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RBarrowsNC
RBarrowsNC
5/2/2016 12:19:40 PM
User Rank
Steel
Real Time Charging or bust? Not so fast
Good points across the board, but 2 comments...

 

1, since 0% of the the respondents said that Billing Systems are ready today, that should showcase a huge flag that they are NOT up for true digital transformation.  True digital transformation for Telco's means they will be expanding into the eCom type of world...which requires driving innovation and huge partner system ecosystem expansion.  (which includes most likely selling products that are not theirs)  The BSS of the past, including 'converged billing', was not designed to deliver the Amazon, Uber, AirBNB type of model. But on the flip side, those companies BSS are not set up well to handle true Telco offers as well.  So the ones who truly evolve will produce a completely new approach to Billing/BSS/OSS that isn't just about Billing for a product.

 

2, for those who believe that billing should go away even for just traditional Telco services, it may make sense for certain scenarios, but if you are a business that has 1+ million accounts that pay you on a monthly basis (similar to what the other poster said about loan model)...would you be willing to simply pull the plug on your subscriptions and move to a charging based model only?  Your shareholders most likely would not be so keen when you drop your quarterly revenue guidance confidence...

 

 

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freehe
freehe
4/26/2016 9:12:19 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Billing Systems
elizabethv, good points.

No billing systems are not keeping pace. Sometimes I pay my bills online but each provider has a different billing issue.

When paying my auto loan I cannot pay online, I can only go into the branch or mail my payment.

When paying my utility bills I can pay online but can only pay via my checking account using my bank account and routing number.

When paying my credit card bill I can pay online but I cannot make multiple payments within a 24 hour period.

With another service provider if I make a payment after 5:00pm it will be applied the next business day.

Automatic payments don't always work out in your favor. It is difficult to stop automatic payments and sometimes companies double dip in the same month.

I think standardization regarding billing system would transform the industy and help customers.

I see why some people still write checks, it's much easier!

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dlr5288
dlr5288
4/25/2016 8:01:33 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: But just because it CAN be done, does that mean it should?
I agree with you!

I think it's awesome that technology is evolving and becoming a bigger part in day to day life. However it can also be difficult to deal with, especially when money is involved. It's sometimes hard to trust. Technology does make things quicker/easier to a certain degree, but it can mess things up in a big way.

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dcawrey
dcawrey
4/25/2016 12:45:42 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: Billing Systems Up for Transformation
Yes, billing systems are needed. However, new technolgies should be able to foster innovationin this area. I don't think we're seeing enough development in customer service and flexible billing options, however. But their is promise in renewal, especially as legacy systems are replaced. 

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Ariella
Ariella
4/22/2016 9:53:38 AM
User Rank
Author
Re: But just because it CAN be done, does that mean it should?
@elizabethv I'm really surprised a mistake like that could even happen. But maybe I shouldn't be, considering the level of incompetence I've seen at some doctors' offices. 

The credit card rep said the charges made for tests at gas stations were always small. She said the highest she's heard of is $2. Certainly, for debit card accounts some people would have under $100 available balance. I don't use debit cards myself, though, so this test was done for the credit card function. 

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elizabethv
elizabethv
4/22/2016 8:01:53 AM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: But just because it CAN be done, does that mean it should?
@Ariella - the incorrect number was the account number for our doctor's office, not the number out of my bank account. So it was getting paid from my account, but it was being applied to the wrong account. A few different types of charges run a "ghost charge" on your card when you try to use it. I always heard that gas can run a "ghost charge" of around $100, so there are times when a card might be declined even when you have money in your account. In those situations, I've heard you have to go into the station and ask them to charge a specific amount. But I know hotels do something similar, and rental car agencies. Actually, I think rental car agencies just "hold" $500 while you have the car, and release it when you return it. That's why they recommend paying with a credit card over a debit card. I like the point John Barnes gives though, paying, instead of using automation, allows us to have human control over a process. I definitely prefer that.

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mpouraryan
mpouraryan
4/21/2016 9:25:05 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: Billing Systems Up for Transformation
Amen to that Sir--I was reflecting upon this very thing today as Tom Brokaw of NBC noted recently how in the "noise" of the current campaign we're faced it, no one is noting that some 40,000 people have lost their jobs in the Banking Sector due to automation--and that's just a sector that supposedly was a "growth sector".     We have some true profound challenges before us as we are witness to Transformation ever more.

 

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JohnBarnes
JohnBarnes
4/21/2016 7:18:22 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: Billing Systems Up for Transformation
Humanity -- and groceries!

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mpouraryan
mpouraryan
4/21/2016 2:06:29 PM
User Rank
Platinum
Re: Billing Systems Up for Transformation
Couldn't agree with you more sir--the sense of control is at the heart of what being a human is about--That's why no matter how digital we become, we have to maintain that semblance of humanity.    

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Ariella
Ariella
4/21/2016 9:23:02 AM
User Rank
Author
Re: Billing Systems Up for Transformation
@JohnBarnes I go for a mix. I don't allow automatic payments for my auto and home insurance, for example, preferring to pay that on a semi-annual basis. I also pay manually input the online payments for electricity and gas, though I often run into frustration on the sites that keep making changes to maximize customer frustration. Also those amounts tend to vary quite a bit according to the season. Water is charged each month, and the amounts are always pretty close. My internet connection and phone are automatically paid by a credit card each month. The only thing I've noticed that sneaks in fees for such things is E-Z Pass. Even if you don't use it, it will charge you a certain amount each year to keep the account active. 

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