Do you have what your customers want…. Mobile eBilling?

I can't think of any other consumer technology news that has been more eagerly anticipated in the US recently, than Verizon announcing that they will be introducing the iPhone in February 2011. While one analyst report estimates that 25 million Verizon iPhones could be activated in 2011, Verizon Wireless is conservatively predicting 11 million new iPhone users this year. On a global scale, the introduction of the CDMA version of the iPhone would open up approximately 550 million potential new customers (134 million in India alone), according to the CDMA Development Group. A massive gauntlet has just been thrown down to developers of Android devices as well.

The ramifications for all of this on eBilling are HUGE!

Whether you're an avid smartphone user (like me), an occasional mobile internet user, or someone who only uses their phone for calls and SMS text messages, the allure of the smartphone is undeniable. Opening the floodgates to the web and more importantly, email (by far the most used consumer technology application) means that your customers who, today receive paper bills, will be far more accessible.

Mobile eBilling and the World Wide Web

But wait… is your website configured and optimized for mobile users? Or will they just see a very small, unreadable version of their eBill? As companies desperately try to convert their customers to paperless communications in a bid to reduce costs, are they paying enough attention to how consumers connect to the web?

Most banks and billers have built their portals without this in mind. Have you ever tried to log-in and view / pay a bill from your phone? The whole experience is not for the technology or security averse, especially when the same exercise usually involves 10 steps and many mouse-clicks to complete on your regular computer screen.

I'm not suggesting for a second that the personal computer is becoming redundant, but isn't the whole point of being able to check emails and connect to the net from the palm of your hand, intended to make your life more efficient? So that you have more time for the things you want to do (Unfortunately paying bills doesn't often fall into this category.)

Striata's new mobile one-click payment solution

How cool would it be if you could view a PDF of your bill right on your phone, and tap your screen to make an instant payment, then file the bill in an email folder, all in less than 60 seconds? Talk about convenience! (not to mention billers getting paid quicker).

This is exactly what Striata launched at FinovateEurope this week. Striata's new mobile one-click payment solution is an industry first, enabling bill recipients to see how much is owed and conveniently make an instant one-click payment directly from any internet enabled mobile device. More good news: it doesn't require billers to spend anything on optimizing their portals for mobile users.

Striata continues to blaze a trail of innovation in paperless communication solutions. For more than a decade, we have had a very clear focus on providing both individual (B2C) and commercial (B2B) consumers with more convenience and ease of access to handling tasks that to date are predominately paper based.

Coincidentally, in a recent research report by InfoTrends entitled The Future of Electronic Bill Presentment & Payment in North America, 2010, companies surveyed said the most effective strategy for driving eBilling adoption was "marketing the convenience".

Isn't it time to put your money where your mouth is? Talk to a Striata specialist today about what enhancing customer convenience will do for your business.

Barrie Arnold
www.striata.com