Not long ago, the customer payment centre was a fixture of service providers such as the local utility, phone or cable company. Customers dropped by the centre, walked up to the payment window and plunked down the cash to cover that month’s bill. That scenario is no longer. The growing cost of real estate and labour, combined with the growth in alternative payment channels, is turning the operation of payment centres into a burden for billers. That’s where a payment kiosk comes in. By enabling customers to make payments at a kiosk, service providers can offer a more effective and cost-efficient mechanism for customers to pay their bills.
BENEFITS TO THE COMPANY
- They are easy to use and require little or no service from customer representatives.
- It provides additional revenue with each transaction, as there is usually a minimal charge to the consumer for each transaction completed.
- It increases traffic to the location, often attracting users that are not even customers, but who take advantage of the convenient bill payment option, providing a great opportunity to entice these potential customers and ultimately increase revenue. Stores can easily plan around bill payment due dates (mid-month and end of month), arranging promotions to attract kiosk users while they are in the store.
- The machines are low maintenance, as they can be monitored remotely and require minimal training for staff. They therefore do not add extensively to training, overhead or inventory costs.
BENEFITS TO CUSTOMERS
- They provide a great alternative for customers that are still skeptical about making payments online, as well as under banked customers that must make cash payments.
- They provide the convenience of 24/7 access to bill payment services.
- Kiosks are easy-to-use allowing transactions to be conducted quickly, eliminating the inconvenience of waiting in long queues.
Bill Payment Kiosks are definitely an option for businesses wanting to increase revenue and customer satisfaction. The success of operating a bill payment kiosk may also open up the possibility of providing additional services such as payday loans, check deposits, prepaid cards or even checkout services. All it takes is partnering with the right institution to provide the ultimate in convenience for customers.