How MAN Truck & Bus simplified expenses and saved 85%

The problem: A slow, clunky expense process that frustrated teams

Before Payhawk, corporate card spending at MAN Truck & Bus UK relied on a system that was inefficient and costly. Submitting expenses was time-consuming, and reimbursements were slow — particularly challenging for apprentices who were new to the workplace.

Mark Cowley, Head of Procurement, recognized there was a better approach:

The existing system for expenses was quite clunky, and it took quite a lot of time for people to actually get their expenses paid through.

Teams in the workshop experienced the frustration firsthand. Bristol Branch Manager Mark Gowler, whose team regularly travels between locations, described the previous process as slow and difficult to use. Each claim added friction, and reimbursement delays often left apprentices temporarily out of pocket.

Beyond supporting apprentices and improving real-time spend visibility, the expense process also needed to fit into the broader finance operating model — delivering control, reducing risk, and scaling efficiently across branches and teams.

The solution: One platform, mobile-first, and fairer for employees

MAN Truck & Bus UK selected Payhawk through a formal tender process. For Mark Cowley, the decision was about overall value — not just price:

“I don’t just look at the best price; I look at the best cost, the best quality, and the best service I get.”

The results were immediate and measurable.

When I moved to Payhawk, I actually saved 85% of my existing cost, which was significant. And I guess the key thing is I’ve made everyone’s life easier.

With Payhawk, expense submission became straightforward. Employees use the mobile app to capture receipts, submit claims instantly, and receive reimbursements quickly — without managing paper receipts or chasing approvals.

The impact extended beyond convenience. Previously, apprentices often had to pay upfront for travel or accommodation and wait for reimbursement — a practice finance leadership wanted to eliminate. Finance Director Richard von Braunschweig explained:

“Before Payhawk, our apprentices had to partly pay for the tickets, for the trips, or for their hotels.”

For finance leaders, moving to Payhawk also removed a hidden risk: junior employees acting as short-term lenders to the business. Now, line managers use Payhawk virtual cards to cover travel and accommodation costs upfront, allowing apprentices to focus on their work without financial strain.

As Mark Gowler noted:

"All the apprentices that are using Payhawk currently have all found the system very easy to use and have been grateful for being able to get their reimbursements quickly."

The results: Lower costs, faster reimbursements, and less admin

Standardizing expense workflows delivered measurable cost savings, reduced administrative overhead, and created a more consistent experience for employees and managers.

Since implementing Payhawk, MAN Truck & Bus UK has seen clear improvements:

• Faster, simpler expense processing for employees and managers
• Quick reimbursements with minimal back-and-forth
• Apprentices no longer paying expenses out of pocket
• Reduced administrative time for branch managers
• An 85% reduction in expense system costs
• A more streamlined and reliable process for finance

For MAN Truck & Bus UK, Payhawk did more than replace an expense tool. It reduced friction, lowered costs, and created a fairer, simpler experience across the organization. For distributed businesses, expense management can be one of the fastest ways to streamline daily operations while strengthening financial control.

As Mark Cowley puts it:

The functionality is just so simple, and the time saved… it’s just a smarter way of working.

Learn more about total finance orchestration with Payhawk — where cards, reimbursements, global payments, and procurement work together in one connected system for complete visibility and control.