Two Simple Ways to Improve Debt Settlement Results Using Payment Technology

Innovation in the billing industry is presenting the ARM industry, and many related vertical markets such as healthcare and utility, with even more ways of collecting payments conveniently, as well as helping to cut down on the paper process by at least fifty percent.

Take PURLs. These are a one-time-use personalized URLs (web addresses) which encourage electronic payments from paper statements and invoices, so that customers can quickly pay online without the need to create a profile within a provider’s portal. PURLs also eliminate the need to log into a public online payment portal, but do give users the option to opt in for accepting and paying future bills online once the first payment has been completed.

Once the payment is processed, an email notification is sent to both the customer and the biller, and if a payment fails, the biller is notified so they can follow-up with the customer.

Adoption within the healthcare industry has been tremendous. Many hospitals and providers prefer to have people pay via their HSA cards off mailed statements, thus eliminating half of the paper process.

One hospital offering PURLs recently went from collecting $9,200 a month in online payments to over $100,000 a month in online payments – that’s a 1148% increase.

Adding a virtual negotiator is another very easy way to implement a piece of technology that can help improve collections. Advanced agentless online debt negotiation software enables customers to negotiate and set up an automated repayment schedule all without talking to a live agent.

Customers can deal with their debt problem privately, online, without having to engage with a billing department or agent, and can negotiate a payment schedule which they are comfortable with.

Agentless negotiation can increase collections by up to 20% by enabling customers to make payments online during unregulated hours from 9pm-8am in the ARM industry. By collecting through an online portal specific to the company, settlements can be significantly improved 24/7, at a time most convenient to customers, reducing paper bills, and consequently supplying a substantial impact to the bottom line.

Dave Yohe is Director of Marketing for BillingTree. The proven leader in on-demand payment processing, BillingTree empowers customers with competitive advantage through a simplification of the billing and receivables process. By delivering the most innovative technology while making it as easy and inexpensive as possible to accept payments, BillingTree has revolutionized the payments landscape. Our software-as-a-service (SaaS) model delivers industry-leading payment solutions, proven integration, and point-and-click simplicity. BillingTree’s focus on innovation has allowed us to help more than 1,800 customers eliminate manual processes and automate their payment cycles. BillingTree – Growth is our Business. For more information, visit www.mybillingtree.com or call 877.4.BILLTREE.