Omni-channel is a popular buzzword that has made its way into almost every discussion about customer experience. Most of the software vendors you work with, in fact, will talk about 'omni-channel capabilities' that set their solution apart from the competitors. Your organization may even have these capabilities listed on a checklist you use to evaluate new software solutions. But what is omni-channel, and why do so many organizations focus on it?

In a recent blog post, we discussed the benefits of improving the online payment experience. We detailed how a good online payment experience can decrease customer service calls, lower print and mail costs, speed up collections, and improve customer satisfaction. Now that you have a clear understanding of why a good user experience for online payments is to important, the next step is learning how to identify the Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment platform that will drive the best user experience for your customers.

For most organizations, customer satisfaction levels are an area of constant focus. That's because customer needs and expectations are constantly changing, and keeping up can be a challenge. It's important, though, to always keep customer satisfaction and experience top of mind at your organization. A poor customer experience can lead to other organizational challenges down the line, such as increased staff workloads and slowed collections.

Keeping up with customer expectations is a challenge for most organizations, particularly when it comes to creating a good user experience. Customers expect a simple and consistent experience throughout their entire interaction with your organization–from visiting your website, to engaging with customer support, to making an online payment. And as user experience increasingly becomes a primary differentiator for many organizations, it’s more critical than ever to get every interaction right.

There's no denying that, in a relatively short period of time, the world has changed significantly. These changes have impacted everything from how we do business, to how we conduct everyday activities like shopping for groceries or paying bills, to how we interact with family and friends. In times of uncertainty and crisis, we are all under increased pressure to do the right thing–for ourselves, our organizations, our customers, and our families.

Anyone who has been involved in purchasing software for their organization has heard of the term SaaS, or Software as a Service. And while many people understand, at least on some level, what SaaS is, it’s often hard to quantify the benefits of SaaS for your organization. For insurance companies, SaaS solutions provide a number of unique benefits that can drive real business results.

As organizations and individuals learn to settle into a ‘new normal’ that involves working remotely and practicing social distancing, many billers are looking for ways to engage customers and provide them with necessary resources. One important way to assist customers during this time is to provide as many contactless payment options as possible, including the option to pay bills online.

One of the most common challenges currently faced by water utility companies is the issue of rising water rates. In many areas throughout the United States, water utilities are dealing with aging water infrastructures and increasing treatment costs. This creates both collections and revenue issues for the utility, as increasing water rates usually result in delayed payments and, in some cases, customers who are unable to pay their bills at all. Since water utilities are responsible for the costs associated with maintaining and treating water regardless of the revenue they collect, these collection issues lead to disruption in business services and higher bills across the broader customer base. One way that utilities can effectively manage these challenges is by utilizing an online payment platform that engages customers and drives higher self-service rates.

Water is crucial to life. Without it, humans would not survive for more than 3 to 4 days. But access to clean drinking water is not free. Research from Michigan State University published in 2017 reveals water rates have increased by 41% since 2010. And if rates continue to rise in the next 5 years, then 46.08 Million US households won’t be able to afford water. In 2019, further investigation by Bluefield Research shows that the combined US monthly water and wastewater bill amounts to US $104 average per household when adjusted for inflation. A study conducted by the American Water Works Association also indicates that low-income households must spend an average of 9.7% of their disposable income and/or work 9.5 hours at minimum wage to pay for basic water and sewer service. In an effort to help wrestle the growing crisis of water affordability in the United States, WaterSmart Software and Invoice Cloud have partnered to provide ratepayers a suite of self-service tools to manage rising water costs.

Consumers’ needs are constantly changing, but one thing remains the same—they expect an outstanding user experience (UX) every step of the way, from customer support to online payments. When it comes to making payments online, customers want to pay their bills whenever and wherever they want, and on the device of their choice, without the hassle of roadblocks like a one-time registration. In fact, lack of exceptional UX in the payments industry can lead to reduced customer satisfaction, lower electronic payment adoption rates, and increased staff workloads.