Automated texts cut payment handling costs by 30 percent

3 min read | July 10, 2019

Founded in 2007, ServiceSeeking.com.au is an online marketplace used by more than three million Australians to compare quotes and prices from local businesses like plumbers, electricians, carpenters, gardeners, and more.

Challenges

• ServiceSeeking.com.au wanted to maintain the company’s strong reputation for rapid response rates for customers.
• ServiceSeeking.com.au was experiencing failed payments from some of its registered businesses who were on subscriptions with monthly billing cycles. Failed payments usually occur when card details change or expire but the business has not updated them. ServiceSeeking.com.au staff members initially sent an email, then phoned the business individually for payment, which was time-consuming. It was also ineffective as it was difficult to get a response.

Solution

• An automated SMS solution means that an SMS is sent to a registered business as soon as payment fails. The SMS gives several options, such as ‘use a different card’, ‘rebill’, or ‘speak to an agent’.
• Once the business owner selects their option, the appropriate step is taken automatically. For example, card details are updated, a payment is scheduled, or a call task is set up in Salesforce.
• SMS alerts are sent to a registered business when there is a ‘very low competition job’ listed, allowing them to respond to the customer quickly and win more jobs.
• When a job is accepted, details are sent via SMS to the business, with a short link to the job listing. The business can then quickly follow up with the customer.

Benefits

• A better experience when the registered business’s payment fails: Making a phone call to tell someone about a failed payment is not a pleasant experience, says Pennington: “SMS is not intrusive, and happens in real time when their phone is in their hand. SMS is very easy to respond to and feels like a personalised service, even when it’s an automated.”
• Cost and efficiency savings: Automated SMS has cut failed payment handling costs by between 25 and 30 percent.
• The opportunity to identify and win back lapsed subscribers: Incorporating SMS into the payments process has resulted in greater success in winning back business compared to the previous call-only approach.
• Faster, more efficient resolution of issues: Resolution of failed payments via automated SMS is much faster, and doesn’t require time spent chasing busy business owners on the phone: “With SMS, issues are resolved quickly. Most of our subscribers are small traders, so are very busy, and this form of communication is much easier and faster.”
• Rapid response rates for ServiceSeeking.com.au customers: Testimonials about ServiceSeeking.com.au say it all. One customer says he “used other trade service companies, but I consistently get both a more rapid response, and more replies to choose from, on here”. Another adds: “Within seconds of posting, I had four businesses either messaging or ringing me to provide a quote”.

“The MessageMedia solution improved our business members’ experience in making communication more accessible and in real time. Calling someone to say their payment has failed is intrusive, time-consuming, and annoying. SMS is less intrusive and a better experience. There’s less hassle and it doesn’t interrupt their day.” Oliver Pennington, Joint CEO, ServiceSeeking.com.au

Find out how you can save with SMS solutions.