With the new app, customers of the telecommunications company can access their payment portal from literally anywhere. Once a customer logs into the app, the functionality allows users to pay their bill, review past bills and update saved account information straight from a mobile device, including phones and tablets.

Current app users have proclaimed the app “has great flow,” and is “easy to pay with.” The added convenience is the main reason 702 Communications decided to offer the app to customers.

The SmartPay mobile app is free, and is compatible with iPhone®, iPad® and Android™ devices. For Android devices, the app requires version 2.2 and up. For Apple® devices, the app requires the device is operating on iOS 5.1 or later.

Are you a 702 Communications Customer? To download the official app visit the Google Play store or Apple’s App Store.

Is your business interested in your own custom SmartPay mobile app? Learn more.         

           


Photo Courtesy of Sean MacEntee/Flickr

Problem

You could about imagine the large amount of customers a place like 702 Communications has to bill every month, it hits a whopping total of 6,500 customers. One issue they experienced with their previous billing system was any payments that came into 702 Communications had to be entered into 2 different payment systems. This was time consuming, and that time could have been spent elsewhere, like on customer service or customer solutions.

Another obstacle they encountered with their previous billing process is that it limited customer’s control over their payments. For example, the only way they could get information on their bill was to actually call 702 Communications. They also couldn’t view their statements online at any time or complete payments at any time.

Solution

SmartPay’s online billing solution integrated with 702’s current accounting system, allowing payment and invoice information to automatically pass between the two systems. This integration saved 702 Communication a lot of time that can now be spent on other projects.

Jennifer Rise, 702 Communication’s Financial Director says “We are a high tech company and we wanted a product that reflected that image to our customers.” She continues “ SmartPay rose to the top.” 702 Communication’s new system is easier for customers to use and provides them more control over their payments. They can now go online any time to view their information, change their settings, to make payments and more.

Results

Rise says that “We are receiving 23% more of our payments online, this means that I’m getting my cash sooner and saving time processing these payments.” The increase in cash flow 702 experiences from this has allowed them to put more money towards providing better services and technology to their customers.

Now their customers have more control over their payments, 702 Communications has more time to service any new customers. This ensures that every person they deal with gets the best service possible and that there will be no rushing through orders.

702 communications has saved an average of $1.25 per statement since switching over to SmartPay. Considering the amount of customers they have, the savings were well worth the switch. Rise says “By using SmartPay, 702 provides an online solution for our customers, increasing our productivity and efficiency, ultimately saving us both time and money.”

Could your company be our next success story? SmartPay could be the online billing solution your company needs. Contact us today if you are interested in getting started, and request a customized SmartPay live demo to see the difference.

Photo Courtesy of Minia/GoogleImages

Secure Login Portal

All websites should have a secure login portal, especially when reoccurring credit card payments are involved. SmartPay requires members to login before viewing any information related to their account. Forgotten usernames and usernames can only addressed if the user knows the e-mail address login information with which the account was initially made, and forgotten passwords require users to provide a username. If you aren’t required to provide this information, your customer’s data isn’t secure and you’ll want to switch to a different online billing option.

256-bit SSL encryption

256-bit SSL encryption is the strongest SSL available. It creates a secure link between the bill paying service’s website browser and your website browser. Having this Encryption technology confirms that the website you are using has legitimate website operators for a legally accountable organization. It provides an extra layer of protection for users by ensuring that sensitive files, payment information and other data remains private and cannot be intercepted. It can also help defend against login and password theft, which is particularly common in today’s wireless society.

PCI compliant

SSL encryption provides a great base of security for an online billing service, and the essential PCI compliance builds upon that to create an overall top-notch security system. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of requirements designed to ensure that all companies that process, store or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment.

Security Metrics Certification

Security Metrics provides merchant data security and compliance solutions. It is a leading provider and innovator in merchant data security and compliance for businesses. Online bill payment solutions should be able to pass a Security Metrics scan in order to be considered secure. 

SmartPay’s security system will keep your customer’s data in a safe place. Check out our security options to learn more.

Want to manage a large amount of customers? Many online billing programs were designed with companies with large clientele in mind. These programs allow you to manage each client in an organized system. You will often have the freedom to create, edit and delete as many customers as you like. Portals like SmartPay also allow you to import your customer list in multiple formats with fields in any order, and export your customer list right out of its site.

