New Zealand Post is trialling a service that will let utilities such as power and phone companies send reminders to customers via text message, giving them an opportunity to pay their bills before they lose prompt payment discounts or face other sanctions.
Payment services manager Terese Tunnicliffe says NZ Post is testing the service with some of its business customers and discussions are taking place with other billers that may use it, including power companies and councils.
It relies on customers having already provided utilities with their cellphone number and permission to debit their bank account on receipt of a text message.
The billing company would send a computer file containing the reminder to NZ Post, which would then text the customer, asking them if they wanted to pay the bill.
Replying with the word "pay" is enough to authorise the payment. Customers then get back a confirmation saying when their payment will be processed.
The service has been developed with the help of Wellington mobile technology company Run the Red during the past six to nine months.
Product development manager Melanie Lambert expects it to appeal to the 29 per cent of people that NZ Post believes like to "control" their bills. Such people like to pay bills as close to due dates as possible, NZ Post's research suggests.
Ms Tunnicliffe says billers would have to go to some trouble to develop and manage a similar service solely for their own use.
"It is quite a bit of work to get the messages flowing back and forth. The unique feature is matching that response back to the individual account."
Ms Tunnicliffe says it is increasingly common for utilities to capture customers' cellphone numbers when they first sign up with a biller and says text reminders have a "high cut-through" with consumers - being less easily ignored than regular mail-outs.
She believes people may even be willing to pay a small fee to receive text reminders, especially if it helps them avoid losing prompt payment discounts.
Ms Tunnicliffe expects the service to be a niche offering but says it represents another step in the evolution of mobile banking.
"It's a good stepping stone to a more ubiquitous mobile payment service."
Contact Energy spokesman Jonathan Hill believes the service may have merit.
"We are interested in any initiative that makes life easier for customers."
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