WM Utility eliminates by-phone payments, online bill pay on the rise

WM Utility eliminates by-phone payments, online bill pay on the rise

Still plenty of ways to pay

news@theeveningtimes.com

Over-the-phone bill payments were eliminated from the services offered at the West Memphis Utilities last month, but customers haven’t missed a beat according to office manager Rob Hollon. May was the first month without phone pay and statistics show traditional phone customers moved to the newest payment method, online billing.

Internet payment was introduced late last year.

Payments by phone had declined in three of the previous four months before the option was snuffed out.

In January 864 customers rang the utility to pay the bill. By April, it was down to 428. Phone payments were the most time-consuming and costly method of payment. The utilities still take phone calls but now it is mostly to tutor folks in how to pay over the Internet. The office manager said his staff stands ready to give new online customers a walk through.

“Some of our customers have had challenges making the switch,” said Hollon. “We talk them through it. Most people have accepted it. This is our first payment report since phoning in payments was discontinued. According to the chart, the phone payments have migrated over to online payments.” Payments through the web increased by 551 in May, a bigger increase than all the phone payments in April.

More than 2000 West Memphians paid online in May.

Most customers pay one of two ways now, online or in line (at the Utility window). “Snail mail” as in with a stamp and such, is a close third, followed by the night deposit box and bank drafts. There are still five ways to pay and many prefer the personal interaction.

“55 percent of the people pay us at the cashier window, and 15 percent of that is paid through a debit or credit card,” said Hollon.

“This is a high percentage of people that come to our cashier window, but according to the American Public Power Association its to be expected with the average income of residents and the large senior population. There are people that have come to the window for years and they will continue to come to the window and of course we are pleased to serve them and will continue to serve them.”

The online payment is the fastest growing way to pay bills and the city utility company can afford to eat the card fees.

“What we are excited about are the 17 percent of the people paying online now,” said Hollon. “That is very cost-effective and we’d like to also market paying by automatic bank draft. They are the most cost-effective.”

By John Rech