Want more information on clients’ payments? Knowing as much as you can about your client’s payments allows you to get the most out of your billing solution. With SmartPay’s efficient program “you can run reports that show customer payment history, how much your customers owe you, and detailed reporting on what customer data has changed and what your customers are doing in SmartPay.” Other available options that won’t come so easily with old-school paper billing include being able to easily view customer invoices and payment history, as well as modify customer settings.

Are you limited on time? If you want to get your customer’s payments taken care of with the same, or better efficiency in a less amount of time, then online billing may be right for you. Online systems allow you to create and send invoices quickly and easily to your customers by email.  You may even have the option to set up recurring invoices for customers who owe you the same amount each month, quarter or year so you don’t have to go in and recreate invoices each period.

Want to deal with less paper? Whether it’s because you want to better the environment or save your company some money, you have the option to deal with everything electronically with an online billing solution, no paper necessary.

Want to create custom payment plans? Online billing solutions offer more freedom to individualize payments, which your clientele will love the option of.  Both you and your client can be in control of when and in what amount payments come. For example, if your customer has an outstanding invoice for $800 and they want to pay $100/month on a payment plan, they can do that.

Interested in setting your business up with an online billing solution that provides the ideal answers to all of the above questions? Look into SmartPay and what it could do for your business.

Photo courtesy of mlinksva/Flickr

Appealing– A brand logo or image can add some color and flare to your documents, making your clients view them as less of a hassle and more like eye candy. Even the tiniest logo can make customer’s least favorite documents they receive from you, such as invoices, seem more of a friendly reminder than a demand for money.

Relationship Building – Members of your target audience will be more apt to associate with your firm if your brand emphasizes concepts that are important to them, such as a hard work ethic, success or luxury. As a result, they will feel good about doing business with you. Your brand can help foster a bond between you and your client over common beliefs and values. This relationship will make them more inclined to do business with you and to remain loyal to your firm, which means that they are more likely to provide you with repeat business.

Familiarity – People want to know that they can come to trust your product/services. As your client sees more of your brand and logo they will become comfortable it. Customers will be more likely to see you as a familiar and trustworthy face, and using your business more like an everyday ritual. Eventually, you can become a household name to consumers.

Distinguishes Your Business–Having a solid brand portal is a simple step that automatically puts your business ahead of others. When introduced to companies with no brands or an unfamiliar brand, customers become suspicious. They have many questions and wonder is the company is legitimate. The bond that is formed between a business and the clients that are acquainted with it can knock other unfamiliar companies with no brand out of the water.

Having a branded portal leaves clients more satisfied with your company’s products and services, while keeping business coming back to you. Want to learn more about improving your business-client relationship? Check out SmartPay and all of the services it has to offer.

Photo Courtesy of Quasic/Flickr

Convenience

The number one reason for online payment options is convenience. With online bill pay, the customer can pay the bill at their own convenience. The customer will no longer have to worry about stamps, checks, and envelopes. All they need in order to pay their bill is a computer or a smartphone and their log-in information.

Customer control

With online bill pay, the customer can check and pay their bill at any time of the day or night. The customer does not have to wait until they receive the bill in the mail to pay their bill. This is great for the customers as well as the customer service representatives. If the customer has more control, the customer service representatives have more time to help customers on a personal level.

Go green

Online payment options virtually eliminate the need for paper bills to be sent out in the mail. When you can check your bills online, there is no need for receiving paper bills in the mail. By going paperless, you will be saving countless amounts of paper from entering the local landfill.

Save money

With online payment options, the company saves money which was once spent on paper-billing supplies. 702 Communications, a SmartPay customer, estimates they save $1.25 per statement by using online payment options to present the bills to their customers. With 6,000 customers, 702 Communications is saving roughly $7,500 a month by using online payment options.

Three of SmartPay’s main clients are CaboVillas Beach Resort & Spa, Better Business Bureau, and 702 Communications; as you can see, SmartPay serves a variety of businesses. All businesses can benefit from having online payment options. There is nothing to lose, and everything to gain when it comes to online bill pay.

To learn more about online payment options, please visit www.gosmartpay.com or call 866.667.4277.

The feature allows merchants to automatically add a surcharge fee to customers’ credit card payments or a convenience fee for ACH/E-Check payments through the SmartPay system. The additional charge can consist of either a flat fee per transaction or a specific percentage of each total invoice, and the fees will apply to all transactions.

