevention.
Bank of Ann Arbor's internal education is also an ongoing process that includes regular meetings with branch staff to review fraud trends, answer questions, and ensure employees are prepared to discuss positive pay with account holders.
4: Process can help close the gap
Customer education alone is not always enough. Process matters.
Bank of Ann Arbor shared how they build Positive Pay into onboarding and follow-up in ways that create clearer expectations. That approach reduces the chance that a customer agrees in principle but never fully implements the service. It also recognizes a common reality: adoption often breaks down in the space between initial interest and daily use.
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Closing the adoption gap is not a marketing exercise alone. It is a fraud strategy, a customer experience strategy, and a relationship strategy. Banks and credit unions that pair strong Positive Pay capabilities with thoughtful education and lower-friction onboarding are better positioned to help commercial account holders protect themselves.
To hear the full discussion and explore these lessons in more depth, click here to watch the webinar on demand.