How to Make Your Utility Bill and Payment Process Super Easy for Customers

by | Jan 14, 2021

Optimize The Utility Bill And Payment CX 

Today’s utility customers are exposed to high standards of customer experience from other sectors, such as financial services and insurance. It shouldn’t be a surprise then when they expect the same level of information, convenience, and availability from their utility.  Yet, there are cases where the only communication a customer receives is their utility bill and even then, the experience of receiving the utility bill and making a payment is not optimized for a great CX.

Whether the bill is one of a few or many touchpoints, the customer’s experience of the utility bill and payment process has a profound influence on their perception of the utility as a whole. It makes sense then that enhancing this experience should be part of a utility’s broader customer experience improvement strategy.

To transform the utility bill and payment CX, you need a robust combination of strategy, technology, and expertise. Why? Because balancing customer experience, security risk mitigation, and checkout conversion optimization is a challenging task.

The required steps include understanding the following:

  • How to reach your payments audience
  • What customers want in a bill and payment solution
  • How you can optimize CX in the utility bill and payment journey

Optimizing CX in the utility bill and payment journey 

In order to deliver the best experience possible, it’s important to take into account three areas of customer expectation:

Ease of use 

Today’s customers are busier than ever. They don’t have time to look for bills or engage in a prolonged payment process. They want to review their bill and complete the payment process in as few and simple steps as possible.

Choice of payment options  

Utility customers come from a variety of demographics. Some will be quick to adopt the latest digital payment options, while others may still feel most comfortable interacting with a CSR. Your payment solution needs to support all these diverse needs through a central solution.

Security 

Customers rightfully expect that your utility will do everything in its power to protect their sensitive financial information. By investing in a secure bill and payment solution, you safeguard both your reputation and their data.

Thankfully,  enhancing your utility bill and payment process doesn’t have to be a massive project. In fact, modernizing it can be done quickly, seamlessly, and without any disruption to your customers.

By working with a utility-focused billing and payment provider, you can draw on existing industry expertise to improve the bill and payment journey, without increasing the burden on your internal teams.

Tip: Look for a partner that can fulfill your immediate needs, while also helping you plan for a full omnichannel customer bill and payment experience.  

Need to simplify your utility bill and payment process? We’re always happy to consult with you on the best approach. GET IN TOUCH

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Erin Romo
Vice President, Utilities Vertical Lead at Doxim
With over 15 years of experience in providing information technology and services to the utility sector, Erin’s expertise extends across project and operations management, as well as sales and account management. Erin was Director of Customer Solutions at Utilitec, (acquired by Doxim in 2019) having been with the company for 15 years. Prior to that, she worked as a Project Manager at MSX International.

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