The new Surcharge and Convenience fees can be set up for ACH/E-Check.  Companies will have the option to add the feature or not. For companies that aren’t interested, the system won’t be changed unless you do so manually. For Companies that are interested, the charges can be implemented by changing the Payment Settings within SmartPay. Any changes made will be visible to customers below their invoice total and will explain the type of fee and amount charged.

SmartPay wants every business to benefit from their billing system. We are constantly on the move to increase businesses’ revenue and would like to encourage businesses to take control of their payments by giving this new offer a try.

Interested in SmartPay for your business? Request a consultation with one of our SmartPay experts today.

Photo Courtesy of Andres Rueda/Flickr

By offering this phone payment option, businesses can provide their customers with a toll free 800 number that guides them through an automated call-flow. The standard call-flow connects with SmartPay to find out what a customer owes and allows them to make a payment using a credit card or ACH.

“This new feature allows merchants to accept phone payments anytime, day or night without having to staff a call center,” says Karn Jilek, Director of Operations. “Providing more payment options, like IVR and mobile payments, means your business will see faster payments and happier customers.”

With the addition of IVR, SmartPay merchants now have the opportunity to accept phone, mobile, online and automatic payments. To add IVR, merchants must be using the Select, Professional or Enterprise version of SmartPay.

To learn more about SmartPay, please visit www.gosmartpay.com or call 866.667.4277.

What is SSL Encryption? Terms to Understand SSL

SSL – Short of Secure Sockets Layer, it is a protocol developed by Netscape for transmitting private and/or sensitive data via the Internet. SSL works by using a private key to encrypt data that’s transferred over the SSL connection.

Encryption – The translation of data into a unique, secret code. It is an extremely effective way to achieve data security online.

Public Key – The certificate holder’s key that is used to encrypt messages to your server.

Private Key – This key is stored on your local computer and decrypts messages so they can be read by your server.

How does SSL Work?

You are probably wondering how this works, exactly. When a web browser encounters an SSL, it goes through a process of steps.

1. The browser tries to connect to the SSL secured website.
2. The browser requests that the web server identifies itself.
3. The server sends the browser a copy of its SSL Certificate.
4. The browser checks whether it trusts the SSL Certificate or not. If it decides it trusts the certificate, it sends a message back to the server.
5. The server sends the browser a digital agreement to start an SSL encrypted session.
6. Encrypted data is shared between the browser and server, safely.

Why do you want an SSL Certificate?

If your website doesn’t have an SSL certificate and you are transferring sensitive data between you and your customers, you are putting that sensitive information at risk. Many online shoppers and bill payers are still very careful about which companies they do business with online.

Phishing scams, hackers and inadequate levels of security are all reasons companies are losing out on online sales. Building trust is key. By having an SSL certificate, you are showing your customers that you care about keeping their data safe and aren’t trying to abuse it.

Give your customers an online payment option that keeps all of their transactional data safe.

There are many situations where giving your customers and yourself access to payment history through an online portal is ideal. Here are our top 3 reasons you’ll love storing payment history in the cloud.

Faster

If you are traditionally tracking your customer’s payment history through non-cloud based software, or even worse-the old paper, file cabinet way, you are greatly decreasing your efficiency.

When a customer calls wondering what month they upgraded their services, you can find out quickly through their online payment history. By simply searching for their account and browsing their history, you can answer their question in just a few short minutes. Your filing cabinets may be extremely organized, but that search tool is probably going to be faster.

Customer Freedom

Your customers are going to love the freedom that your online solution provides them. If customers want to view their payment history, they don’t have to call you anymore. Your employees will love not having to answer all of these easy-to-answer phone calls, and they can spend their time troubleshooting real customer issues and providing better overall customer service.

Think of yourself as a customer. Many people work during the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours. For a lot of businesses, their customer support staff is only available during the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours, too. By giving your customers access to this information online, they can access their payment history when it is convenient for them – even if that is 7:40 p.m. or 2:30 a.m.

Less Paper

Another benefit of having this information available online is that you don’t have to keep sending paper invoices and statements. You can send updates and reminders via email, instead.

If you aren’t storing customer payment history online, you probably have to print and organize paper files. Over time, these paper files just take up space. Not only that, but paper statements can be easily placed in the wrong file or thrown away. By storing and backing up payment history on a server, you save your business stress, hassle, paper and space.

Worried your customers will miss the paper statements? Check out how two of our clients got handled the switch to online statements by reading our free white paper.

 Photo Courtesy of Dijutal Tim/Flickr