It’s 2023. You need a payment kiosk...
At the root of the decision to implement bill pay kiosks, the fundamental business case is to improve the customer experience. Automating a traditionally labor-intensive business process produces ancillary benefits for the everlasting cash payer and billing companies alike. Even with the array of payment options available to customers, there is still a significant cohort of consumers who prefer to pay in person.
U.S. Payments (USP) operates the nation’s largest self-service bill pay kiosk network with more than 1,400 kiosk in 47 states. The marquee PaySite® kiosk is utilized by 300+ clients in the utility, telecom, municipal, and other industries. The typical PaySite install is in a utility office drive-thru, lobby, or vestibule, or at a local grocery or convenience store. Billing companies are able to direct traffic away from customer service reps and increase the convenience for the in-person payer. USP’s service operates 24x7x365 and includes:
- Kiosk hardware and maintenance
- Payment Software
- Client console with real time transaction data
- CIS interface- real time or batch based on preference
- PCI Level 1 Service
- Remote troubleshooting
- Daily settlement and reporting
- On-site maintenance as needed
- Cash monitoring and armored pickup (client option)
- Customer care (Tulsa, OK)
- Research department to assist with payment questions
- Customer education
- Retail partner acquisition
- Client services/operations
- Multi-biller setup (Retail)
Key Benefits for Billing Companies
- Alleviates long lines during peak billing periods
- Reduces errors
- Allows frontline staff to focus on service
- Drives payment traffic to self-service
- Expedites the user experience
- Creates efficiencies in back-office procedures
- Reduces cost
- Extends hours of availability
Key Benefits for Retail Partners
- Increases door swings and visit frequency
- Excellent revenue per square foot
- Influences in-store purchases
- For retailers offering bill-pay, PaySite automates the service and frees up the service desk for higher margin services
- Revenue share beats industry benchmarks on merchandise sales
Industry Trends
Prepaid Customers Love It
As prepaid electricity becomes a staple in the industry, self-service kiosks are a great compliment. This group of customers are generally cash preferred and tend to make payments outside of standard business hours. Many USP clients utilize a retail network of bill pay kiosks to strategically offer in-person payments in areas with more prepay users. We see 2-4x higher transaction volume in saturated prepaid areas throughout the country.
Kiosks Don’t Quit
As labor shortages continue to present challenges, utilities have implemented 24x7 drive thru kiosks to both extend the hours of availability and also shift priorities for frontline staff to more service focused tasks. Some clients will install an indoor unit in a vestibule to achieve the same result.
Drop the Dropbox
I know you probably love pulling out the stack of payments out of your dropbox on Monday morning, but in case you don’t, many USP clients have implemented a thruwall outdoor kiosk in place of the dropbox. This removes the back-office process of manually working these transactions and also provides customers with instant verification that their funds were applied to their account.
Extending Availability
Coming out of the pandemic, some utilities have decided to not reopen their lobby. Kiosks placed in a vestibule, drive thru, and/or retail creates a more convenient network of pay locations that take the place of the traditional office lobby.
The Nitty Gritty
Accounting
U.S. Payments balances all kiosks daily and generates a summary report. Reporting and settlement include all of the previous day’s cash, check, and card transactions, even if cash is still in the machine. Clients also have access to USP’s client console to research specific transactions and submit research requests in the event additional review of a transaction is necessary.
IT
USP’s services are all PCI DSS Level 1 Certified. PCI scope is the responsibility of U.S. Payments, which alleviates IT staff responsibilities considering data security. USP will stand up a real-time interface with your Customer Information System (CIS), if applicable, and will coordinate testing and go-live with the specified IT personnel. If your CIS does not support real-time, USP also provides end-of-day batch posting options.
Support
USP remotely monitors all kiosks and has 24x7 On Call support staff. Should issues arise, USP will troubleshoot remotely and if on-site maintenance is required, USP can dispatch a local technician. Should customers need assistance or have questions about a payment, USP’s Tulsa-based call center is available M-F 6a-7p CST and on Saturday from 7a-5p CST.
Customer/Member Services
The resounding customer soundbites we hear are that PaySite is fast, easy, and convenient. Kiosks are a great compliment for service initiatives and multiplies the benefits for all parties involved. Customers appreciate the service enhancement and clients enjoy fast posting, settlement, and more time to better serve customers. Retail partners benefit from more store traffic, while utility clients expand their in-person network of pay locations. Kiosk produce a synergistic effect, which amplifies the success of bill pay kiosks.
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