Rate payment collection benefits Councils, ratepayers and local businesses.
Local Government can play a vital role in assisting local businesses in finding synergies for growth, and achieving greater efficiency by outsourcing the collection of rate payments at convenient locations such as newsagencies. Councils recognise newsagencies as an ideal collection point for Council dues.
“It made good sense for residents to pay rates at newsagents given a Woolcott Research Report that found 70 per cent of Australians visit newsagencies at least once a fortnight,” said Ron Kennedy, Coordinator Financial Control, Gold Coast City Council.
Gold Coast City Council’s participation in the Bill EXPRESSTM program is a strategic method for Council to assist local businesses to expand their operations while reducing the long queues and costs of existing collection methods.
Leo Percy News in Cooma, New South Wales, has reported that, as a result of Bill EXPRESSTM, the increase in ‘foot traffic’ has boosted sales over 60 per cent.
“Residents are grateful for the convenience of paying bills while they are buying their daily paper,” Leo Percy said. “We know that Councils work hard to look after businesses in their municipality and this opportunity proves to me that participating Councils are truly dedicated to finding solutions for both local businesses and ratepayers.”
Bill EXPRESSTM increases collection efficiency as all payment information is transferred to the Bill EXPRESS™ host in real time, no matter where the In Person payment is made.
Councils are then able to view these In Person transactions in real time via the Bill EXPRESS™ secure Biller login website. Bill EXPRESSTM also enhances Council’s customer service by offering residents and ratepayers more In Person payment points, open longer hours to pay their bills.
Seven Councils have now joined the Bill EXPRESSTM program to allow ratepayers to pay their bills at participating newsagencies. Bill EXPRESSTM has a national network of more than 950 locations.
For more information please visit www.billexpress.com.au
* Copy supplied by Bill EXPRESSTM
