City of Arlington, TX Water Utilities Saves $900k in Annual Operational Costs with Invoice Cloud’s Online Payment Solution
BRAINTREE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Invoice Cloud, an EngageSmart solution for online bill payment services, announced that it has saved the Arlington Water Utilities Department $900k on average in operating expenses each year since launching the organization’s online bill payment platform in 2018. Now in its fourth year since implementation, the utility has seen a steady increase in online payment adoption and paperless billing registrations. In year one alone, the utility saw a 60% decrease in payment-related service center calls, giving employees more time to focus on higher priority issues and giving utility customers the flexibility to pay and manage their accounts independently.
For a utility company servicing over 100,000 accounts in a city of 400,000 residents, having an online payment option for customers has made a significant impact in a short period of time. With Invoice Cloud, Arlington Water Utilities was able to give customers more self-service payment options online, resulting in greater savings overall and increased customer satisfaction. Not only did service center call volume decrease exponentially in the first year of implementation, but so did in-person visits to the payment center, cutting down on the time spent per bill for both city employees and customers themselves.
“The avoided costs Arlington has seen each year since implementing Invoice Cloud translates into significant benefits for our city, whether that is helping keep water rates some of the lowest in North Texas or providing extra funds to replace critical infrastructure like aging water and sewer mains,” says Craig M. Cummings, director of Arlington Water Utilities. “It also gives our customers the communication options they prefer, such as texts sent directly to their phones to let them know when a payment is due.”
While crisis scenarios are not often top of mind when considering online payment providers for a city utility, the added peace of mind and multi-channel communication options integrated into the Invoice Cloud platform are a definite benefit.
“We are big believers in the power of digital experiences to drive customer engagement and even customer delight all in one platform,” says Invoice Cloud President Tom Griffin. “Our medium just happens to be online payments, which for city utility providers is probably the most frequent touchpoint with their customers. By ensuring that the most routine transactions are dependable, simple, and seamless, we are also helping city utility providers to establish trust in their operations and building an additional line of communication for when a critical situation demands extra resources.”
To bring home that point, Cummings pointed out that the call center that serves Arlington Water Utilities customers also manages the general city line, provides essential information to citizens, and is currently a centralized source for COVID-19 vaccine information. Reducing payment-related calls means that resources can more quickly be allocated to sharing vital information and handling critical issues.
To pay a bill or register for paperless billing, Arlington Water Utilities customers can visit www.ArlingtonTX.gov/KnowYourH2O.
About Invoice Cloud:
Invoice Cloud, an EngageSmart solution, is the leading provider of online bill payment services. Founded in 2009, the company has grown to be one of the leading disruptors in the cloud-based electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) space, helping legacy institutions put customer experience first. By switching to Invoice Cloud, clients improve customer engagement, loyalty, and efficiency while reducing churn and missed payments in the process. With over 2,100 clients across the US and over 50 million payments processed annually, Invoice Cloud is one of the most secure, innovative, and inclusive fintech solutions in the market. To learn more, visit www.invoicecloud.com.
Contacts
Katie Jacobs
Quarter Horse PR
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