Firm Management
Billtrust Adds Interactive Voice Response Capability To Billing Services Suite
Technology Allows End-Customers to Pay by Phone 24/7, Helping Billers Improve Their Customer Service
Jul. 14, 2013
HAMILTON, NJ – Outsourced billing services provider Billtrust, has added a new IVR (Interactive Voice Response) technology to its suite of billing services. The new IVR system, which includes Inbound IVR, Outbound IVR and Emergency Alerts, gives end-customers a phone number by which they can check account balances or make payments by either ACH or credit card, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
IVR is the latest addition to a robust menu of Billtrust self-service payment options billers can offer their customers. “Consumers want to pay their bills many different ways,” said Mitch Rose, Vice President of Marketing for Billtrust. “To maximize customer service and guarantee timely payment, businesses should make it easy for customers to pay across a range of channels including online, mobile, bank, walk-in, and phone.”
Once Billtrust IVR is installed, end-customers simply call the appropriate phone number to use the system. Upon calling they are greeted with a welcome message; after entering their account number for verification, they are presented with options to check their account balance, make a payment, or transfer to a service representative.
Billtrust IVR has the capability of supporting ACH and/or credit card payments along with applicable convenience fees. To make it easy for billers to apply payments, Billtrust IVR is integrated with other payment methods, so billers receive one payment file to apply. The capability eliminates the extra work required when payment files in different formats are received.
Las Virgenes Municipal Water District in Calabasas, California is an early adopter of Billtrust’s IVR system. “It’s important to make it easy for our customers to make an immediate payment,” said Carol Palma, Customer Service Manager. “With Billtrust IVR our customers can pay as many different ways as they wish—walk-in, mail-in, website and now by phone. IVR lets them pay no matter where they are.”
In addition to Inbound IVR billing services, billers can use the Billtrust service for Outbound IVR to communicate service outages, make collection calls or issue emergency alerts.