InvoiceCloud, a leader in digital billing solutions, finds that nearly half of consumers surveyed would opt to use online bill payment platforms if available in their preferred language
InvoiceCloud, a leading provider of online billing and digital payment solutions, announced the findings of its consumer bill payment survey, highlighting a key roadblock to online bill payment adoption: language options. The study of 1,000 U.S. consumers found that 46% said they would be more likely to use an online billing or payment platform to pay their bills, rather than paying by phone or in person, if the platform were available in their preferred language.
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With 79% of those consumers paying their bills primarily online or through a mobile app, customer experience and ease of accessibility is paramount to overall adoption as many companies and municipalities aim to go paperless. An inclusive billing experience gives customers the option to view and pay bills in their preferred language, not just English, across whatever channel they already use. InvoiceCloud’s survey shows that not only is language a roadblock to online bill pay adoption, it’s a roadblock to timely payments. The survey reveals that 41% of consumer respondents found it difficult to make a payment or have abandoned the online bill process because it was not available in their language. Additionally, 52% of survey respondents said they had to pay through another channel, such as by phone or in person during normal business hours, or rely on a friend or family member for assistance when their preferred language was unavailable.
“Paying an essential bill should be simple,” said Kevin O’Brien, CEO, InvoiceCloud. “If something as straightforward as offering the right language helps more people pay online with confidence, that’s an opportunity we should all be paying attention to. It’s better for consumers, and it’s better for the organizations serving them.”
Other findings from the consumer bill payment survey include:
- Consumers surveyed were most likely to pay utilities (78%), insurance premiums (59%), property taxes (33%), and municipal/government fees (33%) through an online platform, pointing to a strong need for bill providers in these sectors to ensure multiple language options are available. In fact, 73% of those consumers say they would pay their utilities online if their preferred language was an option.
- Limited options can lead to a significant disruption in service: 13% of consumers surveyed claim their services have been shut off or their insurance coverage was cancelled because language was a barrier to completing their payments.
- Aside from English, consumers surveyed selected Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Korean in the top preferred languages.
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