Simplicity, convenience and savings a powerful drawcard for e-billing

South African consumers who have a computer and an Internet connection at home, in the office or through their laptop while travelling, are responding to the fact that they can make their lives simpler, save money and improve their credit ratings simply by choosing to receive their bills electronically.

“From the consumer's perspective there are as many benefits to be derived from receiving electronic bills as there are for the corporate organisations, financial service providers and utilities that send them,” says Nicola Els, Head of e-billing at electronic messaging specialist Striata.

“Reduced costs, secure, on-time and confirmed payment, convenience and the green benefits of minimal paper usage are among the factors attracting increasing numbers of consumers to electronic billing and payment.”

Els adds that the convenience factor packs quite a lot of punch in a rapidly automating world, particularly for the younger Y generation, yet many of the older X generation have embraced technology and are doing more and more from a desktop or laptop at home, in the office or during travel.

With e-billing, the bill is e-mailed directly to the debtor who can pay the bill and store proof of payment and the electronic bill in the computer or portable storage device for record purposes with just a few mouse clicks. Unlike paper bills there is no collecting from the post box, the bill can't be mislaid and there's no need for box files bulging with posted paper invoices cluttering the study or spare room.

Paying the bill electronically is a quick, simple process. Once the e-mailed bill has been opened and viewed, the recipient can log in to Internet banking and pay within minutes without having to move from the desk. Els says this is highly convenient, taking a tenth of the time it takes to write out a cheque, place it in an envelope and get it posted. It also costs significantly less and saves time through avoidance of long queues at service providers.

“Travelling to the post office or having to collect post from the front gate constitute a 'grudge action'. Receiving the bills via e-mail is not only highly convenient but is a more environmentally friendly process throughout. Another advantage is that credit ratings can be improved through the timeous delivery of bills, aided by quick and secure electronic payment.”

Among the challenges facing people who receive electronic bills is acquiring the habit of reading the bill on screen rather than printing it out. Most e-bills do carry a “green” reminder such as “please consider the environment before printing”. Paper pamphlets, vouchers and coupons traditionally inserted into posted paper bills are often the reason a person does not convert to e-billing. Many companies still have to overcome the perceived status of glossy information packs and financial reports by choosing to despatch these in electronic format, which minimises environmental impact.

There is gathering momentum in the commercial sector with increasing numbers of suppliers of goods and services providing their customers with the option of receiving electronic bills. Els says many businesses are now encouraging payment by Internet because not only is it secure and convenient, but they receive the amount owed quickly as opposed to having to put up with “Your cheque is in the post”.