Bills. We are all burdened by them, but we all also have different approaches to sorting them out. Some like to pay straight away, some like to schedule the payment close to the due date, others leave it till the last minute. Sometimes we end up paying late or having to setup a payment plan. The common bills we generally all have come the form of utilities, electricity and water, essentials phones and internet, and some more optional ones, Netflix and Disney+. Those that are more of an essential (eg housing costs) generally are pay after you use and come as a bill, in the mail or the preferred delivery method of email.
Back to the differentiation factor, or should i say choice, re making payment for these 'physical' bills. Once upon a time we could elect to use; BPay, Credit Card, Bank Transfer, Direct Debit, Automatic Direct Debit, In person at Aust Post, Over the Phone, After Pay, Online Payment methods, Paypal, the list goes on. This gave consumers choice. The ability to manage their bills in the way they choose.
No comes the gripe. What I have been seeing for a little while now is a reduction in choice. Some of my bills now have limited payment methods. This hasn't impacted me directly yet but i'm sure it's impacting some people. However, the latest change that is impacting me is with childcare. To date the payment process has been a little more stringent than most bills, by which I mean they expect payment in advance, not after the fact like an electricity bill. Not too big a deal as 'usage' is predefined so they can be accurate with billing in advance, unlike electricity. But the latest change is a move to Automatic Direct Debit. And not as a new option, but an enforced change, the expectation that everyone tows the line. Now why would they do this, I would presume that the childcare centre has had some bad customers who haven't been paying on time (or at all) and how do you resolve this, by receiving payment in advance. But I feel I am an exemplary customer, I am the type who likes to plan ahead, schedule the payment before the due date and have my finger on the pulse to makes sure the money will be in the account when payment is due. Direct debit takes away my control and puts all of the control in the hands of the service provider. Now the acedemics would say that the market will sort these things out, consumers will vote with their feet. Not sure that fits here. Childcare is difficult to change, options are limited, and suitability is complicated. I am very happy with the care my kids get, the days and times I have planned, the location, etc. Will I vote with my feet and pull my kids out because of this one gripe? No. But it leaves me unsatisfied. When did giving customers choices go out of fashion. Why treat all customers like bad debtors. In this day and age with all the data captured and the ease of analysis surely we can give customers the benefit of the doubt and adjust options should a customer begin to show signs of delinquency. At this point, per terms and conditions already likely signed by the customer, enact the clause that limits choice and forces the customer down a low-risk pathway. Allow your good customers to manage payments their own way.
Are you seeing a change to choice when it comes to avenues to pay bills?
Do you think it's fair to enforce a low-risk payment option like direct debit?
Tell me about your recent experience with unsatisfactory billing practices!
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