Consumers managing cash flow by using multiple bill payment methods, survey says.

• Position: MARKETING NEWS

CONSUMERS ARE GRAVITATING TOWARD PAYMENT OPTIONS that provide them more control and allow them to hold onto their money as long as possible, according to the 2010 Billing Household Survey, conducted by Fiserv Inc., Brookfield, Wisc.

The surveyed consumers reported increased usage of online, phone, and walk-in payment methods, and 23 percent said that they change the ways they pay their bills month to month. In addition, consumers indicated that making a payment or viewing a bill are the primary reasons they visit the websites of companies from which they receive services.

The survey also revealed that consumers who receive paperless bills are more satisfied with their service provider than those who receive mailed paper bills.

This year's survey demonstrates the need for billers to offer a variety of billing and payment options to meet household needs and expectations, according to Jardon Bouska, division president, Biller Solutions, Fiserv. "Consumers are adjusting their payment behaviors based on financial and personal situations, and what they perceive to be convenient."

According to the survey, consumers value payment control and flexibility, particularly when they are experiencing cash flow difficulty. Thirty-eight percent of the consumers surveyed had made a late payment or missed paying a bill altogether in the previous 12 months. Fifty-seven percent of them identified the source of...